Veteran guard Courtney Williams suddenly became the center of controversy after a video of her and Atlanta Dream teammate Crystal Bradford surfaced on the internet. In a video posted on Twitter, Williams and Bradford were featured engaging in a brawl with a group of women outside a club.
Though the incident took place five months ago, Williams and Bradford’s participation in the fistfight didn’t sit well with the Dream. After the video went viral, the Dream have decided to part ways with Williams and Bradford.
Dream Release Courtney Williams & Crystal Bradford
On Monday, the Dream released a statement to Insider about the incident involving Williams and Bradford.
"The behavior in the video is unacceptable and does not align with our values as an organization," the Dream said. "We are taking this matter very seriously and working with the league to gather more information and determine next steps."
The following day, Marcus Crenshaw, the agent of Williams and Bradford, revealed that the Dream informed him that they would no longer bring his two clients back next season.
Marcus Crenshaw Says Dream Knew About Incident Before Video Surfaced
Crenshaw isn’t in any way tolerating his clients’ behavior, but he seems puzzled why it took so long for the Dream to give Williams and Bradford their punishments. Speaking on Instagram Live with Girls Talk Sports TV, Crenshaw revealed that the Dream knew about the brawl involving Williams and Bradford "months ago."
Despite having knowledge of the incident, the Dream didn’t do anything regarding the issue. Crenshaw thinks that the Dream only decided to take action because they felt embarrassed after the video went viral.
Dream Owner Responds To Marcus Crenshaw’s Allegation
Upon hearing Crenshaw’s statement, Dream co-owner Renee Montgomery decided to break her silence regarding the controversial video involving Williams and Bradford. In an interview with ESPN Montgomery confirmed that they knew about the brawl the same month that it happened.
However, during that time, the video that was presented to them was only 10 to 15 seconds long with "no context." Montgomery said that they decided not to give them disciplinary actions after Williams and Bradford assured then-Dream coach Mike Petersen that what they did was only "self defense."
Courtney Williams Apologizes On Twitter
On her official Twitter account, Williams asked for forgiveness for her participation in the brawl that happened in May.
"I want to sincerely apologize for the video posted yesterday," the tweet reads. "I would never want to represent myself or the organization in a negative way. I’m learning everyday so I ask for grace as I’m growing."
Williams also tried to air her side of the story on Youtube with her girlfriend, Tay, but their video was taken down on Sunday night.
