Life Is Not an Accident: A Memoir of Reinvention (PB) (2023)

New York Times Bestseller

This big-hearted memoir by the most promising professional basketball player of his generation details his rise to NBA stardom, the terrible accident that ended his career and plunged him into a life-altering depression, and how he ultimately found his way out of the darkness.

Ten years ago, Jay Williams was at the beginning of a brilliant professional basketball career. The Chicago Bulls' top draft pick--and the second pick of the entire draft--he had the great Michael Jordan's locker. Then he ran his high-performance motorcycle head-on into a light pole, severely damaging himself and ending his career.

In this intense, hard-hitting, and deeply profound memoir, Williams talks about the accident that transformed him. Sometimes, the memories are so fresh, he feels like he'll never escape the past. Most days, he finds a quiet peace as a commentator on ESPN and as an entrepreneur who can only look back in astonishment at his younger self--a kid who had it all, thought he was invincible, and lost everything . . . only to gain new wisdom.

Williams also shares behind the scenes details of life as an All-American. He tells it straight about the scandalous recruiting process and his decision to return to Duke and Coach K--a man who taught him about accountability--to finish his education. He also speaks out about corruption--among coaches, administrators, players, and alumni--and about his time in the NBA, introducing us to a dark underworld culture in the pros: the gambling, drugs, and sex in every city, with players on every team.