Jay Williams: "There were guys smoking weed before games."

[Scholar]

The New York Times recently did a wonderful profile on former Bulls guard and current ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams.

In it Williams talked about his struggles to reclaim his life after a horrifying motorcycle accident, and all the highs and lows he went through.

Williams also talked about life in the NBA, and some of the perils he faced as a pro. *Per the Big Lead, Williams indicated that some of his Bulls teammates would smoke weed before games 2002-2003, which was his rookie season.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Some people are a walking living breathing stereotype.

The nba player who smokes bud before games, drinks & gambles on the team plane after a loss, and have a game the next day are exactly that, a walking steroetype.

I love the reefer but if I was paying some dude millions of dollars to do a job and this motherffuccker was getting high before playing games, and not caring to the point where they are parting immediately after a loss.. I'd call them out publicly and fire their asss

[O_City_Thunder]

Some people thing they play better when they're high. :pimp: :pimp: :pimp:

[senelcoolidge]

Those people are losers in life. You are given such a blessing in being in the NBA and your doing that immature bullshit. What a waste of space.

[mentallooser]

You wanna get high that's cool but you don't gotta do it right before a game. Do it after, or way earlier that day so you're mello but not stoned on the bench. Though to be fair I get why the dudes who never get to play do it.

[mattvNJ]

Those people are losers in life. You are given such a blessing in being in the NBA and your doing that immature bullshit. What a waste of space.
couple of my buddies would play high school and college ball after smoking. Centers some people i never understood it though haha. Its quite immature especially when the fans and owners are so reliant on these players to flourish. Its a shame but a fact of life, people wanna enjoy themselves how ever they please but they need some priorities in life. Toke up after the game for all i care, just not during when people are putting money into you to live this life.

[Big Cheese]

didnt artest say he use to get drunk at halftime? :lol

[flipogb]

rather have my players smoking weed than riding motorcycles. but of course not doing either would be better

[O_City_Thunder]

rather have my players smoking weed than riding motorcycles. but of course not doing either would be better
I like what you did there.....well played! :applause: :applause: :applause:

[ihoopallday]

Snitch :facepalm
Now I gotta go look at the Bulls roster that year and try to guess which players smoked.

[chips93]

didnt artest say he use to get drunk at halftime? :lol


only artest would drink hennessey at half time, and only he would admit to it

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/02/ron-artests-drinking-lake_n_377027.html

[unbreakable]

1 Jalen Rose $12,072,500
2 Eddie Robinson $5,687,000
3 Donyell Marshall $4,186,542
4 Tyson Chandler $3,556,200
5 Jay Williams $3,451,920
6 Marcus Fizer $2,946,240
7 Eddy Curry $2,879,280
8 Jamal Crawford $2,026,680
9 Greg Anthony $1,500,000
10 Corie Blount $1,400,000
11 Fred Hoiberg $1,400,000
12 Dalibor Bagaric $830,947
13 Rick Brunson $699,935
14 Erick Barkley $682,500
15 Trenton Hassell $512,435
16 Roger Mason $349,458
17 Lonny Baxter $349,458

bolded are my guesses on who smoked weed

[jaydacris]

fred hoiberg clearly puffed on dat ganja

[hipballinjigga]

1 Jalen Rose $12,072,500
2 Eddie Robinson $5,687,000
3 Donyell Marshall $4,186,542
4 Tyson Chandler $3,556,200
5 Jay Williams $3,451,920
6 Marcus Fizer $2,946,240
7 Eddy Curry $2,879,280
8 Jamal Crawford $2,026,680
9 Greg Anthony $1,500,000
10 Corie Blount $1,400,000
11 Fred Hoiberg $1,400,000
12 Dalibor Bagaric $830,947
13 Rick Brunson $699,935
14 Erick Barkley $682,500
15 Trenton Hassell $512,435
16 Roger Mason $349,458
17 Lonny Baxter $349,458

bolded are my guesses on who smoked weed


I would agree but how can you ignore a player with that name (above in big font) not being a smoker?

[Budadiiii]

Jay Williams is a punk ass snitch. Hate that dude.

And who gives a shit if they smoke weed before the games? Big deal.

[RagingBull33]

Little known fact; Bird, McHale, and Parish used to blaze that shit up.

[I<3NBA]

holy fk at that sh1t of a roster.

[Rake2204]

1 Jalen Rose $12,072,500
2 Eddie Robinson $5,687,000
3 Donyell Marshall $4,186,542
4 Tyson Chandler $3,556,200
5 Jay Williams $3,451,920
6 Marcus Fizer $2,946,240
7 Eddy Curry $2,879,280
8 Jamal Crawford $2,026,680
9 Greg Anthony $1,500,000
10 Corie Blount $1,400,000
11 Fred Hoiberg $1,400,000
12 Dalibor Bagaric $830,947
13 Rick Brunson $699,935
14 Erick Barkley $682,500
15 Trenton Hassell $512,435
16 Roger Mason $349,458
17 Lonny Baxter $349,458

bolded are my guesses on who smoked weedI've got my money on Dalibor Bagaric.

[AussieG]

How many people posting in this thread are puffing as they read it? Pass this shit around *****..

[ralph_i_el]

How many people posting in this thread are puffing as they read it? Pass this shit around *****..
:pimp:

[sick_brah07]

one year ago i would have agreed one hundred percent, and i still do agree as a proffesional athlete its ridiculous to smoke before games.... but in the last twelve months i met a guy thats about 30-31 through basketball his a local legend people know who he is on the courts i even knew his name before i met him and that he was apprently a great player in his youth.... im just going to say this we play pick up ball weekly and he smokes weed every night lol inclusing when we play2k13 but the difference between this mans running ability while high and while his straight is ridiculous when he is high he does some of the greatest shit ive ever seen on a basketball court

[Dro]

Stop letting the government lie to you...Nothing wrong with some reefer....In fact it makes some perform better...whatever Im doing..typing, hooping, gaming, watching something, reading....Its just a little weed....Now if players were smoking crack before games, then you'd have an issue...

[Dro]

How many people posting in this thread are puffing as they read it? Pass this shit around *****..
:pimp: :pimp: :pimp:

[Mr. NBA]

Jay Williams is a punk ass snitch. Hate that dude.

And who gives a shit if they smoke weed before the games? Big deal. Uh if your coworker gets lit beforr work wouldnt you? Plus the guy was just in college where he was being cared for. It had to take him by suprise when he went pro.

[Dro]

Uh if your coworker gets lit beforr work wouldnt you? Plus the guy was just in college where he was being cared for. It had to take him by suprise when he went pro.
Umm...I work at a data entry company where we all type no less than 15,000 keystrokes per hour..yes, at least half of us are high all the time, lol..I know I smoke like 2 blunts before I go in there...no problem with the typing speed or accuracy whatsoever :confusedshrug:

[MiseryCityTexas]

Some people think they play better when they're high. :pimp: :pimp: :pimp:


Well in Rafer Alston's case, this is true.

[MiseryCityTexas]

I'm pretty sure Bulls small forward Eddie Robinson was always high as a kite, because all he ever talked about in espn magazine was food, television, and video games.

[d.bball.guy]

Eddy Curry eats the weed instead of smoking em.

[tikay0]

one year ago i would have agreed one hundred percent, and i still do agree as a proffesional athlete its ridiculous to smoke before games.... but in the last twelve months i met a guy thats about 30-31 through basketball his a local legend people know who he is on the courts i even knew his name before i met him and that he was apprently a great player in his youth.... im just going to say this we play pick up ball weekly and he smokes weed every night lol inclusing when we play2k13 but the difference between this mans running ability while high and while his straight is ridiculous when he is high he does some of the greatest shit ive ever seen on a basketball court

OMFG, so true. I've pulled off some moves I'd never dream of, if I wasn't blazed.

I don't blaze anymore, but when I used to ball and blaze, I wouldn't think on the court, I'd just play.

[bdreason]

NBA really should improve their drug testing policies. I don't care if these guys are blazing before games, but I'm sure their bosses wouldn't like it.



I know quite a few guys who claim they roll (BJJ) better after getting high. Like being high improves their creativity and/or focus. I'm sure some people do it for their nerves, because taking a little toke can calm the nerves for some people.


I've personally never felt I performed better at anything while high, outside of maybe creating music or writing lyrics. To be fair though, I've made some tracks while high that I thought were awesome, and I listen to them later and they are total garbage.

[DwadeOverLebron]

Haha it was true.. you gotta throw marcus fizer in there also.. dude used to be at hooters all the time by ohare and looked stoned as hell.. one time I said wadup fizer and he just looked at me with a high as blank expression and didn't say a word.. fizer smoked for sure and so did jalen.. also jay williams is a bee itch!! I saw him at a club before he ever stepped on the court as a rookie and I was the only one who recognized him and I was a huge fan of his at duke.. I was like omg! jay williams!.. he turned around and looked at me, then he put his index finger to his lips and tells me to hushhhh.. I was deep as hell that day and was about to move on his ass, but my friend was a manager there and told me to chill out.. jay williams a beeeeeeitch!!!!

[DuMa]

i believe it. i mean these dudes are used to the poverty lifestyle and then all of the sudden theyre millionaires with lots of downtime after gametime and practice. idle hands suddenly become the devil hands.

[ikoiko]

Jay Williams is a punk ass snitch. Hate that dude.

And who gives a shit if they smoke weed before the games? Big deal.

well maybe williams wanted to win games, and that's why he gave a shit. quit acting hard on internet message boards

[raptorfan_dr07]

I would agree but how can you ignore a player with that name (above in big font) not being a smoker?

He most definitely was hahaha: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4163416

[Dro]

Can't believe people still make a big deal out of weed in 2013, lol....You would think people would've gotten over that in the 70's...

[wagexslave]

All NBA players smoke weed/do some kind of recreational drugs... smh people.

[Shepseskaf]

i believe it. i mean these dudes are used to the poverty lifestyle and then all of the sudden theyre millionaires with lots of downtime after gametime and practice. idle hands suddenly become the devil hands.
"Poverty lifestyle"? :rolleyes:

Its amazing that there are still people stupid and uninformed enough to believe that blazing is somehow linked to poor people.

Its pretty easy to figure out who doesn't get out of mom's basement much.

Not to mention that many NBA players have solid, middle-class childhoods. Stereotypes should be avoided.

[Money 23]

Eddie Robinson, Jalen Rose, Eddy Curry ... not a doubt in my mind.

[Glide2keva]

I'm pretty sure Bulls small forward Eddie Robinson was always high as a kite, because all he ever talked about in espn magazine was food, television, and video games.
That's all he could do, since he was always in the dog house. That dude hardly ever saw the floor.

[Glide2keva]

Haha it was true.. you gotta throw marcus fizer in there also.. dude used to be at hooters all the time by ohare and looked stoned as hell.. one time I said wadup fizer and he just looked at me with a high as blank expression and didn't say a word.. fizer smoked for sure and so did jalen.. also jay williams is a bee itch!! I saw him at a club before he ever stepped on the court as a rookie and I was the only one who recognized him and I was a huge fan of his at duke.. I was like omg! jay williams!.. he turned around and looked at me, then he put his index finger to his lips and tells me to hushhhh.. I was deep as hell that day and was about to move on his ass, but my friend was a manager there and told me to chill out.. jay williams a beeeeeeitch!!!!
You was about to "move" on him because he didn't want to be outed at the club?

Seriously?

What were you, in high school? What was he supposed to do? break down and sign an autograph and take a picture with you and give you his shoes?

[kaiteng]

If smoking weed help your team win games, then it is all cool. It didn't for that Bulls.

[Eric Cartman]

Jay Williams is a punk ass snitch. Hate that dude.

And who gives a shit if they smoke weed before the games? Big deal.

I would think at least the owner of the team would have something to say.

[mattvNJ]

royce needs to roll up a J and relax and get his ass on the court. My frineds all play sports very well high. I cannot for one and have tried, some people just get really centered and focused on their activity and forget the outside world when theyre high. But I understand Jay's hostility towards this since hes very well educated and obviously of a different mind set and morals then some of these athletes.

[SwayDizzle]

only artest would drink hennessey at half time, and only he would admit to it

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/02/ron-artests-drinking-lake_n_377027.html
"the Hennessey got me not knowing how ta act"

[markymark]

1. Blazing up is awesome. Doing it before balling is twice as awesome. Won't affect you negatively at all if you know how to control your high, and these cats obviously do.

2. Jay Williams is a snitching b*tch. A disgrace to the real Jay Will who wrote the best basketball book of all time.

[get these NETS]

rather have my players smoking weed than riding motorcycles. but of course not doing either would be better

basically that


hate Duke


wish the Bulls wouldn't have paid the rest of his rookie contract, which they were NOT obliged to do

Jay Williams should never have opened his mouth about locker room or behind the scenes stuff



or as rick ross once said "joe canseco just snitchin because he finished"

[Lord Leoshes]

Yes I agree with everyone hear, everyone who does not do what I feel is right are evil lowlifes cause they have a different opinions of life then I do.
How dare they be different then what I expect of them. What do they think, that this is a free country or something? :facepalm


Everyone who tries to control someone else should be shot in the head, for attempted slavery. :mad:

[Rake2204]

I do not agree with the repeated assertion that Jay Williams "snitched" in this case. I believe there was a context to these specific comments and that context dealt with the striking change between Williams' college basketball environment and the one he was introduced to during his first year in the NBA.

I don't think Williams' point was specifically centered on drug use. Instead, I think he was using that as an example (as well as mid-game booty calls) to illustrate how goals and expectations differ so vastly from a league filled with young male millionaires traveling around the country versus the college experience.

I personally think it's a topic that'd interest me to hear more about. I believe many NBA players care a lot less about competition and winning than we think they do. Of course, that's not to say I blame them. If I were handed 5.6 million dollars and was then told to maintain the same drive and passion I had from before I was rich, I don't know if I could pull it off.

That's why, in part, I found Paul Shirley's book so interesting (Can I Keep My Jersey?. Many writers over the years seemed to stick to reporting the basics of what we think or know about NBA players - their drive, their will, their tough upbringing, etc. It was refreshing to finally hear someone step up and say, "Hey, you know what? These are normal people. And sometimes, they argue about whether the United States has 51 or 52 states."