Lou Williams officially announced his retirement from the NBA on Sunday, June 18 after almost two decades in the league.
Oh, the keen sting of a good lemon pepper wing and a triumphant sendoff. That’s what we’re feeling tonight after Lou Williams, NBA veteran of 17 years, announced his retirement from the league with a heartfelt message from his daughter on Father’s Day.
Williams spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers (2005-12), Atlanta Hawks (2012-14; 2020-22), and Los Angeles Clippers (2017-20). He also made brief pit stops with the Raptors, Lakers, and Rockets along the way.
Known for his prodigious bucket-getting talent, Williams will long be remembered as arguably the greatest sixth man that ever was.
NBA legend Lou Williams announces retirement after 17 years in the league
There’s no more fitting way to end a historic career. Williams established himself over the years as not only a tremendous basketball player, but a tremendous leader in the locker room and a tremendous person off the court.
Across 17 NBA seasons, Williams averaged 13.9 points and 3.4 assists on 41.9 percent shooting. He won Sixth Man of the Year three times and is the all-time league leader in points off the bench. From his signature middy to his twitchy handles and his effortless touch around the rim, few players could capture an audience like Lou Will in his prime.
While the debate about “best sixth man ever” will rage on for eternity (and Williams faces stiff competition in the form of Manu Ginobili, Jamal Crawford, and others), few players embodied the role and came to define the idea of “sixth man” more than Williams. There’s a reason so many small, score-first guards win Sixth Man of the Year; it’s because Williams set the precedent.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Williams moved to the Atlanta suburbs when he was 11. He attended South Gwinnett high school and became a legend in the Georgia basketball circuit, finishing second in the state all-time in scoring before entering the NBA Draft in 2005. Williams was one of the last players drafted directly into the league out of high school. He went 45th overall to the Sixers.
Off the court, Williams garnered increased notoriety in 2020 when the league was forced to extend his quarantine period in the Bubble after a brief trip to the Magic City gentleman’s club in Atlanta for some lemon pepper chicken wings. There was a mild upchuck of internet controversy at the time, but now we can look back, smile, and feel a deep hunger stirring deep inside us. I, too, enjoy chicken wings.
Williams is one of the best “Star in his Role” players of all time. He deserves immense credit for all he accomplished over the years and he should remain a staple in basketball history forever and always.