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Max Kellerman Makes Ill-Advised Joke About J Will’s Career-Ending Motorcycle Injury | Cheap Shot By Mad Max?

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Max Kellerman and Jay Williams have teamed with Keyshawn Johnson to have the top radio show on ESPN radio.

And with that comes daily ribbing and cracking jokes at one another’s expense. It’s always in good-natured fun.

On a recent radio show, however, Kellerman might have crossed the line between comedy and disrespectful humor.

As the three debated and discussed the Kyrie Irving saga, they also discussed what type of contract the Nets may ask “Uncle Drew,” to sign considering his history of missing games. He’s played in just 103 games in three seasons in Brooklyn.

That lack of availability has the Nets on the fence about giving Irving a lucrative max deal. Williams says he wouldn’t sign a deal that required a certain amount of games to be played to get his money, citing unforeseen injuries.

This is something Williams has first-hand experience with, and Kellerman couldn’t resist cracking a joke at Williams’ expense by referencing Jay Will’s career-ending motorcycle accident during his rookie season in the NBA.

“If it was Jay and they didn’t guarantee the final two years, he’d be on his motorcycle and drive away! He’d be outta here.”

Williams never played another NBA game after that accident, and although it’s a few decades later, J Will has to still be haunted by what-ifs. It seemed rather tactless for Max to go there, but all is fair in war and debate at the all-star level.

That was a low blow by Max to ridicule the most traumatizing and defeating moment in Williams’ life. Not sure many people found the humor in it although Williams kind of laughed it off.

Williams Showed Promise Prior To Injury

After a storied career at Duke, where he led them to the 2001 NCAA championship, Williams was drafted No. 2 overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2002 NBA draft. As a rookie Williams showed flashes, even putting up a triple-double versus Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets, and earned NBA All-Rookie second-team honors.

In the summer of 2003, Williams violated his contract and rode a motorcycle. That ended up being the worst decision he could have made. Williams got into an accident, wasn’t wearing a helmet and didn’t have a license to operate the bike. It was all bad and the life-changing incident that jump-started his successful career as an analyst/talking head.

While the Bulls did give him $3 million toward his rehab, the team terminated his contract.

In an interview with Men’s Health, Williams had this to say.

“I was 21, and on my bike, just cruising along in Chicago. I revved it three times while it was in neutral, and on the third rev the bike slipped into second gear. The next thing you know, I go from 35 per hour to 65, and I pop a wheelie. I saw I was going towards a utility pole. I tried to turn my bike around it, but I ended up clipping the whole left side of my body. I remember spinning in the air, and then lying on the ground screaming at myself, ‘You threw it all away!’”

That he did, which is why he feels how he does as it pertains to contracts with stipulations.

Williams Picked Up Pieces Became Respected ESPN Analyst

After years of rehab and battling depression, Williams was hired by ESPN in 2013. His persistence and belief that he could overcome self-doubt and depression that came with his big mistake has been well-documented.

Max Kellerman missed the mark on that joke.

 

 

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