‘BEST SHOT’
Ex-NBA player helps coach high school basketball team
Basketball forever changed Jay Williams’ life.
The former NBA player carved out a niche for himself in the game. He played for Duke University in college and later played for the Chicago Bulls.
A motorcycle accident in 2003 changed his course, and he landed a spot at ESPN as a college basketball analyst.
Yet, Williams wanted to tell a story. This is why the 36-year-old joined the production of the YouTube original documentary series “Best Shot.”
The series began airing on YouTube on July 19.
“Ever since I’ve been a little boy, I’ve been adamant about paying it forward,” Williams says. “For me, as somebody who’s been blessed to have a ton of experiences in life, I want to help shape younger lives.”
The eight-part series follows Williams as he returns to New Jersey to join the Central High School boys basketball coaching staff.
Alongside longtime head coach Shawn “OG” McCray, he’ll try to guide the team to its first state championship in over a decade while mentoring the players through their own unique challenges and personal conflicts.
The series is executive-produced by LeBron James and directed by Emmynominated filmmaker Michael John Warren.
Williams says the series captures a full range of emotions — from both coaching staff and players.
“I’m so passionate about this opportunity, because it’s groundbreaking to witness what these people are doing every single day of their lives,” he says. “We live in augmented-reality world, and in order to truly shape and make fundamental change, we have to get down to the ground and build it up. These kids are going through so much more than I ever had to. There are 17-year-olds having to live on their own and create a life for themselves in high school. It’s a raw and unfiltered look into their lives.”
Williams says being part of the series has changed his life.
He not only got an opportunity to talk about his own struggles after the accident, but help build the confidence of the young players.
“It really takes a community to raise these young players,” he says. “That’s why I commend LeBron so much. He’s using his time to influence the community. If you’re going to influence a community, you have to do it with your time.”