toronto raptors

Former Toronto Raptors player says team dumped him over 'lifestyle'

Lou Williams emerged as a fan favourite during his short stint with the Toronto Raptors.

In the 2014-15 season, Williams averaged 15.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 80 games for the Raptors, and won his first of three Sixth Man of the Year awards.

But after just one year with the franchise, Williams was told "thanks, but no thanks" as he hit free agency.

Williams was known for a bit of an eccentric off-court lifestyle, including dating multiple women at the same time, which he later confirmed in a 2021 interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks.

And despite being an official team ambassador, Drake's reference to Williams in the song "6 man" might have tanked the team's shot at re-signing him.

"Boomin' out in South Gwinnett like Lou Will'/6 man like Lou Will', two girls and they get along like I'm (Lou)/Like I'm Lou Will', I just got the new deal," Drake rapped in the hit song released off the 2015 album If You're Reading This It's Too Late, which came out in February during Williams' stint in Toronto.

According to Williams, the Raptors weren't exactly the biggest fans of that.

In a recent episode of the Underground Lounge podcast that Williams co-hosts, the former NBA journeyman told his ex-Raptors teammate DeMar DeRozan that he feels Toronto's management wasn't a fan of his choices off the court.

"A thousand percent," Williams said of whether Drake's mention had some pull for why he wasn't signed again.

"They didn't re-sign me back to Toronto because of my lifestyle," Williams explained. "They said I was a bad influence and they just said my vibe wasn't right for what they was building out here."

Williams went on to sign a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lead photo by

Tom Szczerbowski/USA TODAY Sports


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports & Play

Toronto founders of Boardball take their pitch to Dragons' Den

Streamer Adin Ross calls out Canada's Wonderland saying park owes him a refund

People in Ontario have a lot to say about Doug Ford wanting to Las Vegas-ify Niagara Falls

Toronto Blue Jays fan pops the question with adorable baseball card proposal

There are doubts soccer superstar Lionel Messi will play this weekend in Toronto

Doug Ford wants to turn Ontario's Niagara Falls into the next Las Vegas

Win tickets to see the Toronto Raptors vs. Boston Celtics

Vince Carter brought to tears with Toronto Raptors jersey retirement news