[McDunkin]

NEW YORK — Knicks center Tyson Chandler called ESPN analyst Jay Williams‘ assertion that members of the 2002-03 Chicago Bulls smoked marijuana prior to games "ridiculous" on Monday evening.

Chandler and Williams played together on the 2002-03 Bulls.

"I don’t know why he would say something like that. I think that’s ridiculous that he would come out and say something. I don’t remember that to be honest with you. And it’s unfortunate that he would make that kind of statement about our game," Chandler said at the team’s charity bowling event to support Madison Square Garden’s Garden of Dreams Foundation.

Williams’ statement appeared in a New York Times profile of him on Sunday.

The assertion was a small element of the story, which was a profile on Williams’ return from a devastating motorcycle accident that ended his career in 2003.

In the story, Williams said, "I didn’t know how to handle it at first. I didn’t know how to be around it. Guys were on the bench, trying to kick it to girls in the stands, having ball boys run over. I mean, some guys were high."

Asked to clarify, Williams said: "There were guys smoking weed before games. Guys asking in the middle of the game, ‘Do you smell popcorn?’"

Wiliams, a college basketball analyst for ESPN, addressed his remarks in a statement on Monday.

"I gave an honest account of my struggles and observations during a specific time in my life; that was one small element. It was a long time ago and I am not looking to make it a bigger issue," he said.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/8938481/tyson-chandler-calls-jay-williams-claims-chicago-bulls-players-smoking-pot-ridiculous

[Moon RiverParticipant]

Did you not learn from Curt Schilling? Do not come out and make a blanket statement like this without naming names. Now the speculation and finger pointing begins. Rick Brunson came out and reprimanded Williams as well.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Jay just wants a soundbite, he has no hard evidence or anything backin up his statements

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

Jay Williams should have named names? Maybe

But I dont think he’s lying at all……..I mean not many names come out when these allegations appear, but I remember Keith Closs admiting to smoking weed at half time during games, and Chris Herren did coke before games.

I’m pretty sure there’s many more in the league who do things we just dont know about.

[SiggyParticipant]

RonRon also admitted he drank during halftime.

Charles Oakley said the same thing about NBA players playing while blunted and that was years ago. This is nothing knew.

[juice304Participant]

Jay Williams and Curt Schilling are both below average analysts who like extra attention. I feel bad that his career as a basketball player didn’t work out, but he should focus on becoming better at what he does now rather than put out statements like this. It doesn’t benefit anybody even if that kind of stuff does go on.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

I don’t know if he’s lying or not, but why talk about something that happened 10 years ago? He wants attention

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

I agree, I dont think it’s right that he aired them out like that, but I don’t think he’s lying, and maybe he put their buisness out because he felt some type of way about them when he got injured and he said not one of them came by to visit or check up on him.

So he probably doesn’t really care for them.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

If what your saying is true, than that’s grimy of him; it sucks that none of them checked up on him but he wasn’t forced on that motorcycle; either way Jay comes out as a liar or a bitter man

[phila9012Participant]

Who cares if the smoked weed, it happened 10 years ago and it is not like they were doing hard drugs that made it so they could barely function on the court. I don’t smoke weed, but there are a lot worse things you can do. Like driving a motorcyle with out a helmet and going 100 mph, I am looking at you jay williams.

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

Here’s the entire story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/sports/basketball/a-leg-rebuilt-a-life-renewed-for-jay-williams.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

He says none of them checked on him or visited while he was injured and the smoking comments are in there as well, great read tho.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Dang that was a good story, can’t believed he tried to kill hisself; I like the fact that he is now mentoring young guys to be smart and not make the same mistake as him.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Spot on, he’s trying to bash his teammates like he’s a saint, and now he’s bitter because no one checked up on h so he’s trying to throw mid on his old teammates.

[goldie92689Participant]

Me personally, I can’t smoke before playing, but I know a lot of guys that can!!! The is weed we’re talking about, not liquor. It’s not that difficult to play on MJ. I play in NYC parks, its pretty normal.

Now as for Williams, I lose respect for a person that violates the locker room. There is no place for that.

Tell that store 30 years from now, if you must, don’t do that while players are still in the league.

[BasketballJunkie224Participant]

speaking of lq before the games i believe keith closs did pretty well @ ccsu l;eading the nation in blocks while drinking alchohol before the games..and i definitely think that jay williams probably had some problems/altercations with some teamates on that bulls team..if i had to guess i would guess that he is talking about jalen rose lol..but i guess im just as bad for throwing that name out there. Tyson chandler is right in the sence that jay shouldve never said anything about that but i HIGHLY doubt that he just made that up. I would bet that some of the players were high. Long story short i think jay williams just wanted to let every1 know that he was a player who took the game serious and guys like that always end up having good careers, i think his wouldve been good had he not gotten in that accident

[akhan786Participant]

Reading that article a couple days ago I feel like most people who read it didn’t think anything of it…it wasn’t meant to be any big part of the article and I don’t think Jay would have ever thought it would be controversial.

It was just supposed to be a small blurb (which is probably true) to show how he was unused to this new NBA lifestyle…

Don’t get why people are making a big deal about it…people smoke before games in every sport at every level. Doesn’t really affect your game and in some cases it makes you better.

[phila9012Participant]

My problem is that he said that, when he did a way dumber thing by riding a motorcycle with out a helmet and getting into a crash that pretty much ended his career.

[kingofbumsParticipant]

Michael Beasley: “PFTTT i still do that shiiiiittt in 2013”

[sheltwon3Participant]

I read the article and the weed part was such a small part and it was to clarify something that he said earlier that he was questioned about. I doubt he is doing this for attention or lying. I am sure the two people upset may have been the ones smoking weed.

In this day and age you can’t be honest. That stuff happened too long ago for him to be breaking a code because most of those players are long gone and he did not name names. Everyone knows NBA players smoke weed. I think if he said they did steroids that would be a bigger issues but NBA players chasing girls and smoking weed is something most people believed happened.

I am just saying most of us know some ballers before they became famous and they smoked weed. You think they stopped because they have money now or they are doing it more.

[llperez]

i dont know why anyone is calling out jwill on this. Everyone is allowed to speak their mind on stuff and if he knows guys smoked weed, he can say it withouth having to dime out names. You have ot be crazy to think nba guys dont smoke and is it that hard to beleive that some smoke before games?

[Ghost01Participant]

Yeah, I like this idea that you aren’t allowed to say anything for what reason exactly??? Because you’re suppose to have the backs of guys you played with 10 years ago for one season and went 32-50? Why? He doesn’t need evidence to make a simple comment, and acting like this is unlikely is hilarious.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

He did burn his bridge with ex teammates. Other then that it isn’t a big deal.

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

who cares about the weed thing….. those bulls team back then were garbage anyway

[Ghost01Participant]

I for one actually remember the 2002-2003 Bulls. And although Tyson Chandler very well could be innocent here, there are plenty of Bulls from that team that you could see doing it. That team had so many guys who seemed, for lack of a better word, disinterested in everything almost like they were distracted. I agree that Williams should have named names if he wanted this story to have legs, but I don’t think Jay is the attention seeking type. He said what he said, Chandler can rip it all he wants its out there now. Please don’t compare him to that piece of shyt Curt Schilling. Fcuk that guy.

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