WVU Basketball: All-time Mountaineers team

Dec 5, 2015; Morgantown, WV, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers players wait before being introduced against the Kennesaw State Owls at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Guard Ron Williams

In the midst of racial tension throughout the United States, Ron Williams rose above potential persecution to become one of West Virginia’s first African-American players. The Weirton, W.Va. native earned the nickname ‘Fritz’ in his playing days and became one of the savviest ball handlers for the Mountaineers.

Williams leads the Mountaineers with 197 assists in a season, a feat accomplished in 1967. He averaged seven assists per game that season, which is also a program high. Williams has 1,687 career points, which is 10th all-time.

In that 1967 season, the Mountaineers won seven-straight games to close out the campaign, including a title in the Southern Conference tournament.

Williams was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in the 1968 NBA Draft, and was also selected in the NFL Draft as a defensive back by the Dallas Cowboys.

Williams passed away in 2004 at the age of 59.