Jason Williams is three seasons into his NBA career now, no longer the shy, unschooled Kings rookie with the outrageous skills. He is also 25 years old.
He should know better.
He should know, say, when to keep quiet.
Yet based on a Feb. 28 incident in Oakland's New Arena -- and this is only the latest in an ongoing series of verbal battles -- Williams seems to have learned very little. The Kings are beginning to wonder if he has learned anything.
"This kid, if he continues to sow the seeds of his destruction ... some are going to sprout," an irritated Geoff Petrie said Friday evening. "And while we aren't exactly sure who said what, and we know that fan behavior often crosses the line, we know something happened, and whatever it was is not acceptable."
Though the accounts vary somewhat, this much is known: In the midst of the Kings' victory that night over Golden State, Williams began sparring with Michael Ching, a longtime Warriors season-ticket holder who was seated with friends behind the visitors' bench. Claiming that Ching called him a "skinhead" and "racist" -- accusations the Warriors fan vehemently denies -- 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."
In a letter sent to NBA Commissioner David Stern, as well as in conversations with Kings owner Joe Maloof and members of the Bay Area media, Ching, whose account was verified by fans Earl Butler and Duke Tsai in Thursday's Oakland Tribune, said Williams then pretended to be aiming a rifle at them and emitting a "rat-a-tat-tat" sound.
"Just like Pearl Harbor," he is said to have added.
On Tuesday, the NBA fined Williams $15,000. On Wednesday, Ching and his companions went public. On Friday, questions remained, namely: What are the Kings to do about their volatile young star? Fine him? Been there, done that. Trade him? Too late, at least until the offseason.
Suspend him?
According to sources, the Kings were fully prepared to do exactly that. To do the right thing. But the league's internal investigation failed to provide enough evidence to warrant the more severe penalty (in other words, a suspension might have prodded the Players Association into action), so the NBA's recourse was reduced to levying a fine.
Too bad. The Kings' instincts were right on. Given Williams' verbal history, a fine alone is insufficient; at the very least he should have been fined and forced to meet with an anger management therapist.
Who cares if he was provoked?
Who cares if he only cursed -- as Williams contends -- and failed to utter a single racial slur?
Who cares anymore?
Williams has squandered any right to the benefit of the doubt. For the better part of three seasons, he has responded, even to the mildest, often playful criticism, with profane remarks and obscene gestures. We've all heard them. We've all seen them. Nor does he discriminate; he has been rude to adults and youngsters alike, having already incurred a $10,000 fine for profane comments Nov. 29 in San Antonio.
Now, finally, comes the fallout.
Warriors and Kings fans are threatening to cancel season tickets. Bay Area television stations and newspaper reporters are clamoring for seats to the Warriors' next home game, in pursuit of an interview with Ching and his cohorts. Petrie is steamed. Kings owner Joe Maloof is overworked, frantically making apologetic phone calls and seeking closure to the matter.
"We're not going to tolerate this from anybody," said Maloof, while on business in Las Vegas. "When the team gets back in town, Geoff, Gavin (Maloof) and I are going to sit down with Jason and tell him what we expect. You want to support your players, but you can't defend a situation like this. If it happens again, we'll take very severe action."
Meantime, there is something Williams can do.
He can open his mouth again. He can be a big boy. He can prove that he has, in fact, learned something.
He can say he's sorry.
