(January 25, 2006) -- The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday that former NBA and Raptors player Jerome Williams will join the organization as the team's new community representative.
“I’m excited to be back with the Raptors in a city that I love so much,” said Williams. “I look forward to working in the community and making a difference in the lives of our city's youth."
Williams will play an active role in Raptors community initiatives particularly those that support at-risk youth and address social issues currently affecting our city.
“Jerome has always been a fan favourite in Toronto both on-and-off-the-court and will be a positive influence in the community,” said Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. “He'll play an instrumental role supporting many of the Raptors' key community programs and the entire organization is excited to welcome him back.”
The Raptors have demonstrated a strong commitment to the City of Toronto, at-risk youth and charities supporting similar causes. Since the team’s inception in 1995, the Raptors have remained at the forefront of many hot button social issues debated in the public forum such as youth violence, self-esteem, literacy, access and opportunities to sports and education.
Williams, a former first-round draft pick, played nine seasons in the NBA for four different teams. He retired at the end of the 2004-05 season having played in 587 career regular season games with 12,755 minutes and 3,865 points.
http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/william ... 60123.html
