Sixers’ guard Lou Williams reputation precedes him with would-be Manayunk robber

Sixers guard Lou Williams had a tense off-the-court moment Christmas Eve when an armed man tried to rob him in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia.

Williams was in his car when the offender knocked on his window wielding a gun, according to the Daily News. After recognizing the Sixer standout, however, the man halted and thanked Williams for his work in the community. Williams then handed the gunman some money to cover a fast-food meal.

“Thankfully, both guys used very clear judgment,” said Sixers spokesman Michael Preston of Williams and the Manayunk robber. “This was a potentially tragic situation.”

Preston said Williams and Coach Doug Collins addressed the attempted robbery while in Portland, Ore. for the team’s season opener Monday night and would not be addressing the incident beyond that.

“I was debating whether to pull off or help the guy,” Williams said. “The gun was already out. He did all the talking and we came up with a solution before I could really say much. I treated him to McDonald’s.”

Collins commended Williams for his ability to diffuse a potentially violent situation.

“It could have been tragic to Lou. I’ve never been in that situation, but I can only imagine Lou’s heart rate was probably racing at an all-time high,” Collins said. “But, it was nice that he could sort of cool the situation down a little bit. I’m proud of Lou.”

Williams did not file a police report with the city’s 5th Police District, which includes Manayunk.