Corliss Williamson
A bruising, undersized forward nicknamed 'Big Nasty' who anchored Arkansas's national championship and became a pivotal sixth man for an NBA title team.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: December 4·Generation X
Biography
Corliss Williamson's basketball identity was forged in the paint, defined by strength, footwork, and an old-school mentality that earned him his famous nickname. At the University of Arkansas, he was the immovable object in the middle of Nolan Richardson's '40 Minutes of Hell,' leading the Razorbacks to the 1994 NCAA championship and being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The NBA presented a puzzle: a power forward's game in a small forward's body. Williamson adapted, crafting a highly effective career as a low-post threat off the bench. His defining professional moment came with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, where his physical scoring as the sixth man was instrumental in their upset championship run, earning him the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. His transition to coaching has been a natural progression, applying his hard-nosed, team-first philosophy from the sidelines.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Corliss was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Corliss Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Corliss's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the University of Arkansas to the 1994 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors.
- Won the NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 as a key reserve.
- Awarded the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2002 for his contributions with the Detroit Pistons.
- Named the SEC Player of the Year in 1995 during his collegiate career at Arkansas.
- Had his jersey number 34 retired by the University of Arkansas.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Big Nasty' was given to him at age 13 by his AAU coach for his aggressive, physical style of play.
He won an Arkansas state high school championship in football as a wide receiver, not just basketball.
He served as the head coach of the University of Central Arkansas men's basketball team from 2010 to 2013.
He was selected 13th overall in the 1995 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings.
“I just try to bring energy and physical play. That's what I've always done.”
