Atlanta Hawks (1984–1994) He was selected in the
1984 NBA draft by the
Atlanta Hawks. On March 11, 1986, Willis scored a career-high 39 points and grabbed 21 rebounds during a 128–116 win over the
Denver Nuggets. In total, he played with the Hawks for nine seasons (plus two games of a tenth season) until 1994. Willis teamed with
Dominique Wilkins,
Spud Webb, and
Doc Rivers to frequently guide the Hawks to
playoff appearances as well as providing a fierce rebounding presence in the post. Near the end of his stint with the Hawks, he and Wilkins were both made team captains.
Miami Heat (1994–1996) Willis was traded to
the Miami Heat in 1994 for
Grant Long and
Steve Smith. Willis' first season was tumultuous, and the trade was so poorly received in Miami that it indirectly led to the organization seeking to, and eventually succeeding in, hiring
Pat Riley to be their new head coach and General Manager.
Golden State Warriors (1996) On the 1996 NBA trade deadline, the
Golden State Warriors acquired Willis, along with
Bimbo Coles, in exchange for
Chris Gatling and
Tim Hardaway.
Houston Rockets (1996–1998) Willis signed with the
Houston Rockets in 1996.
Toronto Raptors (1998–2001) On June 9, 1998, Willis was traded to the
Toronto Raptors for
Roy Rogers and two 1998 first-round picks.
Denver Nuggets (2001) On January 12, 2001, the
Denver Nuggets acquired Willis,
Aleksandar Radojević,
Garth Joseph, and a 2001 2nd-round pick in a deal that brought
Tracy Murray,
Keon Clark, and
Mamadou N'Diaye to Toronto. He and Radojević were traded together nine months later to the
Milwaukee Bucks for
Scott Williams and a 2002 second-round pick.
Return to Houston Rockets (2001–2002) Without playing a game for the Bucks, Willis was traded back to the Rockets for another 2002 second-round pick.
San Antonio Spurs (2002–2004) Willis signed with the
San Antonio Spurs. It was in 2003 with the Spurs that he finally won an NBA Championship ring.
Return to Atlanta Hawks (2004–2005) Willis returned to the Hawks for one more season in
2004–05, and by doing so, positioned himself to be the oldest player in the league.
Dallas Mavericks (2007) On March 30, 2007,
The Dallas Morning News reported that Willis needed only to pass a physical to be able to sign with the Western Conference-leading
Dallas Mavericks. Willis, who did not play in
2005–06, was reported to take the team's vacant 15th roster spot. The deal became official when he signed a 10-day contract with the Mavericks on April 2, 2007.
Hall of Famer Robert Parish, who – at age 43 – played 43 games with the
Chicago Bulls in
1996–97, previously held many of Willis' longevity and age-based records.
Retirement Willis ended his playing career after the 2006–07 season, returning to his clothing business, Willis & Walker. The
Atlanta-based company, which specializes in custom wear for big and tall men, was founded in 1988 by Willis and his former Michigan State teammate Ralph Walker. Professional wrestler
Lex Luger revealed that Willis made him various suits in his time as a clothier, as well as a white, collared Nehru shirt that he would later prominently wear in his
WCW return on Nitro in 1995. Luger knew Willis from years prior, with the former having worked in the Georgia-based promotion originally from 1987 to 1992. ==Television appearances==