KELLY Williams put his most recent PBA championship up there among the most memorable of his long career, if only for the adversities that he and the team had to overcome just to get there.
The 42-year-old Williams said his ninth championship with TNT - and his third since coming out of retirement in 2021 - was one of the toughest he had to win with all the hurdles he had to go through, both physically and emotionally.
“I’ve always said that each championship has it’s own special factors that makes it special,” said Williams. “This one was no different.”
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“Personally, I had a lot of trials, things I had to deal with, (expletive) cry just thinking about it. Off the court, on the court, injuries, a lot of setbacks. But my teammates really just picked me up, coach Chot [Reyes] and the rest of the staff stood by me and trusted me. Personally, this is one of my top championship experiences."
When asked what the challenges were, Williams said he played this conference away from his sons, who are both in the United States.
“I really wanted my sons to be here to watch this finals. I don’t want to say it’s bittersweet. But seeing everyone with their families and kids. Obviously, I’m happy for my teammates and I want to see them win. But then, the other side of me is like, ‘Damn, I wish my sons were here,’” he said.
Williams was thrilled that among the first to reach out to him after the championship was one of his two sons.
“The first message I got was from my son, who is in school, asking how the game went. I just missed them so much. It’s hard being away from them. That’s one of the main things,” said Williams.
The former PBA MVP also had to deal with injuries that caused him to miss a few games during the semifinal series against Rain or Shine.
“It’s always tough when you had to deal with injuries, but we all had to deal with something. Everyone had to deal with something,” Williams said.
Despite the difficulties, Williams delivered when it mattered most, especially in the last two games of the finals beginning in Game Five, where he finished with 11 points and three rebounds in their 99-92 win over Barangay Ginebra.
To top it off, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 rookie draft had four points, four rebounds, and four assists, while scoring a key lay-up during TNT’s 10-0 finishing pick, sealing the title-clinching 95-85 Game Six victory.
“To come out with the championship, I’m so happy for my team, for my coach. I’m happy for coach Chot," he said, "and for Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson], sacrificing himself and putting the team before himself.
"He is just an amazing guy. He was the one who kept us all together,” added Williams.
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