Walt Williams

...C SAN DIEGO -- Sacramento Kings owner Jim Thomas and team president Rick Benner met yesterday with unsigned first-round draft choice Walt Williams and attorney Len Elmore, but no agreement was reached.The meeting was held in a downtown Baltimore hotel that served as a median point for the Kings' executives, who were inNew York for league meetings, and Williams and Elmore, two former Maryland Terrapins who reside in the Washington, D.C., area.The Kings did not change their offer, believing their seven-year, $15.2 million proposal to Williams represents fair market value.

COLLEGE PARK - Before playing at Madison Square Garden in the 1990 ECAC Holiday Festival, Walt Williams was considered an up-and-coming player for a down-and-out program. A junior, Williams had stayed at Maryland rather than transferring to another school without penalty after the Terps were put on a harsh probation by the NCAA. Ineligible to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament or the NCAA tournament that season because of the sanctions, the late December tournament at a place often called "The World's Most Famous Arena" became a showcase for the 6-foot-8 guard from Temple Hills known as "The Wizard" and a program under second-year coach Gary Williams.

COLLEGE PARK -- In most parts, school starts next Tuesday and the beginning of the new fall term brings with it the obligatory reports of how each student spent his summer vacation.Walt Williams stepped forward yesterday to give his oral recap of the summer just past, the most significant portion of which was spent in Cuba playing for the U.S. basketball team in the Pan American Games.The U.S. squad had to settle for the bronze medal after losing to Puerto Rico."Even though we didn't win the gold, which was our intention, we had fun as a team," said Williams.

Maryland Elmore collapses during meeting in Washington Former Maryland All-American Len Elmore collapsed during a meeting Tuesday of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics at Washington's Ritz-Carlton Hotel but walked out of the conference room under his own power about 20 minutes later after being evaluated by paramedics. When the meeting resumed, Southern Methodist University president Gerald Turner , the panel's co-chairman, announced that Elmore explained he has had this problem before and that it was related to "a long-standing health issue.

Walt Williams often has demonstrated his loyalty to the University of Maryland. When the NCAA placed the Terrapins on probation after his sophomore year, Williams chose to finish his career in College Park even though it meant not playing in a postseason tournament.Williams, who became an All-American as a senior and was the No. 1 draft pick of the Sacramento Kings, has extended that loyalty with plans for a $125,000 endowment to the university.According to Len Elmore, Williams' attorney, the endowment will be placed in the school's general fund and directed for minority students.

Contract negotiations between Walt Williams and theSacramento Kings broke off acrimoniously yesterday after the former University of Maryland All-American rejected a seven-year, $14.7 million offer.The offer to Williams, the Kings' No. 1 choice and the seventh player selected in June's NBA draft, came less than two days after LaPhonso Ellis, the No. 5 selection, signed a five-year, $13 million deal with the Denver Nuggets."It was always our approach that we wanted the other guys in front of him to sign," said Len Elmore, another former Terrapins All-American, who is representing Williams.

COLLEGE PARK -- A year ago, Maryland guard Walt Williams was a nearly forgotten player on a virtually ignored team. Because of a broken leg, he appeared in only 17 games for a team that was banned by the NCAA from live television and postseason competition.The Terrapins are still ineligible to play after this week's Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, but the 6-foot-8 senior from Temple Hills is getting the attention that eluded him for most of his college career. On Monday, he was named first-team All-ACC.

COLLEGE PARK -- How's this for a script: Maryland is down 10 points to Wake Forest early in the second half, four when Walt Williams makes his first appearance after missing six weeks with a broken leg. Coming in to a prolonged standing ovation, the junior point guard hits his first shot, an over-the-head layup to tie the score.Not bad, but there's more: Williams makes two more acrobatic shots, including a crucial three-pointer, bringing down the house and the Deamon Deacons. As Cole Field House rocks, the Terrapins roll to an 86-78 victory, cooling off the Atlantic Coast Conference's hottest team and clinching a winning record.

COLLEGE PARK - Before playing at Madison Square Garden in the 1990 ECAC Holiday Festival, Walt Williams was considered an up-and-coming player for a down-and-out program. A junior, Williams had stayed at Maryland rather than transferring to another school without penalty after the Terps were put on a harsh probation by the NCAA. Ineligible to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament or the NCAA tournament that season because of the sanctions, the late December tournament at a place often called "The World's Most Famous Arena" became a showcase for the 6-foot-8 guard from Temple Hills known as "The Wizard" and a program under second-year coach Gary Williams.

Moves Basketball CLIPPERS: Paced F Tremaine Fowlkes on injured list with strained right shoulder. Activated G Keyon Dooling from injured list. MAVERICKS: Placed F Walt Williams (Maryland) on injured list with strained left hamstring and activated C Evan Eschmeyer. TIMBERWOLVES: Activated G Igor Rakocevic from injured list. Placed G Rod Strickland on injured list with strained left groin. Hockey BLACKHAWKS: Assigned G Craig Andersson and D Burke Henry to AHL Norfolk. HURRICANES: Assigned LW Damian Surma to AHL Lowell.

Walt Williams isn't one to shy away from a challenge. The former NBA veteran, after all, is perhaps best known for playing under the most trying circumstances in the history of Maryland basketball. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the Terps were in the midst of major NCAA sanctions after the death of forward Len Bias, Williams honored his commitment to his home-state school and starred under new coach Gary Williams. It was a decision that forever endeared Walt Williams to Maryland fans, one many believe helped save the program.

COLLEGE PARK -Gary Williams didn't need long to respond. Has there been another Terrapin, the Maryland coach was asked yesterday, who can match Greivis Vasquez's versatility? "Walt Williams," the coach quickly replied, referring to the man who holds the school record for points in a season (776). As Maryland (18-11, 7-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) tries to strengthen its case for an NCAA tournament bid today against Virginia (9-17, 3-12), Vasquez is nearing a milestone. The junior guard can become the sixth player in ACC history to lead his team in scoring, rebounding and assists.

COLLEGE PARK - In hindsight, it might have been a bit much to ask. To have the largest crowd in ACC women's basketball history, to be on ESPN2, to have the governor on hand, to have the No. 3-ranked team in the country in town, to have buzz surrounding the program that it hasn't had in years - and to win the game. Maryland might have been reaching beyond its grasp yesterday. Could be. Just don't tell that to Brenda Frese or Debbie Yow. Maryland didn't win the game, and thus couldn't complete the weekend sweep of Duke at Comcast Center.

Moves Basketball CLIPPERS: Paced F Tremaine Fowlkes on injured list with strained right shoulder. Activated G Keyon Dooling from injured list. MAVERICKS: Placed F Walt Williams (Maryland) on injured list with strained left hamstring and activated C Evan Eschmeyer. TIMBERWOLVES: Activated G Igor Rakocevic from injured list. Placed G Rod Strickland on injured list with strained left groin. Hockey BLACKHAWKS: Assigned G Craig Andersson and D Burke Henry to AHL Norfolk. HURRICANES: Assigned LW Damian Surma to AHL Lowell.

Baseball ORIOLES: Optioned P Erik Bedard to Double-A Bowie. ASTROS: Agreed to terms with P C.J. Nitkowski on minor-league contract. CARDINALS: Placed P Rick Ankiel on 15-day DL. CUBS: Placed P Tom Gordon and 3B Bill Mueller on 15-day DL. Assigned IF Angel Echevarria and P Joe Borowski to minor-league camp. EXPOS: Signed OF Troy O'Leary and OF Henry Rodriguez to minor-league contracts. Released OF Lance Johnson. Named John Adam coordinator of rehabilitation and assistant trainer. INDIANS: Traded OF Donzell McDonald to Kansas City for player to be named.

MINNEAPOLIS - Walt Williams had just finished his sophomore season at the University of Maryland, and the basketball program was crumbling around him. It was spring 1990, the end of Gary Williams' first season as coach. The team had been hit with NCAA penalties for infractions committed under former coach Bob Wade. Sophomore Jerod Mustaf, the team's leading scorer, had announced his intention to turn pro. And for several weeks, into that summer, Walt Williams was trying to figure out his future.

BaseballMets: Signed P Efrain Valdez to minor-league contract.BasketballNets: Activated F Chris Gatling. Released F Xavier McDaniel.Raptors: Placed G Chris Garner (tendinitis in right ankle) on injured list. Activated F Walt Williams (Maryland).HockeyNHL: Suspended Sharks F Tony Granato for high-stick on Oilers D Dan McGillis on Friday; length of suspension will be decided after hearing tomorrow.Mighty Ducks: Reassigned D Pavel Trnka to AHL Cincinnati.Canadiens: Recalled F Terry Ryan from AHL Fredericton.

BaseballAtlanta Braves: Signed CF Marquis Grissom to four-year contract.BasketballNBA: Suspended without pay and fined Indiana F Dale Davis and Sacramento F Michael Smith $20,000 and two games; Sacramento C Duane Causwell $7,500 and one game; and Sacramento's Tyus Edney, Byron Houston, Sarunas Marciulionis, Olden Polynice, Lionel Simmons and Walt Williams and Indiana's Travis Best, Adrian Caldwell, Duane Ferrell, Fred Hoiberg, Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller...

WASHINGTON -- There was a little more interest in yesterday's game between the Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets than two 9-18 teams usually generate. Call it the ex-Terp factor.Some of Maryland's most celebrated recent basketball stars turned MCI Center into a reunion arena. An announced crowd of 14,191 showed up to watch the home team win, 103-92, and Steve Francis continue to dazzle.Francis didn't disappoint more than 200 family members and friends for whom he bought tickets, as well as his fans and even former coach Gary Williams, but the rookie point guard was left a bit dismayed by another loss.

SI puts Ruth at leadoff in ranking Maryland's bestSports Illustrated's top 50 greatest sports figures of the century from Maryland:1. Babe Ruth, Baltimore: Larger-than-life ballplayer slugged 714 homers; 94-46 with 2.28 ERA as pitcher; won seven World Series rings with Red Sox and Yankees from 1914 to '35.2. Cal Ripken Jr., Aberdeen: Played in record 2,632 consecutive games for Orioles; AL MVP in 1983 and '91; needs only nine hits for 3,000.3. Lefty Grove, Lonaconing: Nine-time AL ERA champ had 300 wins and .680 winning percentage; 1931 AL MVP with A's.4.