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Jason Williams Retires. Anyone Else Surprised? By C.Y. Ellis
09.26.2008 - Updated on 10.1.2008
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After signing a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers this summer, Jason Williams was expected to make an attempt at a comeback after a couple of lacklustre seasons with the ailing Heat. It’s a bit of a surprise, then, to read today’s news that the formerly problematic point guard has called it quits on his career, bowing out before even reporting to camp for the Clippers.
If you’re wondering what inspired his decision to retire, you’re not alone. After averaging nearly nine points and five assists last season and ranking eighth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, J-Will was still a productive NBA player, and a potential starter for more than a few franchises. While he likely would have seen only mid-rotation minutes in L.A., the chance to pick up another season’s salary on what promises to be a decent squad should have been incentive enough to make the trip out west.
Instead, Whit Eboy decided he was done. At least, he decided he was done with the NBA. With Euroleague powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv reportedly prepared to offer him more cash than anyone Stateside, this may not be the final buzzer for Williams so much as a time-out. Could he simply be taking a break in anticipation of a big deal across the pond or is this actually the end for him?
If it really is, it’s time to reminisce on the rollercoaster that was Jason WIlliams’ life in the league. While he may have made the news for the wrong reasons too many times over the past decade, he never failed to entertain, developing a fanbase as strong in China as in his home state of West Virginia. While some careers are measured in rings or statistics, Jason Williams’ contribution to the game is evident in the highlight reels. As the spiritual successor of Pete Maravich and Earl Monroe, White Chocolate brought the streets to the stadium, perplexing opponents with an array of crossovers and no-look passes more often seen on asphalt than hardwood.
So, what’s your favourite Jason WIlliams memory? Let us know in the comment box below. |
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Posted by
katastrophy
on 05.17.2009 | yea... yall makin it racial makes me not even wanna comment. im 100 percent black and hes my favorite point guard period. but ne way my favorite j-will moment is when he came in for the heat in the finals and hit 5-5 field goals in like 10 min... only bcuz the people that were sleepin on him woke up then. not to mention they went on to win . | Posted by
john
on 04.30.2009 | jason williams the best,he handles the ball decently but does it with style,carrying a ball with one hand and passes it with the other hand so quickly and even drbbling the ball and attempts to pa-------it instead fakes it then shoots makes the defender wander "how does he do that?"...on most of all my favorite when he carried the ball in the free throw line then hops like he’s trying to pa-------it at the wing man insted curl it on he’s head then passes it to the undergoal teammate without looking...i bet anyone who can do that in a game with everyone is moving and defending. . | Posted by
VMoss#1
on 02.16.2009 | Im lookin at posts from other people and its funny because they tryna make it racial. Imma young black male from Inglewood California(the hood)and Jason Williams is my second all time favorite point guard after Penny. It doesnt matter if this man is white or black juss know that this man could hoop. I actually pa-------the ball like JWill when i hoop. I never seen nothing like him before. Its suprising how people can say hes not a good player when he was a top 5 point guard when he played for Sacramento. He juss wasnt a excellent shooter. Jason was raw. He had a few bad seasons but i mean who hasnt. No one in the NBA as of now maybe besides LeBron James hasnt had a bad season it happens to the best of us. Cant be on top forever. I juss wish I could have seen him play in a Clipper uniform in person that woulda been dope. P.S my favorite Jason Williams moment was when he was in the Rookie Challenge in 2000 the behind the back off the elbow pa-------to Raef Lafrenz(how ever the hell u spell his name)Lafrenz missed the dunk after the pa-------but that s---was still dope . | Posted by
Sweet Stroke
on 02.14.2009 | J-Dub, just pure nasty! I can’t believe that he retired. He will be missed. I feel with all my heart, he would have been one of the top NBA players if he would have shot the ball more. No one could touch his passing and his court vision. He has a passion for the game not seen by many NBA players. Quite possibly he retired because of the mainstream crap. I’m sure he’ll continue to play on the streets and break ankles where ever he goes. Good luck JWill and God Bless. . | Posted by
wadefire14
on 01.9.2009 | I started liking the Heat last year which was a bad time for them. Then I started to look into how good of a player Jason was. I didn’t know that he had that insane potential to make insane plays whether it was a hardcore pass, drive to the goal or crossover and shoot when he got drafted. I want him to come back to the Heat. Mario Chalmers is a good starting point guard for them, but if Jason came back, the Heat could finally have a playmaker that sets everyone for a point at the goal. That’s just the kind of player he is. Selfless and gutsy aren’t words that even begin to describe J-Will. He’s so much more than that. He is a basketball hero with all the time and practice he puts into his passing skills. He truly is a hero. . | Posted by
jimbo
on 12.12.2008 | Jason Williams will always be one of my favorite Ball players. I had to find out he retired from one of my friends. If he never plays professionally again, he is an ICON and a NBA champion. Just watch any of his YOUTUBE highlight reels and you will realize that this dude was "one" with the ball. It’s almost like he slept with the ball in a gym on the hardwood every night. Oh and if you are gonna be a "White Chocolate" fan you must know a few things: 1. Florida was not his first school, he attended Marshall as a Freshman. 2. He did not graduate from Florida, he was kicked out. School was not for J- Dub . | Posted by
jada
on 12.4.2008 | White chocolate is the man retired or not! He will be missed. The sickest white boy to ever step foot on a basketball court all you haters step aside. . | Posted by
David - UK
on 11.7.2008 | I don’t know why some people are making a race issue with J-Will, this kid was amazing in his prime-time, how many people started to play ball because of him??? When I first saw JDub on the court I already played basketball but I wanted to be like him I wanted to make this game to be fun to watch, because thats the reason why people sit down in front of the tv and watch the game it’s called "entertainment". Jason re-freshed the game it was something new that people were missing, sorry but I was sick of watching Tim Duncan on the court!!! If you know what I mean. I have a lot of respect for Williams and I will keep watching his mixes on the net everyday and I hope he will not get forgotten like other players in the past!!!. Best of luck for you Jason. . | Posted by
Warm Up All American
on 11.6.2008 | One time I saw him leading a 3 on 1 fast break. He started a behind the back pa-------and as he threw it he batted it back with his opposite elbow (behind his back) as a bounce pa-------to a streaking player who finished with a dunk. I have not seen it since. . | Posted by
Chris
on 11.3.2008 | My fav. moment was when I was in the 9th grade and Jason was in the 7th. Dupont showed up to play us, I thought Jason was the waterboy/manager and I thought Eric Moss(Randy’s older brother) was the coach. Damn if they both came out dressed for warmups, and wore us out by 20. . | Posted by
Johnny_J
on 10.30.2008 | People forget he went 10-11 against Chauncey Billups on the Game 6 clincher when the Heat won the championship in 2006. He did change his game and he outplayed Billups in a clutch game to send the Heat to the championship. In his younger days he would stun crowds and now he is an efficient point guard. Overall, he’s a servicable guard and I would rate him a "B" player. Last year, I believe he had a game where he scored a season high 34 points against Orlando. How many people can say they scored 34 points in a game in the NBA. Also, he is better known as a Florida guy than a West Virginia guy and I believe he would tell you that. He graduated from UF and he has a mansion in South Florida (and he never even bought a home in LA, he rented an apartment).I would like to see him join Billy Donovan’s coaching staff or maybe he could comeback to the Heat if he has a change of heart. . | Posted by
Menach
on 10.30.2008 | I met Jason Williams at the RDV sportscenter in Orlando, right after he got drafted. If you remember correctly, he got drafted the year of the strike. After playing some pickup ball with him, I had a 45 minute conversation with him just asking him questions. Not knowing that he would be as good as he was in the NBA, I asked him if he was considering playing overseas in the interim. His response was, "nah, I like my fried food, I don’t like foreign food" Jason Williams is just a simple guy from a simple town in West Virginia. He has mad skills and made many a defender look foolish. While many people think that he did not know how to utilize his skills, I think that his court vision and passing skills were almost to good for his teammates. I hope that he continues to play somewhere, he makes basketball look so easy and fun. . | Posted by
Major
on 10.21.2008 | J-dub is my favorite player. For one he wasn’t the most athletic but he gave his all. I thought he should have shot the ball more. But his passes were and are the sickest around. My favorite memory was his cross over on Gary Payton. He broke his ankles. Good luck J-dub whatever you do. Peace . | Posted by
DSHOTZ
on 10.16.2008 | j-will aka spring break the best showtime point guard ever in my eyes ...when he came 2 da league ..he gave it life again ..my favorite baller ..the news of him retiring hurts ..da behind da back wizard ankle breaker..holla @ur boi 55 . | Posted by
on 10.7.2008 | williams is the man. haters get no play on my watch. wa wa. just mad the white boy ull spank you if you get out of line. . | Posted by
e-duble
on 10.5.2008 | I saw him hit a 45 foot shot at the buzzer when he played for Sacramento it was against the Lakers in LA. The Clippers would of and maybe still do have a decent squad. He should play. . | Posted by
imojo
on 10.2.2008 | jason Has done alot for the NBA like sooo many others you can’t stay on top forever- we wish him the best of luck . | Posted by
coldstone
on 09.30.2008 | just a one hit wonder. sick rookie r and thats it. he has no heart . | Posted by
40inchleaper
on 09.30.2008 | come on he just showed some crazy passes. nothing impressive. i’ll give him a D . | Posted by
Max in Denver
on 09.30.2008 | i’m sick of african american people whinning that blacks dont get respected. thats bull. this guy has an article published because he was a fun white guy to watch play basketball and you wanna jump on someone for not writing about a guy who hasn’t ever won a ring never played for a winning team never made his team a tv basketball team. its jealous. everyone loves jordan everyone. i love to watch talent thats what everyone likes to watch you just wanna make it race related i feel sorry for ya. anyways its J-Will that played for the fans and made everyone go back and look for those old pistol pete vids. he just played the game the way he wanted to he played cause he loved the game. he changed because he understood what it took to help win a ring. i’m not saying this guy was ever the best player on his team but look at this alright. webber best games were played with j-will. gasol best with j-will. wade and shaq never won a ring without j-will. he makes people around him better players . he deserves recognition for what he brought to the nba this guy with never be forgoten to the die hard nba fans. Best of luck J-WILL!!! . |
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