Williams, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, had been allowed to leave the NBA’s ‘bubble’ in Orlando last month to return to Georgia to attend the wake of a friend’s father.
Under NBA rules, Williams was then due to observe a four-day quarantine period upon his return to Florida, yet that was extended to 10 days — a period encompassing the Clippers’ first two games — after it emerged he also took a trip to the gentlemen’s club, Magic City, in Atlanta.
The 33-year-old is a frequent visitor to Magic City — a place also renowned for its chicken wings — describing it as his “favorite restaurant” in Atlanta, though he admitted his latest visit was an ill-judged one.
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“In hindsight, I think as far as the public safety issue goes, I probably could have made a better-quality decision,” he told reporters after the Clippers’ 117-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns. “I was a little naive in that aspect. I went somewhere after a viewing of somebody I considered a mentor, somebody I looked up to, first black man I seen with legal money in my life.
“It’s been documented how much I talk about [Magic City], how much I eat there. I just did something that was routine for me. I frequent that place at that time of day, 5:30, 6 in the afternoon.
“At the time, I thought I was making a responsible decision. After looking back on it, with everything going on in the world, the pandemic, maybe it wasn’t the best-quality decision. I chalk it up as that, take my L and keep moving.”
Williams, who had seven points, six assists and six rebounds against the Suns, was one of three Clippers players granted a leave of absence by the NBA for personal reasons.
Patrick Beverley did not miss any games after observing a four-day quarantine period but Montrezl Harrell is yet to return as he mourns his grandmother’s death.
“It’s extremely difficult, man,” Williams added. “I truly was grieving two weeks ago. I was really going through something. I was thrown under the bus, you know what I’m saying?
“All the attention turned to Magic City because it’s a gentlemen’s club. I feel like if I was at a steakhouse or Hooters or whatever, it wouldn’t be half the story.”
