Jason Williams seems to have fully disassociated himself from his alma mater.
The father of Texas Tech second baseman and former Florida softball player Mia Williams, and former Florida basketball star himself, appeared on Barstool Sports’ Wake Up Barstool show Tuesday morning, May 26, on FS1.
Host Dan Katz, known as “Big Cat,” began to question Williams and called him a “Gator legend.” Williams interrupted and said “was” referring to his status.
Katz then asked if Williams would separate the basketball and softball programs at UF, and he responded, “the only time I’ll ever step foot on Gainesville’s campus is if my daughter plays softball there again.”
Williams was then asked what if his youngest daughter Nina – who is a prominent volleyball player in the Orlando area – is recruited by UF. He said, “whatever NIL money she got from the University of Florida, I’d ask you to double it, so she can stay the hell away from there, bro.”
A Gator basketball player during the 1997-98 season and NBA champion, the Windemere resident has been a regular fixture at Florida basketball games in recent years.
The interview Tuesday contrasts with the video Williams released Monday on the “Hoopin’ N Hollerin’” social media page – a Barstool podcast Williams co-hosts.
In the video, Williams acknowledged he’s a “Florida Gator,” and that he wouldn’t be where he is today without Florida.
He also admitted his behavior during Sunday’s softball game between the Gators and Red Raiders crossed the line, while saying the same for UF fans. Williams was seen mocking the Florida dugout and head coach Tim Walton.
After the game, Jason Williams told the Gainesville Sun that Walton got ejected in the fifth inning to avoid shaking hands with Mia. He then came onto the field of Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and led the team in a pep talk.
Two days earlier, Jason Williams was briefly removed from the game by UFPD but was allowed back in, and another fan, who Williams said hit his daughter with an object, was removed.
Mia Williams, meanwhile, had an excellent weekend with two home runs and five RBIs despite being hit by a pitch five times in three games to send TTU to the Women’s College World Series.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Will Jason Williams ever return to campus after Florida-Texas Tech drama? What he said
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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