Making stops and making music

Dexter Williams Jr., one of the best defenders in the league, has dual loves: Basketball and rap music. He stops opponents on the court, and he drops beats off it.

(Photo: London Lightning).

* * *

You can trust Dexter Williams, Jr. – he’s been on the other side.

“We’re a target here. I’m used to hunting London, chasing them. I’m not used to people trying to hunt us. It’s definitely a big change for me. I like it. I like to compete,” he said.

The Yazoo, Mississippi, native originally signed professionally with the Sudbury Five for their inaugural 2018-19 season. He played four seasons in the Nickle City before joining the KW Titans last season, where he came off the bench for the team that lost to the Lightning in the BSL Finals.

“Other teams don’t like London. Other fans don’t like London. That’s a real thing. I know this. I’ve been there. Those games against London are circled on the calendar at the start of the season. People are ready to beat you. You play harder against London because they – we – are the best.”

This season, Williams Jr. finds himself on the other side of these fierce rivalries, donning the Black and Yellow for the first time. But he doesn’t mind being hunted. You see, for him, being in the spotlight, whether on court or on stage, has always felt like home.

*   *   *

Opening night. His final line was stark – 0 points, 0 rebounds, 1 assist.

The 6-4 guard played only four minutes in the first three quarters, before entering the game in the fourth. For those first three, Williams Jr. sat cheering his team on. He was into the game, even if not in the game.

“I’m at an age where I don’t care about stats,” he explained. “I love playing basketball. I would love to score – nobody wants a donut – but I just love playing the game. You can put me anywhere. I will do what the team needs. You need me to play centre; I’ll play centre. You need me at guard; I’m your guard. I like to compete. I like to win.”

On Saturday night, he didn’t do much for the first 36 minutes of the game. He rode the bike on the sidelines. Watched. Studied. Stayed calm and ready.

“It’s an unusual position for me, to be honest.”

The Lightning were down 10 heading into halftime, and as much as 15 with 6:40 to go in the third. Nevertheless, the team never felt out of a game that featured nine ties and seven lead changes.

Lightning head coach Jerry Williams adjusted the lineup to counter The Five’s decision to go small against the defending champs. He needed his team to get points and stops. He needed Williams Jr.

(Photo: London Lightning).

“I’ve been doing this for 15 years,” London’s coach said. “There’s a certain point in the game when you know it’s time. We needed to play the best defense we knew how to play, and that’s when I knew I had to put Dexter in the game. He was the key to us being successful in that moment.”

Williams Jr. entered the game to start the fourth. The move proved valuable in two ways: 1. Freeing Bolts guard Chris Jones of his main defender duties and allowing him to focus on scoring – which he did to the tune of 20 points in that stanza alone; and 2. Putting the team’s best defender in the game when stops were at a premium.

In that final quarter, Williams Jr. played 11 minutes, nabbing two steals, drawing a charge, and forcing The Five into numerous mistakes.

“They tried to iso on me three times, which I don’t know why. The first two I let slide. I fell on the floor because I thought I was going to get a charge. The ref told me I won’t get it, so next trip, I got a steal. Hopefully, I get in earlier next game; they won’t score above 90,” laughed the 2023 NBLC Defensive Player of the Year and three-time NBLC All-Defense First Teamer.

The 31-year-old doesn’t deny wanting to be out there. But while a younger version of himself might have let frustration boil over, maturity has shifted his focus to staying ready and embracing whatever role he can fill for his team. His perspective reflects a deep understanding of team dynamics, and the patience required to contribute at critical moments.

“Honestly, I love basketball so much. When I get my chance, I’m happy to be out there. I didn’t think about it being the fourth quarter. I’m like, ‘OK, it’s my time. Let me do what I do and show them why I’m here.’ I wasn’t angry. The younger me would have been angry. But it was more of let me show London why I’m here.”

For a veteran like Williams Jr., that mindset isn’t just valuable – it’s essential for a team chasing a championship. And on a roster stacked with talent, his defensive prowess and ability to impact the game in multiple ways make him an irreplaceable asset.

“The old me would’ve had it. I would’ve been ready to leave. But now, I’m here. I know what I’ve got myself into,” he said. “I’ve been on other talented teams. I’ve played alongside MVPs (Braylon Rayson and Jeremy Harris in Sudbury). That tells you something. This is a talented team. But I haven’t even taken it to the level I want to yet. I’m battle tested. I know nobody plays defense like me. I know nobody does certain things like me.”

His head coach saw William Jr.’s debut performance clearly: “For me, Dexter was a team MVP of that game.”

*   *   *

Life isn’t just about hoops for Dexter Williams Jr.

Under the stage name 4oulja, he’s quickly carved out a niche since embracing music – a journey that began with an intense 36-hour session in September 2022, resulting in his debut mixtape, Fooley Tape, released in January 2023.

Williams Jr. followed that group effort up with a self-titled album, 4oulja, blending a “getting money and vibe” style inspired by artists like Drake and Kodak Black. Collaborating with renowned engineer Big Fooley in Las Vegas and industry heavyweight Kenechi, who has worked with Usher and Gucci Mane, the album showcased his rapid growth as an artist.

His love for rap runs deep, tracing back to his childhood in Jacksonville, Fla. Influenced by his mother, Sharonda, whose poetry and freestyle sessions lit his creative spark, Williams Jr. began writing poems and lyrics at a young age. Even as life took him to Moanalua High School in Hawaii, the University of Western Montana, and eventually to professional teams in Canada, music has remained a constant.

This year, Williams Jr. has dropped two more EPs, 4EVA ME and THI$ $HIT DON’T STOP. Now in London, Williams is working on three projects, with releases planned for January, June, and July next year.

“It’s a lot. But it helps me off the court,” he said. “I love basketball, but I know in my mind that I’m not just basketball. Music is exciting. Always has been. I’ve loved it all my life. It’s part of who I am.”

Dexter Williams Jr. on the other side, as a member of the KW Titans, guarding former Bolt Mike Nuga in an early season game last year. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

*   *   *

“Dexter Williams, Jr. is best defensive player in this league, and I don’t care what anyone says.”

Those are the words of his head coach.

“He goes all out. He doesn’t care if he scores 1 point or 100 points. He doesn’t even care about offense at all,” Jerry Williams said. “All he wants to do is get in the game and get stops. He wants to make it as difficult as possible for the best player on the opposing team – and that’s rare. You don’t get that from players these days.”

In a world dominated by social media highlights, it’s easy for players to focus on scoring. But for Williams Jr., the spotlight comes in a different form: locking down the opposing team’s biggest threat.

His coach continued, “No one talks about the guy who stopped another guy from getting 20 or 30. And that’s who Dexter Williams Jr. is. You need that guy on your team. If I had two or three Dexter Williamses, I wouldn’t practice. We’d just show up to games and play. But unfortunately, that’s not realistic, and it’s not reality. We only have one, and I’m fortunate enough to have that one guy.”

But it’s not just his defensive prowess that makes him invaluable. Williams Jr.’s leadership shines through in the way he leads by example, especially in high-pressure moments.

“At the end of the day, there’s going to be trials and tribulations with this team throughout the whole season,” London’s coach said. “I have big personalities on this team. But when you have guys who can come in and calm guys down and show leadership through effort, you can’t ask for anything more. [Dexter] doesn’t have to talk. He just shows his leadership through effort.”

*   *   *

Williams Jr. wants to be a disruptor – on the court and beyond. Whether locking down opponents as the league’s top defender or channeling his energy into music, he thrives on meeting challenges head-on.

In London, he sees a perfect place to elevate both his games – even if he has to wear a black hat to accomplish it.

“When I get on that court, I’m at you. I want to take everything from you. I want you to know I’m coming for you – and it don’t matter what you do. You can try to go as hard as you can because you know I’m ready for it. It makes it even worse now that I’m in the Black and Yellow now.”