"They didn't like my extracurriculars" - Jason Williams explains why he got dismissed from Florida after just 20 games

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Jason Williams wasn’t necessarily a superstar in the NBA. Still, he enjoyed a successful career in the league, with his flashy style of play helping him get remembered by fans everywhere. His college career, though, was a bit more rocky.

Williams started off his college journey with Marshall before transferring to Florida, where he had to sit out a year before playing. Jason was great when he took the floor, but some off-court behavior led to J-Will getting dismissed from the team after playing in just 20 games.

Williams on why he was dismissed from Florida

Jason was initially set to play college basketball at Providence, but once their head coach, Rick Barnes, left for Clemson, he quickly pivoted to Marshall. After that season, Williams’ Thundering Herd head coach, Billy Donovan, left for Florida, so he followed him down south.

Per transfer rules, J-Will had to sit out a season before he could play again. “White Chocolate” starred when he eventually returned to the court, but he lasted only 20 games with the team before the school ultimately decided they didn’t like his “extracurricular” activities.

“They didn’t like my extracurriculars,” Jason Williams said on The OGs. “I was cool with the football boys, they had the same extracurriculars, but they ain’t never get in trouble, but I’m thinking they was winning National Championships this year. Winning cures everything, it cures it all.”

Williams’ off-court hobbies were a problem

The extracurricular activities Jason mentions involve his use of marijuana. Prior to his dismissal, Williams had already been suspended twice for getting caught smoking, and the third infraction was enough for the team to part ways with the talented young guard.

It’s a shame J-Will didn’t get to finish his college career because the numbers he put up in his limited time with the team were very good (17.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 3 RPG, 44.1 FG%). Unfortunately, his off-the-court behavior caught up to him.

Despite his dismissal, Williams still decided to declare for the 1998 NBA Draft, where he was selected as the seventh overall pick by the Sacramento Kings. Overcoming this mark isn’t something many guys can do, but it didn’t really affect Jason’s NBA hopes.

It’s fair to wonder whether or not Williams hurt himself by cutting his college career short with this dismissal. He still had a solid journey in the NBA, but could it have been better if he steered clear of his so-called extracurriculars? For better or worse, we likely will never know.