(This story was published in 2001).
Williams, Sacramento Kings guard, was fined $15,000 in March for making ethnic and gay slurs at a Golden State Warriors’ fan during a Feb. 28 game.
The player said the fan, Michael Ching, called him a “skinhead” and “racist,” charges Ching denied. According to the Sacramento Bee, the third-year point guard allegedly responded with the following: “Are you a fag?” “Are you gay?” “Do you remember the Vietnam War? I’ll kill y’all just like that.” Williams then pretended to be aiming a rifle and emitting a “rat-a-tat-tat” sound, according to witnesses. “Just like Pearl Harbor,” he is said to have added.
This was the second time this season Williams has been fined for verbally lashing at fans. Kings’ management said they won’t tolerate any more outbursts by Williams.
While Williams apologized for his specific anti-Asian remarks, he couldn’t bring himself to using the word “gay.”
“I did not intend any disrespect to the Asian community or any other community,” Williams said in a written statement. “I was wrong and I apologize.”
In a weird coincidence, all three anti-gay outbursts occurred on the 28th of a month–Iverson (Jan. 28), Williams (Feb. 28) and Tavarez (April 28).