NBA champion turned podcast celebrity Stephen Jackson has told us stories of him playing NBA games while high as a kite off some good pregame ganja. Jackson describes his experience as challenging for the first few shots of the game as he tries to settle into his state and locate the hoop.
Liquor seemed to have the opposite effect on former NBA star Lou Williams.
It’s well-documented that Lou Williams — a three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner and Lemon Pepper wing king at the world-famous Magic City strip club in Atlanta — used to have some wild nights out at the gentleman’s clubs, often drinking heavily and racking up exorbitant tabs.
According to Williams, one time the partying got the best of him, and he came to a game drunk. These are the retirement stories that we are here for.
This happened because, the night before, he unexpectedly stayed out “until the lights came on,” even though he knew he had an early game against the New York Knicks at The Garden.
“I got to the arena, and I’m fuc**** drunk as hell. Mind y’all I come from the bench, so I got about eight minutes to get my sh** here,” Williams said on the latest episode of the “Underground Lounge.”
“Doc Rivers calls my number, I turn the ball over twice immediately. I had to make a business decision — either I’mma look drunk out there, or I’mma go tell somebody the truth. And I’mma go sit the f*** down and deal with my suspension.”
“Lemon Pepper Lou” decided to come clean with coach Doc Rivers about his irresponsibility when it was evident his performance was off.
Most players would have been sent to the bench and then given a serious scolding afterward and a possible suspension.
Doc Rivers Made Lou Williams Play Drunk To Sweat Out
However, Rivers, allegedly flipped the script on Drunken Lou and told him to continue playing under the influence because he needed him to work off that alcohol. Plus, Rivers couldn’t have him on the bench sitting idle and looking crazy. Sending him to the locker room would have created too many questions.
“He looked me straight in my eyes and said, ‘You playin’ the whole second quarter, because I need you to sweat that sh** out, because I’mma need you in the fourth quarter.’ I had 25 in the fourth,” the retired guard concluded.
Internet sleuths and basketball historians have surmised that the specific game he’s referring to, was a noon tipoff matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Knicks on March 24, 2019.
That also shows you how much respect he has for that particular Knicks team at the time that he didn’t even consider the fact that he had to play the next day when he decided to stay up all night binging and boning.
Lou Williams Dropped 29 Points While Intoxicated
When you consider that that The “Underground GOAT” completed the contest with 29 points, including 15 (not actually 25) in the fourth quarter, that’s the stuff of legends.
It also gives you some insight into why Rivers continues to get jobs and is considered the ultimate players coach. It might even be to his detriment at times, but that’s Doc’s style. He protects his players and is deeply respected because of that.
Personal moments like these, that the fans aren’t privy too, is why Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard wanted former coach Adrian Branch fired and replaced by Doc, despite enjoying the best stretch the tandem has ever had going 30-13 out the gate under Griffin before Doc surprisingly worked himself from adviser to HNIC. The star players vouched for that more than anybody.
Williams says he loves playing four years under Rivers even credited the NBA champions and one-time Coach of the Year for reviving his career after he came to L.A.
