Best league finish
Menu
Player profile · NJN / NYK / POR
Buck Williams
Buck Williams stats, teams and career impact
#531 all-timeCareer averages · 12.8 PPG · 10.0 RPG · 1.3 APGPeak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
- Position
- Power forward
- Final NBA team
- New York Knicks
- Height / weight
- 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) · 215 lb (98 kg)
- Born
- March 8, 1960 (66 yrs old)
- College
- Maryland
- NBA seasons
- 17 seasons · 1981–82 to 1997–98
Career summaryBuck Williams was a power forward who played 17 NBA seasons, from 1981–82 through 1997–98.
- Career PPG
- 12.8
- Career RPG
- 10.0
- Career APG
- 1.3
- #34 in 1982–83
- #531 all-time
Best-Season Impact Rank
Career Impact Rank
Peak-weighted regular-season model · playoffs, awards, and championships excluded
Career overview
Why Buck Williams ranks #531 all time
Buck Williams ranks #531 all time. Across his three best seasons, his average league finish was #48.7. His full-career value ranks #200, so longevity is a major reason he lands this high.
450+ minutes required per season
1,307 games · Career Value Rank #200
NBA honors3× All-Star · All-NBA · 4× All-Defense · ROYContext only; honors are not model inputs.
Head to head
Compare Buck Williams with…
Suggested matchups from basketball rivalries, comparable roles, and similar careers. Compare career impact, peak seasons, and the numbers behind the result.
- Buck Williams vs. Otis Thorpe Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. A.C. Green Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. Zach Randolph Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. Rudy Gay Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. Antawn Jamison Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. Paul Silas Similar career path
- Buck Williams vs. Herb Williams Same-era comparison
- Buck Williams vs. Byron Scott Same-era comparison
- Buck Williams vs. Tom Chambers Same-era comparison
- Buck Williams vs. Sedale Threatt Same-era comparison
Full player detailsTeam history, career shooting and sources
Full team history
- Teams
- New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks
Career shooting
NBA regular season- Field goal
- 54.9%FG%
- Three-point
- 16.7%3P%
- Free throw
- 66.4%FT%
1,307 career games · 42,464 minutes
Sources and updateConventional stats and measurements: Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 13, 2026. hussEyquation ranking data through 2025–26. Life dates: Wikidata; conflicting dates checked against Basketball Reference, accessed Sep 17, 2026.
Traditional box score
Buck Williams stats by season
Start with scoring and impact, then switch views for shooting or the full advanced picture. Career percentages use total makes and attempts.
Swipe for PPG · RPG · APG · Impact · Team · G · GS · MPG →
| 1997–98 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 0.5 | -1.77 | NYK | 41 | 6 | 18.0 | 50.3% | — | 73.2% | #223 | 3.2 |
| 1996–97 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 0.7 | -1.16 | NYK | 74 | 4 | 20.2 | 53.7% | 0.0% | 64.2% | #176 | 23.8 |
| 1995–96 | 7.3 | 5.8 | 0.6 | -1.53 | POR | 70 | 10 | 23.9 | 50.0% | 66.7% | 66.8% | #201 | 15.1 |
| 1994–95 | 9.2 | 8.2 | 1.0 | -0.37 | POR | 82 | 82 | 29.5 | 51.2% | 50.0% | 67.3% | #134 | 77.0 |
| 1993–94 | 9.7 | 10.4 | 1.0 | -0.19 | POR | 81 | 81 | 32.5 | 55.5% | 0.0% | 67.9% | #125 | 98.0 |
| 1992–93 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 0.9 | -0.59 | POR | 82 | 82 | 30.5 | 51.1% | 0.0% | 64.5% | #147 | 72.7 |
| 1991–92 | 11.3 | 8.8 | 1.4 | +0.61 | POR | 80 | 80 | 31.5 | 60.4% | 0.0% | 75.4% | #91 | 135.4 |
| 1990–91 | 11.7 | 9.4 | 1.2 | -0.09 | POR | 80 | 80 | 32.3 | 60.2% | — | 70.5% | #117 | 103.0 |
| 1989–90 | 13.6 | 9.8 | 1.4 | -0.13 | POR | 82 | 82 | 34.2 | 54.8% | 0.0% | 70.6% | #115 | 111.4 |
| 1988–89 | 13.0 | 9.4 | 1.1 | -0.61 | NJN | 74 | 72 | 33.1 | 53.1% | 0.0% | 66.6% | #127 | 71.1 |
| 1987–88 | 18.3 | 11.9 | 1.6 | +0.89 | NJN | 70 | 70 | 37.7 | 56.0% | 100.0% | 66.8% | #61 | 156.6 |
| 1986–87 | 18.0 | 12.5 | 1.6 | +0.27 | NJN | 82 | 82 | 36.3 | 55.7% | 0.0% | 73.1% | #85 | 143.1 |
| 1985–86 | 15.9 | 12.0 | 1.6 | -0.32 | NJN | 82 | 82 | 37.4 | 52.3% | 0.0% | 67.6% | #121 | 111.1 |
| 1984–85 | 18.2 | 12.3 | 2.0 | +0.64 | NJN | 82 | 82 | 38.8 | 53.0% | 25.0% | 62.5% | #67 | 177.2 |
| 1983–84 | 15.7 | 12.3 | 1.6 | +0.17 | NJN | 81 | 81 | 37.1 | 53.5% | 0.0% | 57.0% | #88 | 139.9 |
| 1982–83 | 17.0 | 12.5 | 1.5 | +2.11 | NJN | 82 | 82 | 36.1 | 58.8% | 0.0% | 62.0% | #34 | 263.6 |
| 1981–82 | 15.5 | 12.3 | 1.3 | +1.24 | NJN | 82 | 82 | 34.5 | 58.2% | 0.0% | 62.4% | #51 | 196.5 |
| Career | 12.8 | 10.0 | 1.3 | — | NJN/NYK/POR | 1307 | — | 32.5 | 54.9% | 16.7% | 66.4% | — | — |
Source: Basketball Reference regular-season totals, accessed Sep 13, 2026.
What these measures mean
- Era-centered box impact
- Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average.
- Impact Rate Rank
- The player's place among qualified players in one season.
- Value contribution / Season Value
- Completed seasons use a fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. The live season instead uses Season Value, combining that season's impact with workload.
- Career Impact Rank
- An all-time rank weighted toward the player's best three, five, and ten seasons.
58.8 composite · lower is better
59.6 average league finish
1,899 total value
Career standing
How Buck Williams ranks all time
These are league placements, not raw scores. Each season is judged against that season's qualified player pool.
Best in the league
Elite finishes
Upper-tier finishes
Tie-breaker across top-ten seasons
Career Composite Score58.8
Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes receive 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights. Missing seasons receive a replacement finish just below the player's typical qualified field. Lower is better.
- Best 3 effective weight
- 74%
- Missing-season finish
- 289.0
- Qualified seasons
- 17
- All-time rank
- #531
Strongest seasons
Every season
Buck Williams advanced stats by season
Era-centered box impact supports comparisons through time. Impact Rate and its rank compare players only within that season.
More advanced statsAge, minutes, impact, rank, value and data coverage
Scroll for more columns
| 1997–98Historical Defense Estimate | NYK | 37 | 41 | 738 | -1.77 | 30.0 | #223 | 3.2 | 30th | Standard |
| 1996–97Historical Defense Estimate | NYK | 36 | 74 | 1,496 | -1.16 | 44.6 | #176 | 23.8 | 47th | Broad |
| 1995–96Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 35 | 70 | 1,672 | -1.53 | 38.5 | #201 | 15.1 | 42nd | Broad |
| 1994–95Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 34 | 82 | 2,422 | -0.37 | 57.0 | #134 | 77.0 | 67th | Broad |
| 1993–94Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 33 | 81 | 2,636 | -0.19 | 57.4 | #125 | 98.0 | 70th | Broad |
| 1992–93Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 32 | 82 | 2,498 | -0.59 | 50.5 | #147 | 72.7 | 62nd | Broad |
| 1991–92Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 31 | 80 | 2,519 | +0.61 | 68.9 | #91 | 135.4 | 77th | Broad |
| 1990–91Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 30 | 80 | 2,582 | -0.09 | 60.1 | #117 | 103.0 | 69th | Broad |
| 1989–90Historical Defense Estimate | POR | 29 | 82 | 2,801 | -0.13 | 60.3 | #115 | 111.4 | 72nd | Broad |
| 1988–89Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 28 | 74 | 2,446 | -0.61 | 52.1 | #127 | 71.1 | 58th | Broad |
| 1987–88Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 27 | 70 | 2,637 | +0.89 | 76.0 | #61 | 156.6 | 82nd | Broad |
| 1986–87Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 26 | 82 | 2,976 | +0.27 | 67.2 | #85 | 143.1 | 78th | Broad |
| 1985–86Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 25 | 82 | 3,070 | -0.32 | 52.8 | #121 | 111.1 | 70th | Broad |
| 1984–85Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 24 | 82 | 3,182 | +0.64 | 73.9 | #67 | 177.2 | 84th | Broad |
| 1983–84Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 23 | 81 | 3,003 | +0.17 | 64.9 | #88 | 139.9 | 78th | Broad |
| 1982–83Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 22 | 82 | 2,961 | +2.11 | 87.0 | #34 | 263.6 | 92nd | Broad |
| 1981–82Historical Defense Estimate | NJN | 21 | 82 | 2,825 | +1.24 | 80.3 | #51 | 196.5 | 88th | Broad |
Career movement
Buck Williams's career impact by season
Peak +2.11 in 1982–83 · 17 seasons · 42,464 minutes
The same historical box-score model is used for every season, making the career shape comparable through time. The vertical scale adapts to this player's range and always includes zero.
Era-centered box impactMinutes
Player-specific impact scaleWorkload
Career comparison
Compare the shape, not the calendar
Align by NBA experience to compare season one with season one, or by age to compare players at the same stage of life.
Buck WilliamsOtis Thorpe
| NBA season | Buck Williams | Otis Thorpe |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.2 | -1.2 |
| 2 | 2.1 | -0.8 |
| 3 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| 4 | 0.6 | 1.6 |
| 5 | -0.3 | 0.4 |
| 6 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| 7 | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| 8 | -0.6 | 0.8 |
| 9 | -0.1 | -0.7 |
| 10 | -0.1 | 0.4 |
| 11 | 0.6 | -0.4 |
| 12 | -0.6 | -1.1 |
| 13 | -0.2 | -1.6 |
| 14 | -0.4 | -1.3 |
| 15 | -1.5 | -0.3 |
| 16 | -1.2 | -3.8 |
| 17 | -1.8 | -4.0 |
NBA season number
Similar career arcs
Players with careers similar to Buck Williams
The career-similarity score compares era-centered box impact, peak, prime, workload, career length, position, and experience-aligned trajectory. It describes career shape, not playing style, equal ability, or probability.
PF · All-Time Career #561
Otis Thorpe
95career similarity score
93/100 closest-season score · 1982–83 ↔ 1986–87PF · All-Time Career #643A.C. Green
94career similarity score
89/100 closest-season score · 1982–83 ↔ 1988–89PF · All-Time Career #696Zach Randolph
93career similarity score
89/100 closest-season score · 1982–83 ↔ 2003–04Impact Rate shows how strong a player was compared with everyone else that season. Season Value adds how much he played; completed player-profile rows instead show each season's fixed-baseline contribution to Career Value. Career Impact Rank rewards a high peak, a long prime, and repeated seasons near the top. Older seasons use clearly labeled estimates where the NBA did not record today's full set of statistics. Read how every ranking works →