Williams opened up about his desire to continue playing at the highest level for his hometown team
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Lou Williams was recently traded to the Atlanta Hawks on the trade deadline for guard Rajon Rondo by Los Angeles Clippers. The news came as a major shock to many fans, including the player himself. Stunned at the decision, the 34-year-old even pondered about retirement. However, after thinking things over, he decided to offer his all to his hometown team. Williams joined the Hawks ahead of their Tuesday night game against the Suns in Phoenix.
“It hurts. I had a lot of investment there. We had some success. We were gearing up for another deep run, a championship run. That was my mentality. I thought I would finish the season there,” he told reporters on a video conference. “I still feel like I can play at a high level. I feel like I can help this team do some things,” he added.
Lou Williams went on to explain what made him continue on with the new team this season. “I don’t want to look back and say I retired prematurely, be asking myself what could have been or what I could’ve done. This is an opportunity to finish out the season with this team and go from there,” he further stated.
The 34-year-old Williams didn’t take the court straight away for the Hawks as he wanted to observe their style from the bench. “I want to get an understanding of how they play. See their sets, get a feel for their rotations, understand how this group of guys mesh, see where I might fit,” he added.
Recently, in an Instagram post, Williams stated that he pondered about retirement, but realised there is still “plenty left in my tank.” He wrote in the caption, “… so I thought about retiring yesterday. You give so much to an organization and you wake up and boom, it’s no more.”
He added, “Then in true clipper nation fashion I was reminded that my talent and contribution was appreciated and it made me reflect on what’s to come. There’s plenty left in my tank and I’m privileged to continue my career in my backyard. LA, thank you. Love you. Appreciate you. Great times and memories!!!”
