Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams has been placed on a 10-day quarantine by the NBA for reportedly visiting a strip club in Atlanta. The league made the announcement on Sunday, three days after rapper Jack Harlow photographed Williams at an Atlanta strip club. The photo, which has now been deleted, shows Williams holding a drink and wearing an NBA mask given out at the NBA’s bubble in Orlando.
According to ESPN, Williams was interviewed by NBA security about his whereabouts while being away from campus. Williams told them he went to the Magic City strip club in Atlanta for a short time on Thursday, but there were no dancers while he was there. The 33-year old NBA veteran then told investigators he attended a viewing for Paul G. Williams, which ended around 6 p.m. ET. The then went to Magic City for dinner. Williams tweeted out a photo of Paul Williams on Friday, and it was reported that Paul Williams was the father of a close family friend. On Twitter, Williams did comment on the situation by writing: “Ask any of my teammates what’s my favorite restaurant in Atlanta is. Ain’t nobody partying. Chill out lol.”
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Clippers head coach Doc Rivers was asked about Williams leaving Orlando and the picture of him at Magic City. “I can’t share much with his journey. I wasn’t on that journey with him,” Rivers said before the Clippers’ scrimmage Saturday. “But he’s back here, I can tell you that much. You know, obviously those pictures got out, and that’s something that we obviously didn’t enjoy seeing or like.” Per NBA policy, Williams was tested for the coronavirus each day he was away from campus. Players who are away from campus and return are subject to a four-day quarantine. However, it could be extended to 10 days if recommended by the NBA’s infectious disease specialists.
With Williams being in quarantine for 10 days, this means the Clippers will be without one of their top scorers for the beginning of the team’s restart. The team is set to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at The Arena in Orlando, Florida, and looking to make a big run before the playoffs start. Williams joined the Clippers in 2017 and won Sixth Man of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
