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The daughters of former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams have denounced St. John’s for its decision to induct their father into the school’s athletics hall of fame because of accusations of neglect in their lives following his role in the 2002 fatal shooting of a limousine driver.

Tryumph and Whizdom Williams wrote open letters that they planned to send to St. John’s that said the school should be ashamed for his induction into the class during Saturday’s homecoming weekend.

The 54-year-old Williams served more than a year in prison for the accidental shotgun death of chauffeur Costas Christofi in his New Jersey mansion.

The sisters each accused Williams of neglect and emotional and verbal abuse and said the power forward, who once signed a six-year, $86 million deal with the New Jersey Nets, failed to provide adequate financial support.

Tryumph Jaye Williams, a 19-year-old studying theater at DePaul, detailed accusations that her sister was locked in a trash chute by Williams. Tryumph also lashed out at St. John’s as “possibly, fools, misusing money to honor Jayson Williams.”

“Why are you being honored and inducted into the hall of fame when I’ve always had to earn my survival, let alone my success, in spite of you? St. John’s University — you should be ashamed of yourself,” she wrote.

Whizdom J Williams, an 18-year-old student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, accused her father of being an alcoholic and “a deadbeat father who lacks any sense of remorse.”

St. John’s and Williams did not immediately return requests for comment.

Williams killed Christofi with a 12-gauge shotgun while showing it to friends, having failed to check the weapon’s safety mechanism before snapping the gun closed. Williams then wiped down the weapon and placed it in the chauffeur’s hands, stripped off his own clothes, handed them to a friend and jumped into his pool, according to testimony. Williams’ lawyers maintained that the shooting was an accident and that his actions were driven by panic.

He made a tearful apology to the victim’s family when he was sentenced for the shooting in 2010. Williams, divorced from his daughters’ mother, Tanya, had paid Christofi’s family more than $2 million in 2003 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.

Williams has since founded the addiction rehabilitation program the Rebound Institute in Florida, which has been promoted by St. John’s as a success story.

But his daughters wrote that Williams never made amends with them.

“I knew that I couldn’t change who my father was or the way he viewed and treated me,” Whizdom wrote. “I knew that the contrition and apologies were never coming.”

She also wrote a poem about her father and dedicated it: “To the weakest man I know, Jayson.”

Williams averaged 7.3 points and 7.5 rebounds over nine seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and Nets. The 6-foot-10 Williams was among the NBA’s best rebounders when leg injuries led to his retirement from the Nets in 2000.

He played three seasons at St. John’s under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca. A co-captain in 1989-90, Williams was part of a St. John’s team that won 24 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. He was the 21st overall pick in the 1990 draft and finished with 3,472 points, 3,584 rebounds and 301 blocks during his pro career.

Williams is scheduled to join a seven-person class at St. John’s induction ceremony that also includes 2016 Olympic high jumper Priscilla Frederick and 2016 Olympic fencing silver medalist Daryl Homer.

We’re less than a week into the NBA season but already there are plenty of things around the league that are worthy of a closer look, at least as far as fantasy basketball managers are concerned.

Here are five things to watch over the weekend.

Can Lillard or Beal be like Harden?

Prior to last season, the NBA changed the rules to make it harder for perimeter scorers to draw the easy fouls that helped so many produce monster statlines on a daily basis. In the league-wide decline in volume ISO-scoring, three players in particular stood out as the poster children for the effect: James Harden, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal. While all three dealt with injury at some point, even when healthy their scoring volume and efficiency dropped precipitously.

Fast forward to this season, and through two games James Harden looks like himself again. He’s not just putting up Rockets-onian scoring lines, but he’s also drawing Hardenesque fouls on the perimeter. In Game 1, he drew at least three shooting fouls on 3-point attempts, and converted one into a four-point play.

But that’s not what happened with Lillard and Beal in their season debuts. Lillard went 5-for-18 from the field for 20 points, while Beal was a more efficient 9-for-17 but still “only” managed to score 23 points. Lillard has games against the Suns and Lakers this weekend, while Beal faces the Bulls and Cavaliers. I’ll be watching to see if either shows signs of partying like it’s 2020-21 again anytime soon.

Chris Paul of old, or old Chris Paul?

Chris Paul was flowing along on a late career renaissance, leading the Suns into contention and even the best record in the NBA last season…until his 37th birthday. Then, it was like the clock struck midnight on Cinderella and Paul’s basketball chariot turned back into a pumpkin. Starting May 6, 2022, Paul averaged 9.4 PPG, 5.8 APG and 3.4 RPG in five playoff games, then turned in 6 points (1-of-6 FG), 9 assists and 3 rebounds in his 2022-23 season debut against Dallas.

The Suns ended last season by getting run off their home court by the Mavericks, and history was repeating itself in the season opener before Coach Monty Williams sat Paul in the fourth quarter… at which point the Suns stormed back and won the game.

So, the question is, is this all that’s left for Paul? Did his production fall off a cliff on his birthday, never to return? Or did he just have a poor game 1, and he’ll return to normal moving forward? He’s got games against the Trail Blazers and Clippers this weekend to start to answer that question.

Will KAT re-find his roar?

Karl-Anthony Towns has been a perennial top-10 fantasy basketball performer, when healthy, for several years now. But while the monster offseason trade that brought Rudy Gobert to town might make the Timberwolves into contenders out West, did it cost KAT his fantasy hoops pedigree?

With Gobert on the squad, dominating the middle, Towns was always going to have to move more to the perimeter. There was a train of thought that he could do that relatively painlessly, since he’d played all of last season next to an interior-based power forward in Jarred Vanderbilt. Plus, Towns is one of the best at distance shooting.

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In the season opener, however, Towns didn’t have a great game at all. He scored only 12 points, on 2-for-10 shooting from the field. In addition, seven of his field goal attempts and both of his made shots came from behind the arc. He also dished seven assists and grabbed six rebounds in 36 minutes.

While the assists were great, this stat line would have been more appropriate for Lonzo Ball than Towns. So, I’ll be watching his games this weekend against the Jazz and Thunder for glimpses of the old KAT… or more evidence that the new KAT might be here to stay.

Is the Pelicans fun ride really real?

After the Pelicans traded for CJ McCollum last season, they went on a run to finish off the campaign. McCollum seemed to pair perfectly with budding star Brandon Ingram, each scoring well over 20 PPG to carry them over most of their opponents.

After the finally lost in a scrappy series against the Suns, there was this “what if?” buzz around the league… what if you could take this same team and add Zion Williamson’s offense to the equation without getting diminishing returns? Like if the Pelicans were a real-life fantasy hoops squad… wouldn’t that be amazing?

Well, for at least one night, that seems to be exactly what happened. Zion returned and did standard Zion things with 25 points on 11-22 from the field, adding 9 boards, 4 steals and 3 assists. But, there’s no way you can throw a pebble that big into the ocean without the ripples drowning those around him, right? Wrong. Again, at least for one night. Ingram still produced 28 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 3-pointers and McCollum still went for 21 points, 6 assists, 4 boards, 3 3-pointers and 3 steals. And the kicker, is, all three only played around 30-31 minutes.

The game was such a blowout victory that they were able to sit out the fourth quarter, but they still got their numbers! And it’s not like they completely monopolized the ball — they had two other teammates score 16 and 15 points, each, as well.

So, could this be a thing? Well, I’ll be checking how the Pelicans look this weekend against the Hornets and Jazz to find out.

Is Paolo really LeBron Abdul-Jabbar?

Orlando rookie Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 overall pick this past June, had a monster opening night. In fact, it was the type of NBA debut that we’ve only seen a couple of times in history. With 27 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, Banchero joined LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only other No. 1 picks since 1969 to have at least 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in their first NBA game.

I mean… that’s a pretty exclusive list! It’s literally the No. 1 and 2 scorers in NBA history. They’re likely to switch places on that list this season, but that’s neither here nor there. Let’s focus on the rookie.

So, after Game 1, Banchero is on pace to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, right? Well… let’s slow it down a bit and see how he does in Games 2 and 3. This weekend, Banchero goes to Atlanta to face the Hawks, then returns home for a stiff test against Jayson Tatum and the Eastern Conference champion Celtics. I’ll have my popcorn ready to see if after this weekend we’re still evoking the names of basketball royalty when discussing the current Rookie of the Year favorite.

Tony Brown, who officiated more than 1,100 NBA games over almost two decades, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced Thursday. He was 55.

Brown was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April 2021 and recovered to the point where he was able to return to work in the NBA replay center last season. He entered hospice care in Atlanta in recent days, his family said.

“We are and have been sustained by the consistent outpouring of love and support through this journey in developing strength, acceptance and peace,” Brown’s family — his wife, Tina Taylor-Brown and their children Bailey, Basile and Baylen — said in a statement. “We ask that you join us in that spirit as we prepare to celebrate Tony’s life. Our biggest thank you to our village of family and friends, near and far, old and new. Your love is immeasurable.”

Brown was selected to officiate a pair of NBA All-Star games, plus worked a game in the 2020 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. He also worked championship-round games in the CBA and WNBA, plus was a WNBA All-Star official before moving to the NBA in 2003.

The native of Tallahassee, Florida, was diagnosed after experiencing some stomach discomfort, which he initially attributed to what he thought was bad sushi. After more than a dozen rounds of intense chemotherapy, Brown was feeling well enough to return to work — with the blessing of his medical team, the NBA and his family.

“I haven’t had time to sit around and be like ‘Why me?’ or ‘What am I going to do?'” Brown told The Associated Press earlier this year. “Me not fighting would have made me feel like I was letting people down. What kind of example was I going to be to my kids if I just laid in this bed and let it overtake me? I had to show my kids that there’s nothing in life that you can’t challenge and overcome if you have a positive mindset.”

Such was his life’s story. He embraced challenges.

A talented high school basketball player, Brown accepted a scholarship to Florida A&M before eventually deciding to transfer to what was then called Clark College — now Clark Atlanta University. No scholarship was available there for him, so Brown worked his way through school as an employee of Delta Air Lines. He cleaned planes, drove passenger carts, then became a flight attendant and remained employed by Delta until retiring in 2007.

By then, his NBA career was in full bloom. He worked the 2018 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, then was picked to work the 2021 game that was moved to Atlanta. His fellow referees for that 2021 game were fellow Atlanta residents Tom Washington and Courtney Kirkland — who, like Brown, were graduates of historically Black colleges and universities, and that game was one in which the NBA committed to showcasing HBCUs and raising more than $3 million for scholarship funds.

“The most important part about this entire game, for us, is that we are representing the NBA officials and we have to do an outstanding job for them,” Brown told AP before that game. “Every night that we go on that floor we are representing each other. And that’s the greatest accolade and accomplishment that we can ever have, doing our job.”

Even in the final days of his life, Brown’s focus was on others. His family and friends worked feverishly to fund a scholarship for Clark Atlanta players in the days before his death. Earlier this month, some Clark Atlanta players visited Brown in hospice and presented him with a jersey as a thank-you for his efforts.

Attorney Mawuli Davis, one of the primary organizers of the scholarship effort, said the family is still chasing the $100,000 goal and hopes to present a check for that amount to Clark Atlanta at its men’s basketball season-opener Nov. 7.

“Tony Brown embodies everything it means to be a Clark Atlanta basketball player,” Clark Atlanta coach Alfred Jordan said. “His hard work, determination, and perseverance are what set him apart from the rest because those qualities are hard to come by these days.”

Brown also inadvertently was part of a historic night in the NBA.

On Dec. 30, 2020, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was livid that no foul was called on a drive by DeMar DeRozan, who was then playing for the Spurs in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown ejected Popovich for his outburst, and Popovich pointed to then-Spurs assistant Becky Hammon to take over.

With that, Hammon became the first woman to direct a team in NBA history.

Earlier that year, Brown made what was his lone on-court appearance at the NBA Finals. He was in the league’s restart bubble at Walt Disney World for several weeks and said when he got the word that he was one of the 12 referees picked for the title series his mind immediately went to how his family would react to the news.

“I was speechless when I found out,” Brown said at that time. “The first thing I went through was the sacrifices that my family made to stand by my side during this journey. I was more happy for my family than anything else.”

In addition to expressing appreciation for his caregivers, Brown’s family publicly thanked The Lustgarten Foundation and PanCan, an organization dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer, along with the NBA and the National Basketball Referees Association for their support.

“Keep striving for the cures,” his family said.

Tony Brown, who officiated more than 1,100 NBA games over almost two decades, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced Thursday. He was 55.

Brown was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April 2021 and recovered to the point where he was able to return to work in the NBA replay center last season. He entered hospice care in Atlanta in recent days, his family said.

“We are and have been sustained by the consistent outpouring of love and support through this journey in developing strength, acceptance and peace,” Brown’s family — his wife, Tina Taylor-Brown and their children Bailey, Basile and Baylen — said in a statement. “We ask that you join us in that spirit as we prepare to celebrate Tony’s life. Our biggest thank you to our village of family and friends, near and far, old and new. Your love is immeasurable.”

Brown was selected to officiate a pair of NBA All-Star games, plus worked a game in the 2020 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. He also worked championship-round games in the CBA and WNBA, plus was a WNBA All-Star official before moving to the NBA in 2003.

The native of Tallahassee, Florida, was diagnosed after experiencing some stomach discomfort, which he initially attributed to what he thought was bad sushi. After more than a dozen rounds of intense chemotherapy, Brown was feeling well enough to return to work — with the blessing of his medical team, the NBA and his family.

“I haven’t had time to sit around and be like ‘Why me?’ or ‘What am I going to do?'” Brown told The Associated Press earlier this year. “Me not fighting would have made me feel like I was letting people down. What kind of example was I going to be to my kids if I just laid in this bed and let it overtake me? I had to show my kids that there’s nothing in life that you can’t challenge and overcome if you have a positive mindset.”

Such was his life’s story. He embraced challenges.

A talented high school basketball player, Brown accepted a scholarship to Florida A&M before eventually deciding to transfer to what was then called Clark College — now Clark Atlanta University. No scholarship was available there for him, so Brown worked his way through school as an employee of Delta Air Lines. He cleaned planes, drove passenger carts, then became a flight attendant and remained employed by Delta until retiring in 2007.

By then, his NBA career was in full bloom. He worked the 2018 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, then was picked to work the 2021 game that was moved to Atlanta. His fellow referees for that 2021 game were fellow Atlanta residents Tom Washington and Courtney Kirkland — who, like Brown, were graduates of historically Black colleges and universities, and that game was one in which the NBA committed to showcasing HBCUs and raising more than $3 million for scholarship funds.

“The most important part about this entire game, for us, is that we are representing the NBA officials and we have to do an outstanding job for them,” Brown told AP before that game. “Every night that we go on that floor we are representing each other. And that’s the greatest accolade and accomplishment that we can ever have, doing our job.”

Even in the final days of his life, Brown’s focus was on others. His family and friends worked feverishly to fund a scholarship for Clark Atlanta players in the days before his death. Earlier this month, some Clark Atlanta players visited Brown in hospice and presented him with a jersey as a thank-you for his efforts.

Attorney Mawuli Davis, one of the primary organizers of the scholarship effort, said the family is still chasing the $100,000 goal and hopes to present a check for that amount to Clark Atlanta at its men’s basketball season-opener Nov. 7.

“Tony Brown embodies everything it means to be a Clark Atlanta basketball player,” Clark Atlanta coach Alfred Jordan said. “His hard work, determination, and perseverance are what set him apart from the rest because those qualities are hard to come by these days.”

Brown also inadvertently was part of a historic night in the NBA.

On Dec. 30, 2020, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was livid that no foul was called on a drive by DeMar DeRozan, who was then playing for the Spurs in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown ejected Popovich for his outburst, and Popovich pointed to then-Spurs assistant Becky Hammon to take over.

With that, Hammon became the first woman to direct a team in NBA history.

Earlier that year, Brown made what was his lone on-court appearance at the NBA Finals. He was in the league’s restart bubble at Walt Disney World for several weeks and said when he got the word that he was one of the 12 referees picked for the title series his mind immediately went to how his family would react to the news.

“I was speechless when I found out,” Brown said at that time. “The first thing I went through was the sacrifices that my family made to stand by my side during this journey. I was more happy for my family than anything else.”

In addition to expressing appreciation for his caregivers, Brown’s family publicly thanked The Lustgarten Foundation and PanCan, an organization dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer, along with the NBA and the National Basketball Referees Association for their support.

“Keep striving for the cures,” his family said.