• Life Is Not an Accident

  • A Memoir of Reinvention
  • By: Jay Williams
  • Narrated by: Jay Williams
  • Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (393 ratings)

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Life Is Not an Accident  By  cover art

Life Is Not an Accident

By: Jay Williams
Narrated by: Jay Williams
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Publisher's summary

Like millions of kids before him, Jay Williams used to pretend he was making the game-winning shot while playing basketball in his Plainfield, New Jersey, backyard. Unlike almost all of those other kids, he kept right on making shots until he became an NCAA champion and two-time national player of the year at Duke and the number-two overall NBA draft pick in 2002.

But after just one season with the Chicago Bulls, a team starved for a new messiah since Michael Jordan's retirement, Williams destroyed his career when he suffered a horrific motorcycle accident. In an instant, the man with as fast a first step as any point guard in history could no longer do anything for himself, including walk.

In Life Is Not an Accident, Jay Williams shares his story - both heartbreaking and uplifting - of being a young man trying to wrest control of his life from his overinvolved parents, from the pleasures and perils of fame and money, and from the near-fatal mistake that threatened to define him.

©2016 Jay Williams (P)2016 Tantor

What listeners say about Life Is Not an Accident

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Super

Great narration. Williams is an excellent storyteller. His voice keeps you interested and engaged the whole time

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Loved it!!

Thoroughly enjoyed hearing his story through his own words and voice!! Didn’t know many of the stories he shared before reading!

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Great Read

I really enjoyed this book. I know it probably took a lot for Jay Williams to open up about his life's journey but, I'm glad he did.

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Brutally Honest

I loved the booked because it was a totally honest portrayal of his life. Ups and downs...so good! And I love how he reads it, so much emotion!

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Phenomenal Job by Jay

Jay Williams delivers an honest, heartbreaking and inspiring story here. All the way from him growing up, high school, the Duke days and a national title, to the accident, life in the NBA, trying to get back, and self accountability- this book has it all.

Loved it

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    3 out of 5 stars

Great listen but no surprises

Decent memoir about a life around basketball. A familiar story if you have followed Williams's career much. Was hoping for more insight into why/how he was able to get his life back on track better than many "fallen" athletes, but his transitions all come off as simple/immediate. Not the best performance (reading) but is good to be done by author.

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Motivating

This was a great listen! I finished it quick and I’ve had similar dark moments and lows as Jay experienced... and my name is Jason, too. It’s tough to face the truths, face your demons and find the true purpose of your journey, & this book helps me continue to define my own worth and goals. Thanks for the book Jay and thanks for giving me an extra boost to get my story out there to those close to me.

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Good story of learning hard truth

I appreciated Jay being direct in revealing some of his pain to the listeners.

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Great stuff

Worth the read. only knock would be it jumps around a bit besides that it's solid 🪨

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SCI...Troy, (swim coach)

For someone that has experienced an exact same incident at 38 and the height of my life..this book strikes reverence to my spirit. I the #6(James) love the way this man has used his platform to recognize and still lay a fine display of such a hard life situation..into words some might understand. Thank you Jay. I hope to work with you and my young student now Goat, James..I’m his old swim coach and have reached out to you via Twitter..hope to hear from you soon..I’m not done leading..great book

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