Former University of Maryland standout Jordan Williams might have inadvertently thrown Maryland alum and ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt under the Terrapin school bus on Tuesday, telling The Washington Post following a pre-draft workout for the Wizards that Van Pelt was “a big factor in helping me make my decision” to go pro.
Maryland fans would undoubtedly love to hear more.
“Just giving me feedback, what he thought about it. Just trying to make me make the right decision. He did a great job, and I give him a lot of credit for going out of his way. He’s a really busy guy, so for him to go out of his way to do that is unbelievable.”
Williams, who left the Maryland program after two years, told the paper he met Van Pelt during his freshman year when the SportsCenter anchor and ESPN Radio host spoke to the team at a practice prior to a game versus Duke.
“A great guy; a wonderful person,” Williams said. “Always trying to reach his hand out and help, even when he doesn’t have to. He’s always using his knowledge and using who he knows to help me out.”
It may indeed have been nice for Van Pelt to share some worldly wisdom and perhaps give Williams some feedback, but included in that sagacity should probably have been the words, “Now if anyone asks if we spoke, please don’t throw me under the wheels of a large, speeding vehicle.”
ESPN told the WaPo that they or Van Pelt would have a response later in the day.