Andrew Gaze’s tribute to much-loved NBL figure: ‘He got genuine joy in the success of others’

‘I don’t care if they get mad, Gaze’: Andrew Gaze pays tribute to Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams, the man who helped to put the NBL on the global basketball map.

From having half the NBL off-side with his bold takes to hailing LaMelo Ball the second coming of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, Corey was never afraid to speak his mind.

Beyond the banter there was always a big heart to put the NBL on the global basketball map, but there was the odd occasion when I would mention to Corey, ‘mate, I think you’ve poked the bear too hard here’.

He would occasionally concede but most of the time he would defend his position and rationalise that his view was good for the individual and the game.

It’s sometimes said that ‘there is no greater interest than self-interest’ and there were some that held the view that this applied to Corey.

While he enjoyed the spotlight and welcomed the attention, he would never make stuff up and he could always have sound justifications for his position. He genuinely believed and wanted to challenge players for their performance.

Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze, Corey 'Homicide' Williams and five-time NBL championship-winning coach Trevor Gleeson.

His aim was to help motivate the players and he’d always tell me that he didn’t mind getting on the wrong side of players, as long as he thought it was going to inspire them to play better.

He’d regularly tell me, ‘I don’t care if they get mad, Gaze.’

I’ll never forget the day Corey called for the entire Sydney Kings team to be sacked when I was coaching there.

Passion beyond measure, and an impact felt across the world. Corey lit up every room he entered with the joy and zest he had for life.

A fearless competitor on the court, never short of an opinion off it and a showman through and through.

'Homicide' was one of one. pic.twitter.com/Xxsp6PM4Cr

— NBL (@NBL) May 10, 2024

I know some of the Kings players didn’t enjoy his opinion and there was a lot of chatter from other NBL teams about what he said, but the more you know Corey the better you understood his motivation.

You get it both ways from Corey. Nothing was ever ‘vanilla’ for him. If things were going well, he would be effusive with his praise. He had a way of making a good performance sound like an all-time great performance and he took it upon himself to let the world know. He got genuine joy in the success of others and would use his platforms to ensure as many people as possible were aware of the accomplishments of others.

Nothing was ever ‘vanilla’ with Corey Williams, wrote basketball legend Andrew Gaze. Picture: David Caird

This was never more evident than it was with his commentary around during LaMelo Ball’s time in the NBL. LaMelo’s talents were obvious, but Corey shone a light on his performances that compelled fans and NBA scouts to take note of what Ball was doing in the NBL.

Corey’s comments were picked by respected media outlets in the US, like the Bleacher Report and ESPN which helped build a narrative about Ball’s NBA prospects which eventuated in him being the number 3 pick in the 2020 draft.

He did it with personality and humour.

The praise, barbs and humour were all part of the mission to promote the NBL.

His love for the game of basketball was there for everyone to see. I was fortunate to see it first-hand when he came in for his weekly radio spot at SEN in Melbourne.

Our listeners loved to hear what he had to say. It was must-listen radio because of the way he was able to tell a story and our audience loved him.

And despite his bravado, Corey was acutely aware of his origins and the privilege that he had for the position that he held.

He never took that for granted.

For some Corey was a polarising character and there were some that didn’t understand or appreciate that there was an agenda at play.

I think how extroverted Corey was and how he excelled in the commentary, we forget how good he was as a player. Corey learned his trade from the New York streetball scene.

Corey ''Homicide'' Williams championed the NBL and helped put the league on the global map. Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

It not only taught him the skills of the game, but it brought a swagger, a showmanship, that lit up the NBL when he came to play with the Townsville Crocs. The nickname “Homicide” wasn’t about violence, it was about the domination he brought, the way he would make it personal on the court.

How he acted with his bold opinions and big smile was just an extension of who he was as a player.

When Corey arrived in Townsville in 2007, it became Croc Nation and it was Croc Nation because of Corey and him rallying the fans and the community.

Corey Williams helped take basketball to another level in Townsville when he joined the Crocs.

He also showcased a high level of skill to win an MVP that made what he said and how he said it carry a lot more weight and substance.

During this time, it was customary for athletes in Australia to be encouraged to be bland. Say nothing and give nothing to the media or your opponent. But Corey was not built that way and his enthusiasm would not be harnessed. He sought out a challenge and welcomed a confrontation with an opponent or sometimes opposition fans.

His bold takes and honest opinions created stories and rivalries that brought new audiences to the game. He could find and create storylines that would turn the ho-hum into a must watch contest.

I’ll never forget when I first met Corey in ‘07 because he talked to me like he’d known me for 20 years.

I remember the handshake, embrace and an even bigger smile before he said,’ Gaze my man’.

That’s the way Corey was. He was affectionate and one of those people who would bring people together.

Corey 'Homicide' Williams was a vibrant and much loved face of the NBL. Picture: Supplied.

If you were out and about with him, he’d be talking to everyone and always with a smile on his face. People would gravitate to Corey effervescent personality.

He also had such a positive mindset – a trait he lent on in spades during his battle with bowel cancer.

Corey wasn’t going to let the setback get him down and he bravely fought cancer with inspiring resilience.

The NBL – and the game of basketball – is better for having Corey involved and he leaves behind a powerful legacy to continue to promote the NBL to the masses.

As he always so energetically and passionately said, ‘this ain’t no cupcake league’. RIP, Corey, you’ll be forever missed, mate.

Originally published as Andrew Gaze’s tribute to much-loved NBL figure: ‘He got genuine joy in the success of others’