Former NBA Star Jayson Williams Spearheads Second Chance Rehab Program on Long Island

Jayson Williams is putting his name—and his time—behind a second-chance pipeline on Long Island.

According to The New York Post, the former St. John’s standout and NBA All-Star is leading Rebound on the Road. This eight-week Nassau County program helps formerly incarcerated men and women earn commercial trucking licenses while stacking real-world skills around mental health, accountability, and community.

The initiative held its first Long Island graduation at Nassau Community College in Uniondale on Aug. 11, 2025.

Graduate Timmy Jones, 39, who served more than 15 years for manslaughter, called the moment hard-won: “When I was up there getting the diploma, man, I almost cried. … I worked hard for this day.”

He added, “You got family members that won’t give you another chance after coming home from prison during a long term, so this meant a lot.”

Williams—who served 27 months following the accidental 2002 shooting of limo driver Costas Christofi—says the program is an all-in commitment. “I’m here seven days a week—at least. I think Sundays are probably ten hours a day, everything else about 13, 14 hour days,” he said. “I love it. I really do. You see the difference it makes…and we put out a good product.”

He frames the experience as “another chance,” not just a second one, and backs that up with daily expectations: students who skip a “good morning” get sent home; boxing gloves serve as a “suggestion box” to air out grievances; and group activities like jet skiing, prayer, and even mandatory skydiving for those able are designed to push past comfort zones.

Graduate Clayrone Garner said those challenges build momentum beyond the classroom. “I’ve been wanting to do skydiving outside of the program, so I’m actually really excited about that,” he said. “It gives you something more to work towards.”

On campus, the cohort bonds over barbecues and a garden near the truck lot—complete with watermelon and squash—that doubles as a mental health metaphor. “The garden teaches you life’s value a little bit more from growth … the more you know…the better off you are,” Garner said.

County Executive Bruce Blakeman called the results a public-safety win. “Just putting people in jail is not the sole solution,” he said, noting Nassau’s $1 million investment and an additional $300,000 after the first class. “In the long run, this makes us safer … it brings down our recidivism rate—and it gives them hope.”

For Williams, the mission is long-term. “If Saint John’s called me up and asked me to coach, I would say no. I want to be helping people with their lives, not score more points.”