Jerome "Junkyard Dog" Williams talks about his book R.O.L.E. Player and recommends two inspiring books

CBC

07-05-2025

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The former NBA player and fan favourite talks about his debut memoir R.O.L.E. Player, transitioning from basketball to youth mentorship, and recommends two inspiring reads.
When Jerome Williams was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Toronto Raptors, he hopped in his car and drove overnight so he could be the first player at the Toronto Raptors practice the next day. That's the kind of work ethic that earned him the nickname "Junkyard Dog." During his time in Toronto, he was known as a tireless and tenacious player and a fan-favourite.
Jerome's new autobiography R.O.L.E. Player shares lessons from his life both on and off the court.
Williams joined Antonio Michael Downing on The Next Chapter about his new book and a couple of books that inspired him.
Antonio Michael Downing: People always say sports is a metaphor for life, and in this case, basketball. Where do you think you would be without basketball in your life?
Jerome Williams: I would be teaching and and doing something in some space where I can pour into someone else. That's the motivation I feel every day, every morning. I get up [and] I have to go do my Shooting for Peace program. I have to go down to this school and directly affect the life of someone who I do not know, because if someone would have done that for me, that would have meant the world.
I have to go down to this school and directly affect the life of someone who I do not know, because if someone would have done that for me, that would have meant the world.
When you have a platform, you're able to change a life like that because they're looking up to you. They see success, but they don't know the road to it. So if I can explain the road that I took, they can see themselves within that road. Man, we're winning as a society — the community benefits.
Reading this book, it's clear also that that's because you had great role models. And so I want to talk about a couple of them. But let's start where it started. Tell us about your parents and and their influence on you.
They had a tremendous influence on me — my mom, my dad. Tremendously hard workers. Both of them were living beyond their means. By that I mean they had pretty much maxed out a couple of their credit cards. And they did it in a way not to have things, but to have experiences.
My parents made a very lasting impact in the lives of a lot of young people.
My whole life was all about just seeing how hard they worked. They were either in the community, helping kids, going to church or making sure we were on vacation.
I was winning as a kid, and the impact it had on me is — just today, I realized the impact that we all can have as adults. We have a voice, we have an impact. And my parents made a very lasting impact in the lives of a lot of young people.
How do you raise your kids in a world like that to learn the values that you were taught?
It's a tough road. The main thing I think is you got to make education the main thing that cannot be compromised. And there's different levels to it. One thing I did learn from my parents is that showing is caring, right? I had to figure out other jobs and other things that they could see me working at. Even if it's not a conversation, even if it's not, 'Let's sit down and talk.' You know, you only got 90 seconds. You know, kids are gonna do what you show them now, what you tell them. So you got [to] lead by example.
I ultimately just embraced my role. I loved it. I didn't want to be Vince Carter. I didn't need to be Allen Iverson. These are my teammates. So you're just trying to be the best person you can be in your role.
The 'three M's' are the most important: mission, method and measurable. Because in life, if I want to be an NBA All Star, that's my mission. Well, what's my method to get there and what are my measurables to see how I'm moving along the the path of that?
The Soccer of Success by Ciarán McArdle
The Soccer of Success looks at how the life skills and discipline learned from the world's favourite sport translate to other parts of life.
Ciarán McArdle is the co-founder and director of XL Soccer World and runs a full-time private school for young soccer players.
Jerome Williams says: This is all about like using the game of soccer. To pattern your life in a way that you become successful. And just like basketball, you got offence and defence and within the game of life, you have to know that there's hurdles along the way.
Just like basketball, you got offence and defence and within the game of life, you have to know that there's hurdles along the way. - Jerome Williams
Success is won on the field as well as off the field. And that's what I got from that book, right? It's on the field, you're going to be successful. But if you apply these things outside the field, you can be successful.
The Science of Self-Discipline by Peter Hollins
The Science of Self-Discipline is a roadmap on how to focus and execute to achieve goals. The book tasks readers with examining their cravings and exercise self-discipline.
Jerome Williams says: This book explains that there's a science behind everything. One of the things that I look at the science of, is the power of words. I don't know too many players, unless you have a father that played in the NBA that can tell you, 'Oh, I know exactly what I was doing to make the NBA.' No, no, no, no, no. There was a science to it. There was something that you were doing, but you were also learning everything along the way as you go.
You had to also listen to people who knew more than you about the game and who were giving you advice. - Jerome Williams
But you had to also listen to people who knew more than you about the game and who were giving you advice. And hopefully that advice was driving you and delivering you results.