Jay "Don't call me Jason Anymore" Williams breaks leg

From the Chicago Tribune

Williams in severe crash, Rams cycle into pole, breaks leg
By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune Staff Reporter

Bulls guard Jay Williams spent Thursday night in Illinois Masonic Hospital after breaking his leg and sustaining other injuries in a motorcycle accident on Chicago's North Side.

Details on the extent of Williams' injury were sketchy, but a team source said Williams underwent surgery following the crash, which took place shortly after 5 p.m.

The same source said Williams also may have sustained injuries to his pelvic area and described Williams' situation as "not good."

Williams crashed his motorcycle into a pole at the intersection of Honore and Fletcher streets. The motorcycle had temporary license plates.

Bulls general manager John Paxson couldn't be reached for comment, but a team spokesman confirmed the accident and said the team would release details on Williams' condition Friday.

Another team source said that Bulls team doctors had arrived at Williams' hospital room.

Bulls coach Bill Cartwright, reached at his home, echoed the sentiments of most people in the organization who also were reached.

"I'm not worried about the team or what this does for our future," Cartwright said. "I'm just worried about Jay. I'm worried about the severity of his injury for his career. We just have to wait and see. Our thoughts are with him."

Williams, the second overall selection in last year's NBA draft, averaged 9.5 points and 4.7 assists in 75 games during a turbulent rookie season. He endured an intense battle for the starting point guard position with Jamal Crawford, which created tension at times in the locker room.

Crawford and Williams played well together down the stretch of last season and vowed this off-season to build on that momentum next season if given the chance.

"I'm kind of in shock," Crawford said from Seattle. "Jay and I were really looking forward to playing together and making some noise next season. Like everybody else on the team, I just hope he's OK and recovers quickly."

Reached on his cell phone, David Williams, Jay's father, said: "This isn't a good time to talk."

If Williams' injury is as serious as initial reports indicated, the accident isn't only devastating for Williams and his family; it also comes at an extremely inopportune time for Paxson and the franchise.

With the NBA draft scheduled for Thursday, league sources indicate Paxson has been receiving several calls from rival league executives gauging the availability of Crawford and Williams. The perception around the league is that with two talented point guards, the Bulls might be willing to part with one for the right price.

Paxson, according to league sources, had been listening to possible offers for Williams or Crawford with Bulls' No. 7 pick. Williams' injury is likely to affect those talks.

If Williams is sidelined into next season, the Bulls almost certainly would have to hang onto Crawford to enter next season with an experienced point guard.

Williams worked out at the Berto Center on Thursday morning with Crawford before the latter flew home to Seattle.

Williams took a much darker ride on Thursday evening.

 

Anymore news? man wasn't a big fan Jay but big prayers for him . Reminds me of Mr. Phils.

 

No we will leave that morbid thought pattern to the paranoid Dukies.

 

Any recent updates on this guy?

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0703/1576258.html

Is the most recent I have been able to find other than he was released and his family is rented a house in Durham waiting to decide who will do his knee surgery.

I think the now Jay Will was a complete ass but I would still rather him be healthy and on the court playing so he could get a beat down!

 

Why?

I mean - I am as big a Heel fan as they come, but I always thought that he was a class act - they tend to stand out because they are so rare in Durham . I am however still pissed at Gut for not bringing him to UNC - he was bascially begging to play for us but they didn't want to recruit over Curry. In retrospect, that did not turn out to be the brightest move ever made.

 

He was known to taunt a player or two when dook had them beat. I don't have much use for players that act like an ass on the court. You would never have seen Battier do that, I hate dook but there is a huge difference in class by Battier and Williams.

Trying to remember the game where he showed the ball or acted as though he were going to throw it at a player. Seems like it was Boston College. I know he has another incident like that within about two weeks of that game. Let me dig up the info.