In a recent interview, Detroit Lions' Jamaal Williams defendedPokemonand its fanbase in hilarious fashion after a reporter mispronounced it. Williams has been known for his love of all things nerdy, including anime and video games. He even appears in several TikTok videos on the Detroit Lions' page wearingiconic clothes like the Akatsuki jacket fromNaruto, and now he’s shown that he’s willing to stand up for the franchises that he likes. On the one hand, mispronouncingPokemonseems to be a fairly common mistake, but on the other hand, it’s enough of a cultural phenomenon that such misconceptions should be long gone by now.
It’s certainly no surprise seeing this kind of thing from Williams, but it’s refreshing to see a big name in the NFL openly admit and share his love for titles likePokemonsince it breaks some of the stereotypical boundaries between sports players and gamers. The whole interaction is quite funny to watch, and it’s clear just how passionate he is about the franchise.
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The interview can be found on the TikTok accounts for both the Detroit Lions and NFL on CBS, and has garnered very positive reactions from fans for the most part. The clip starts with Williams telling the interviewer that he wants to go home and playPokemon, then the interviewer makes his first mistake. In response to Williams' comment, the interviewer repeats his statement as a question, saying “go home and play Pokeman?” Not missing a beat, Williams corrects the reporter, saying “Pokemon, don’t do that. you’re able to’t disrespectPokemonlike that.” The reporter doesn’t do himself any favors for the remainder of the short clip as he tries to salvage the situation by telling Williams he gotPokemoncards for his nephew. Williams then claps back by telling the reporter that the cards he got his nephew “must have sucked.” If he doesn’t know how to pronounce Pokemon, it’s doubtful that he got his nephewthe bestPokemoncards available.
As if the video wasn’t funny enough, the lore is expanded by the comments. Fans have plenty to ask Williams about his love forPokemon, and the Detroit Lions' TikTok account responds to many of the questions. For example, Williams shares through the comments that heplaysPokemon Scarletinstead ofPokemon Violet,and even gives one player advice on whichPokemongame they should nuzlocke next (he suggestedPokemon Silver).
Williams' love forPokemoncertainly isn’t going anywhere, and the player seems unafraid to be himself when it comes to things like this. Fans wanting to learn more about Williams should check out the Detroit Lions' TikTok, as he is on the page fairly frequently talking aboutPokemon, anime, and the like. Even in the video above, Williams can be seen wearing aVillage of the Hidden Sand headband.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available now on Switch.
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