Jay Williams didn’t want his “awkward” viral moment at the NBA draft to become about him.
The longtime ESPN analyst told Front Office Sports he was “extremely uncomfortable” after a tense on-air exchange with colleague Richard Jefferson made the rounds on social media — not because of any lingering beef, but because it pulled attention away from the players and families celebrating one of the biggest nights of their lives.
Williams, whose NBA career lasted just one season due to injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident in 2003, was the butt of a distasteful joke from Jefferson during Tuesday’s broadcast on the Worldwide Leader.
“Well, they also didn’t see the future coming, so they were cheering kind of pre-empt — sorry, I apologize,” Jefferson said in reference to the accident while discussing Williams’ draft night in 2002 when he was selected No. 2 overall by the Bulls.
Williams didn’t appear happy with Jefferson’s comment, and the awkwardness didn’t stop there.
After fellow panelist Kenny Smith tried to steer the conversation, referencing Williams’ “unbelievable talent” whose career would have been different if he “didn’t like motorcycles,” Jefferson dropped another quip.
“I guess everybody that goes to Duke isn’t that smart,” Jefferson said, which made Smith put his head down.
Williams said Wednesday that he wished the viral moment hadn’t taken attention away from the players and families inside Barclays Center.
“It’s about what you do after something like that happens,” he said.
“One of the things I hated about the moment is that, you know, a lot of times things get said and it becomes a viral moment, but I don’t like when the viral moment becomes about me when I’m there talking about these young people where the moment was about them,” Williams continued.
While he didn’t appear to have any ill will toward Jefferson, Williams said the incident would be addressed.
“We’ll talk about it, we’ll learn from it, we’ll move on. Welcome to TV,” he said.
