After 17 seasons in the NBA, former LA Clippers guard Lou Williams announced his retirement.
https://t.co/YLp3SyIPUm 🤝🏾. Much love. And thank you
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) June 18, 2023
The ultra-swaggy, bucket-getting veteran played for the LA Clippers from 2017 to 2021 and five other teams in his career. As a Clipper, he won the hearts of the fans in what else would have been a humdrum, starless few years — he averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 assists in his four seasons in LA.
The off-the-bench scorer, more importantly, was the leading light for the Clippers’ gritty and feisty culture. Thanks to his offensive production, the Clippers took the star-studded Golden State Warriors to six games in the first round of the 2019 Playoffs. Williams’ 36 points in game two helped the Clippers complete a historic 31-point comeback.
https://twitter.com/mvpke11e/status/1670496998238359553
This new era of Clippers basketball eventually attracted Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the organization, as the team made big strides toward their championship aspirations. As Williams’ production started to diminish, however, he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks for Rajon Rondo.
Lou Williams made the most of his time with the LA Clippers
During his time with the LA Clippers, Lou Williams’ impact off the bench earned him two NBA Sixth Man of the Year awards in consecutive years — he finished his career with three of these trophies. In the 2019-20 season, his playmaking and leadership helped his teammate Montrezl Harrell win the award (Williams was one of three nominees for the honor).
While three such pieces of hardware attest to his continued success as a lethal scoring weapon off the bench, a different record best encapsulates the shot-maker’s brilliance: 13,396 bench points.
After 1,001 appearances out of the starting lineup, the ‘Underground GOAT’ holds the current record for most points off the bench, 2,117 points ahead of former Clipper Jamal Crawford.
Though we will no longer see Williams suiting up to play on the hardwood, his legacy will forever live on in Clipper land.