Jay Williams: Bulls teammates smoked marijuana before games

Jay Williams said his former Chicago Bulls teammates routinely smoked marijuana before games. (Victor Baldizon, Getty Images)

Former Chicago Bulls guard and current ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams told the New York Times that his Chicago Bulls teammates smoked marijuana before games during his lone NBA season in 2002-2003.

The quote, buried in a lengthy profile on the player and his return from the devastating motorcycle accident that ended his career in 2003 ran as such:

“I didn’t know how to handle it at first,” Williams said. “I didn’t know how to be around it. Guys were on the bench, trying to kick it to girls in the stands, having ball boys run over. I mean, some guys were high.”

Asked to clarify, Williams said: “There were guys smoking weed before games. Guys asking in the middle of the game, ‘Do you smell popcorn?’ ”

He noticed the nervous laughter around the kitchen table. “You think I’m playing,” Williams said.