Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner Lou Williams officially announced his retirement from the league on Sunday via a video narrated by his daughter that he released on social media. Williams didn't play during the 2022-23 season, and last appeared in a game as a member of the Atlanta Hawks in April of 2022. He spent 17 seasons in the NBA and played for six different teams.
Here's his video announcement:
Williams was drafted by the 76ers in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft, and he played for Philadelphia from 2005 to 2012. He then went on to spend time with the Atlanta Hawks (twice), Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers over the course of his career.
Williams was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2015, 2018 and 2019. His three wins in the category are tied with Jamal Crawford for most in league history. Additionally, Williams is the NBA's all-time leader in points scored off of the bench (13,396) and games played off of the bench.
After Williams offically announced his retirement, the Hawks took to Twitter to wish him well.
Salute to an Atlanta legend.
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 18, 2023
Nothing but love from us & our city. Enjoy retirement, Lou Will! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VLl0EnL7eJ
It's not every day that a player drafted in the middle of the second round is able to build a career that keeps him in the NBA for nearly two decades, but that's exactly what Williams was able to do. He was one of the best scorers off of the bench that the league has ever seen, and as a result he was able to make a positive impact on all six of the franchises he played with.
