ESPN's Jay Williams faces awkward ribbing from colleagues during NBA Draft

The 2026 NBA Draft yet saw the apical assemblage prospects get chosen on with immoderate affable occurrence among ESPN and hoops analysts connected Tuesday night.

Jay Williams, Richard Jefferson and Kenny Smith were among those covering the draught and offering their investigation during the event. One speech among the 3 erstwhile NBA players went awry and led to an awkward moment.

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Jay Williams of the Chicago Bulls and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs stock a laughter during the 2003 got milk? Rookie Challenge Game astatine Phillips Arena successful Atlanta, Georgia, connected Feb. 8, 2003. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE)

ESPN recalled the moments each erstwhile subordinate was drafted. Smith went No. 6 wide successful 1987 to the Sacramento Kings, Richard Jefferson was selected astatine No. 13 by the Houston Rockets earlier being traded to the New Jersey Nets successful 2001 and Williams was chosen No. 2 wide by the Chicago Bulls successful 2001. Williams’ vocation was chopped abbreviated owed to a motorcycle crash.

ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi asked wherefore Williams received a large ovation. Williams explained that astir radical who had gone to Duke were from the New York oregon New Jersey area.

"They besides didn't spot the aboriginal coming, truthful they were cheering," Jefferson said.

Williams responded, "Wow."

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TNT hoops expert Kenny Smith appears connected aerial earlier the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal crippled betwixt the Purdue Boilermakers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack astatine State Farm Stadium successful Glendale, Ariz., connected April 6, 2024. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Smith admitted that Williams was an "unbelievable talent" but "his vocation trajectory would've been a batch antithetic if helium didn't similar motorcycles."

Williams tried to brushwood it off, saying each of what Smith was saying was "on record" and that helium "wrote a publication astir it."

"I conjecture everybody that goes to Duke isn't that smart," Jefferson quipped. "What? He wrote a publication astir it. I’m agreeing with him."

The awkwardness filled the aerial aft that arsenic the Toronto Raptors were getting acceptable to marque a selection.

Williams’ incidental occurred successful June 2003. He suffered a fractured pelvis, 3 torn ligaments successful his genu and helium severed a nervus successful his leg. Williams violated the presumption of his declaration by riding the motorcycle successful the archetypal place.

Referee Richard Jefferson watches the crippled betwixt the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League astatine the Thomas & Mack Center successful Las Vegas, Nev., connected July 11, 2022. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

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He tried to marque his mode backmost into the NBA done the G League but ne'er got there. He played 75 games for the Bulls successful his rookie play and averaged 9.5 points per game.