Basketball is a game of opportunity. An unexpected fast break down the court, an open three-point shot, or a foul leading to two key free throws can make all the difference.

This philosophy, meanwhile, has guided Rashad Williams '02, the all-time leading scorer for the Judges' men's basketball squad, to be a Product Line manager in the Jordan Brand footwear line at Nike.

"I get to create sneakers for a living, which is crazy," he said. "I go to work in jeans and a T-shirt and live out my passion, working with the brightest, most competitive sports minds to keep me motivated and focused."

It sounds like the dream job for any die-hard basketball fan-and yet, it gets better.

Williams collaborates with several of the top players in the National Basketball Association, including Los Angeles Clippers center Blake Griffin, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, to develop products that enhance their performance on the game's biggest stage.

"I gain insights and help the best players in the NBA perform better on the court," he said. "As a player and fan who understands their lifestyles, this is the perfect fit."
Yet, Williams' first big opportunity came from the most unlikely of places-a liberal arts school located in Waltham, Mass.

As a senior forward from Woodside High School in Redwood City, Calif., Williams ultimately aspired to continue his playing career at nearby Stanford University.

Brandeis men's basketball former assistant coach Wallace Johnson then entered the picture.

Johnson coached Williams' Amateur Athletic Union team for two weeks during his sophomore year of high school.

He only needed two weeks to know that Williams had the makings of a special talent.

Johnson then placed a phone call to Williams in April of his senior year and pitched the opportunity to play for the Judges.

Brandeis had never popped up on Williams' radar, which makes it understandable that he was reluctant to move 3,000 miles away from home. However, he then consulted with his best friend's father, a professor at Stanford, who knew of Brandeis' presige and told Williams to jump at the opportunity.

The rest is history.

Williams entered Brandeis in 1997 as a student in the Transitional Year Program. In the next five years, he proceeded to earn 1,928 points, shattering the previously established scoring record set by Rudy Finderson '58.

He also recorded four All-University Athletic Association Honors and secured a spot on the UAA's Silver Anniversary Team.

In addition to meeting his wife, Marsha Pierre-Jacques '01 at Brandeis, Williams took advantage of opportunities on the court to establish invaluable relationships.

"The relationships I gained with my teammates were truly the greatest," he said. "It was rewarding to open my eyes to new people and new experiences. This environment is what sustained me in the long run."

He also applied his passion on the court to his academics as an American Studies major, seeking to make the most of Brandeis' focus on social justice. That focus allowed him to capitalize on yet another transformative opportunity as an intern for the Oakland Raiders.

"At the time, I was writing a final paper on the state of female executives in the NFL for a Women's and Gender Studies class called 'Gender in America,'" he said.

"I then managed to track down Amy Trask, Chief Executive Officer of the Raiders at the time and interviewed her for my paper. One thing eventually led to another and I had the privilege to intern for the Raiders."

After graduation, Williams received several offers from professional teams to play overseas, but he had his sights set on an entirely different career path.

He began his career at a marketing and promotional agency in Boston for young adults and teens and eventually shifted to sales and consumer research, conducting analyses of companies such as New Balance, Nike, Timberland and Converse.

It was at Brandeis, though, where Williams discovered his true passion.

"I lived the [basketball] culture and knew about these [sneaker] brands," he said. "It definitely sparked interest in something I love to do."

Williams got his first big break in FILA's tennis division. After nine months, he relocated back to the West Coast for a position on Adidas' lifestyle business line.

For the past two years, he's been hard at work at Nike and relishes every moment of his current work experience.

"I never expected something like this to happen, but the most important things are to always work hard and to consider all relationships and opportunities," he said.

It is safe to say that Williams has been a leader in this game of opportunity-and has made a significant difference in doing so.