LOS ANGELES — On Father’s Day afternoon, former Clipper and Laker Lou Williams announced his retirement from the NBA on social media, thanking fans and sharing a YouTube video highlighting his basketball journey.
“Sweet Lou,” as former Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler would say, concluded his career with three NBA Sixth Man of the Year awards and 13,396 points off the bench — each the most of any player.
Williams played for six teams across 17 seasons. He started and ended his career with his hometown Atlanta Hawks, in addition to time with the LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers. Williams was also one of the last players to forgo college for the NBA Draft, where he was selected 45th in 2005.
By not starting games, Williams owned a role in the NBA that many players try to avoid. Instead, he would come off the bench for 89% of nights in his career and did so in such a style that Drake even made a song about him titled “6 Man.”
Although the 6’1 guard is from the South, he made a name for himself in Los Angeles. He shared locker rooms and battle scars with stars such as Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George, making him welcome at Crypto.com Arena for the rest of time.
The “Underground Goat” rides off into the sunset with career averages of 13.9 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.
