NBA's Shawne Williams: Ramone was his Brother's Keeper

South Memphis 1999. A baseball throw whooshes through the air as the catcher, Ramon Williams, yells out to his 13 year old lil bro Shawne, who is pitching to him, "You got me in the nuts, lil bro, that's it, I'm done with baseball. But one of us is still gonna make it big time one day in sports lil bro, and we're taking everyone with us, when we do."

What more can two brothers share than a dream to help fam. That's pure love, a shared dream held in one's heart.

I've interviewed many dudes in the L, Shawne Williams is really great people. Ask anyone, cuz he's a real one to all, a vet in the NBA for more than a 10 years. Yet he's still that 13 year old kid with a dream, playing his heart out to carry on the memory of his caring big bro, Ramone.

I remember seeing S-Williams tearing up the prep ranks, Rivals.com 15th best in the country. A star baller at Memphis, Shawne was selected 17th overall in the ‘06 draft.

He killed it in his Indiana Pacers rookie year, puttin' 33 on the Bulls one game, 2nd highest ever for a rookie in franchise history. But to Ramone Williams, Shawne was just lil bro making good on a promise to "make it out."

Why this story E-Woods?

People need to know Shawne is a special dude, not just for all the hoop he's balled. Lil bro kept his brother's hoop dream inside him and this story is for ALL the older bros in the world.

#respect fam 100

Let Shawne speak on it, "Ramone was a good dude, his heart always in the right place. I miss him so. You can never take away the pain of losing a brother, ever."

Shawne's brother may have left this earth too early, a victim of gun violence, but his spirit will never be taken from lil bro Shawne. Ramone lives with him forever, like we all remember our loved ones, forever and for always fam.

Madison Square Garden was the last place Ramone saw his lil bro play before passing away, so years later when Shawne had offers to try out for the Knicks or the Bobcats, he chose to play in the NYC as a tribute to his brother.

And man did that work out as Williams explains, "I remember dedicating that year to my brother. It being my best pro year, I felt proud to help the Knicks into the playoffs. Ramone was with me every step of the way."

S-Williams would use a sharpie to write his brother's name on his orange Nike hyperdunk shoes before each game, never leaving Ramone behind, always in his his heart.

S-Williams explains it like this, "When you care about people who were great to you, you remind the world by showing up to give your best. Ramone was the best big bro a guy could have. 100%."

That's dope of Shawne, we all know that feeling of wanting someone to be proud of us. These two brothers had great love for each other.

It reminds me of Wiz Khalifa's song, See You Again:

"How can we not talk about family when family's all that we got?

Everything I went through you were standing there by my side

And now you gon' be with me for the last ride."

Shawne, spiritual dude, ballin in the L, he puts on for his fam as he says, "I love my mom Marcia Williams, my son Shawne Jr, I love him to death.

“I miss my grandparents Leon and Celeste Williams who passed away. They along with my mom who’s still living, raised us. I love them all, and I miss the ones who've left us. You can never replace a family member. l love putting on an NBA jersey, it isn't just my name on the back, it's for all of them." #real talk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKAFK5djSk

Shawne's fiance is Jessica Dime the awesome rapper and personality on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. She sees in Shawne that tremendous family man, as she commented on their engagement, "God is so good. The future Mrs. Williams.”

Props are paid to Ramone in this story, but it's to more than one man.

As everyone moves through life, be that in the NBA, or any job, it's the people who raised us, inspired us, that we put on for, just like in the Wiz Khalifa song:

"So let the light guide your way, yeah

Hold every memory as you go

And every road you take, will always lead you home, home."

That same 13 year old Shawne Williams has played for 7 different NBA team teams and recently did a mini camp with the Minnesota T-Wolves and has work out schedules with 5 other NBA teams.

Ballin' for Shawne is not just to make a living but to fulfill his big bro’s dream, his whole fam's dream. Those who root for you in life, and hereafter in the afterlife, they cheer you on, one pitch at a time, one slam dunk, one three pointer.

Shawne has been 100 to his big brother, Ramone Williams, because Ramone was and still is Shawne’s.......brother's keeper.