Alan Williams

Alan Travis Williams is a professional basketball player who was born and raised in South Phoenix, Arizona. He strives to honor and continue his family’s legacy.

Alan T. Williams was born on January 28th, 1993, at Good Samaritan Hospital. Williams
describes his childhood as being full of experiences, frequently traveling for basketball, and
being introduced young to what he would do in the future. While attending Valley View Elementary, Alan regularly engaged in extracurricular activities. Later attending North High School, gaining experience in the sport, and managing various responsibilities. Alan played for many community leagues in South Phoenix during school, one of which was with the Salvation Army. However, his mom and dad were stern with Alan maintaining a balance between his studies and his passion for basketball.

Future Audio Clip: 5 mins 24 sec – 5 mins 47 secs

Alan comes from a hardworking South Phoenix family, who had a historical impact on
the development of the community of South Phoenix and the city as a whole. His mom, Jeri
Williams, was the first woman and second African-American Chief of Police in Phoenix. His father Cody Williams, was a Justice of the Peace for the South Mountain area and a former City Council member. Alan describes his family as being very close together, bonding through the joys of weekend cooking, and traveling. His parents are the biggest motivators in Alan’s life.\

Williams’s grandfather, Travis L. Williams is often credited for helping to build up the African American community in South Phoenix. “Grandpa,” to Alan, was larger than life. He was always there, always present. Travis L. Williams came from Texas to South Phoenix after World War II. His co-owned Williams and Jones Construction Company was the first black-owned builder in Arizona, and they sold houses to underserved African Americans and Hispanics in the South Phoenix area when no one else would.

Future Audio Clip: 16 mins 03 sec – 16 mins 50 sec

After graduating High School, Alan attended UC Santa Barbara. At the time, his mom Jeri was working for a nearby police department, and she caught wind that Alan was not performing well in his classes. One day, while in study hall, Alan looked up and saw his mom coming toward him at the library. He knew he was in for it! But the lecture and the embarrassment motivated him to finish his studies and focus on school so he could graduate.

Future Audio Clip: 25 mins 16 sec – 26 mins 02 sec

After graduation, Alan was welcomed back to Phoenix with an invitation to pay for the Phoenix Suns. He saw this as his greatest achievement. The bond between Alan’s family strengthened, coming full circle with him and his family now all being in Phoenix. It didn’t last forever, as his profession eventually took him on the road. But Williams’ favorite aspect of being a professional basketball player is traveling. He believed that the diversity of Phoenix taught him how to approach new places and cultures while traveling.

It the time of the interview, Williams was playing overseas in an Australian basketball league for the South East Melbourne. Here is where a challenge was highlighted for him. The feeling of being away from home. Alan mentioned that, although he loves the sport and the places he goes for it, it does make him miss Phoenix. Being away, he misses out on time with his family and friends.

Future Audio Clip: 34 mins 20 sec – 34 mins 58 sec

His advice to anyone looking to pursue a career in sports is to never give up, keep working hard, and never be discouraged. Alan is always excited about any new opportunities present for him, always putting his best foot forward. His advice to anyone looking to pursue a career in sports is to never give up, keep working hard, and never be discouraged. Alan is a great example of preservice and dedication, highlighting the importance of believing, and serving as an important message to anyone looking to follow their dreams; something that should definitely be recognized and honored.

Future Audio Clip: 39 min 23 sec – 40 min 10 sec

Alan Williams Index

Narrator	Alan Williams
Birthdate	Jan 28, 1993
Place of Origin	South Phoenix, AZ
Place of Residence	Melbourne, Australia
Years Active in South Phoenix	1993-
Occupation	Professional Basketball Player
Recording Duration	46:08
Date	February 28, 2023
Location	Virtual
Interviewed By	Student Researcher: Ramses Ponce Faculty Co-Interviewer: Mary Nunn
Story Written By	Student Researcher: Ramses Ponce