Monty Williams
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![]() Williams at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S. | October 8, 1971||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
High school | Potomac (Oxon Hill, Maryland) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College | Notre Dame (1989–1994) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 1994: 1st round, 24th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected by the New York Knicks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1994–2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Small forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 2, 41, 3, 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career | 2005–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1994–1996 | New York Knicks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1996–1998 | San Antonio Spurs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1999 | Denver Nuggets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1999–2002 | Orlando Magic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2002–2003 | Philadelphia 76ers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005–2010 | Portland Trail Blazers (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2015 | New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–2016 | Oklahoma City Thunder (associate HC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2019–2023 | Phoenix Suns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As head coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career NBA statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Points | 2,884 (6.3 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rebounds | 1,296 (2.8 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assists | 544 (1.2 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Tavares Montgomery Williams (born October 8, 1971) is an American professional basketball coach, executive and former player. He most recently was the head coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Williams played for five NBA teams during a playing career that spanned from 1994 to 2003. His NBA coaching career has included stints as an assistant coach, associate head coach, and head coach.
Williams was the head coach for the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans from 2010 until 2015. He served as an assistant coach with the United States national team under Mike Krzyzewski, and he has worked as a vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs. In May 2019, Williams was hired as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. In 2021, he led the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year the following year in 2022, when the Suns finished the regular season with a franchise record of 64 wins.
On May 31, 2023, ESPN reported that Williams had agreed in principle to a six-year, $78.5 million coaching contract with the Detroit Pistons. There has been no official confirmation of the deal.
Playing career
As a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) small forward from the University of Notre Dame, Williams was an honorable mention All-American, averaging 22.4 points and 8.4 rebounds during his senior season.[1] Williams was an NBA first-round pick despite a pre-existing heart condition that kept him out for two seasons at Notre Dame.[2][3] He was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round (24th overall) of the 1994 NBA draft.[4][5]
Williams played in nine NBA seasons from 1994 to 2003.[6] He played for the Knicks until 1996, when he was traded alongside Charles Smith to the San Antonio Spurs for Brad Lohaus, J.R. Reid and a future first round pick that became John Wallace. In 1999, he signed with the Denver Nuggets but was released within a month. The Orlando Magic claimed Williams off waivers and he stayed with the team until 2002, when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. In 2003, Williams was re-acquired by the Orlando Magic in a trade sending a conditional pick swap to Orlando. He was waived by the Magic three days later, effectively ending his basketball career. In his NBA career, Williams played in 456 games, scored a total of 2,884 points and averaged 6.3 points per game.[1] Chronic knee problems forced him into retirement in 2003.[7][8]
Coaching career
In spring 2005, Williams won an NBA championship as a coaching staff intern with the San Antonio Spurs. In fall 2005, Williams was hired by new head coach Nate McMillan as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers.[9]
On June 29, 2015, Williams became the associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.[10] On June 1, 2016, it was announced that Williams would not return with the Thunder.[11]
On June 4, 2018, Brett Brown announced that Williams would join his staff in Philadelphia as the lead assistant coach, his first coaching job in two seasons.[12]
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans
On June 7, 2010, Williams was offered a three-year contract to be the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.[13] At the date of hiring, Williams became the youngest head coach in the NBA at 38 years old.[1] In his first season with the Hornets, the team finished with a 46–36 record and made the playoffs.[14] On August 18, 2012, Williams accepted a four-year contract extension from the Hornets (later renamed as the Pelicans).[15] On June 9, 2013, Williams accepted an assistant coach role with the U.S. national team, along with Jim Boeheim and Tom Thibodeau, for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The New Orleans Pelicans finished the 2014–15 season with a 45–37 record before losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. On May 12, 2015, Williams was let go after five seasons as head coach of the Pelicans, compiling a 173–221 regular season record and going 2–8 in the playoffs.[16]
Phoenix Suns
In May 2019, the Phoenix Suns announced they had signed Williams as the team's head coach on a five-year deal.[17][18][19] The Suns compiled a 26–39 record in his first season coaching them before the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Suns were later invited to the 2020 NBA Bubble in order to play eight seeding games, where Williams coached the Suns to an 8–0 record, improving their overall record that season to 34–39. Despite this, the Suns failed to qualify for the play-in tournament to enter the 2020 NBA playoffs.
On November 16, 2020, Williams reunited with star point guard Chris Paul after last coaching him back in 2011 when they were with the New Orleans Hornets.[20] After the conclusion of the 2020–21 season Williams was named NBCA Coach of the Year.[21] He also finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year voting behind Tom Thibodeau.[22] The Suns finished the season with a 51–21 record, clinching the division and the second seed in the Western Conference.[23][24] Williams coached the Suns to a first round series victory over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in six games, and a sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals.[25] Williams then coached the Suns to a Western Conference Finals victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in six games, advancing the Suns to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.[26] This is also the first Finals appearance for Williams in his coaching career.[27] Facing the Milwaukee Bucks, the Suns would lose in six games.[28]
On December 27, 2021, Williams was placed in the Suns COVID-19 protocol. On January 30, 2022, Williams was named as the Western Conference head coach for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as a result of his team's NBA-best record at a league-best 40–9 record this season.[29] Williams and the Suns were the first team to clinch a playoff berth on the season with a 53–13 record.[30] The Suns finished the season with franchise record for wins, compiling 64 wins to 18 losses. Williams was selected for his second consecutive NBCA Coach of the Year award.[31] On March 9, Williams was named the 2021–22 season NBA Coach of the Year leading the Suns to a franchise record in wins at 64–18 and the best record in the league after finishing second the year prior in the voting.[32]
On May 13, 2023, the Suns fired Williams.[33]
Detroit Pistons
On May 31, 2023, ESPN reported that Williams had agreed in principle to a six-year, $78.5 million coaching contract with the Detroit Pistons. The compensation involved would make it the largest coaching contract in NBA history, but as of June 1, 2023[update], there has been no official confirmation.[34]
Executive career
In 2016, Williams became the vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs.[35] On June 26, 2017, while serving as vice president for the Spurs, Williams was selected as the winner of the Sager Strong Award during the first NBA Awards show.[36][37]
Personal life
On February 10, 2016, Williams' wife, Ingrid, died from injuries sustained from a car crash in Oklahoma City after her car was struck head-on by a vehicle that crossed lanes after losing control. The couple had five children together.[38]
Williams is a Christian.[39][40]
Career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Source[41]
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994–95 | New York | 41 | 23 | 12.3 | .451 | .000 | .447 | 2.4 | 1.2 | .5 | .1 | 3.3 |
1995–96 | New York | 14 | 0 | 4.4 | .318 | – | .625 | 1.2 | .3 | .1 | .0 | 1.4 |
1995–96 | San Antonio | 17 | 0 | 7.2 | .435 | .000 | .750 | 1.4 | .2 | .2 | .1 | 2.9 |
1996–97 | San Antonio | 65 | 26 | 20.7 | .509 | .000 | .645 | 3.2 | 1.4 | .8 | .8 | 9.0 |
1997–98 | San Antonio | 72 | 16 | 18.3 | .448 | .500 | .670 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .5 | .3 | 6.3 |
1998–99 | Denver | 1 | 0 | 6.0 | .000 | – | .500 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
1999–2000 | Orlando | 75 | 23 | 20.0 | .489 | .400 | .741 | 3.3 | 1.4 | .6 | .2 | 8.7 |
2000–01 | Orlando | 82 | 0 | 14.8 | .447 | .077 | .639 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .4 | .2 | 5.0 |
2001–02 | Orlando | 68 | 19 | 18.9 | .547 | .000 | .657 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .7 | .3 | 7.1 |
2002–03 | Philadelphia | 21 | 2 | 13.1 | .425 | .000 | .750 | 2.1 | 1.2 | .6 | .2 | 4.4 |
Career | 456 | 109 | 16.7 | .481 | .111 | .665 | 2.8 | 1.2 | .6 | .3 | 6.3 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | New York | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.000 | – | – | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 4.0 |
1996 | San Antonio | 7 | 0 | 4.1 | .222 | – | .500 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
1998 | San Antonio | 5 | 0 | 5.6 | .625 | – | .667 | 1.2 | .2 | .0 | .0 | 2.4 |
2001 | Orlando | 3 | 0 | 4.7 | .750 | – | .333 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .7 | 2.3 |
2002 | Orlando | 4 | 3 | 23.3 | .519 | .000 | .600 | 5.5 | 2.3 | .8 | .0 | 8.5 |
2003 | Philadelphia | 10 | 0 | 9.6 | .348 | .000 | .750 | 1.5 | .0 | .2 | .0 | 1.9 |
Career | 30 | 3 | 8.8 | .466 | .000 | .577 | 1.9 | .3 | .2 | .1 | 2.8 |
Head coaching record
Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Orleans | 2010–11 | 82 | 46 | 36 | .561 | 3rd in Southwest | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | Lost in First Round |
New Orleans | 2011–12 | 66 | 21 | 45 | .318 | 5th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
New Orleans | 2012–13 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | 5th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
New Orleans | 2013–14 | 82 | 34 | 48 | .415 | 5th in Southwest | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
New Orleans | 2014–15 | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | 5th in Southwest | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | Lost in First Round |
Phoenix | 2019–20 | 73 | 34 | 39 | .466 | 3rd in Pacific | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
Phoenix | 2020–21 | 72 | 51 | 21 | .708 | 1st in Pacific | 22 | 14 | 8 | .636 | Lost in NBA Finals |
Phoenix | 2021–22 | 82 | 64 | 18 | .780 | 1st in Pacific | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | Lost in Conference Semifinals |
Phoenix | 2022–23 | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | 2nd in Pacific | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | Lost in Conference Semifinals |
Career | 703 | 367 | 336 | .522 | 56 | 29 | 27 | .518 |
References
- ^ a b c "NBA.com Monty Williams". www.NBA.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
- ^ "Monty Williams College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ Smith, Cort (May 3, 2019). "Monty Williams, Suns' New Coach: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
- ^ "Suns Agree to Terms with Monty Williams to Become New Head Coach". Phoenix Suns.
- ^ "New York Knicks NBA Draft History: 1994". May 16, 2019.
- ^ "Thunder assistant Monty Williams' wife killed in car wreck". USA TODAY.
- ^ "MONTY WILLIAMS". November 1, 2010.
- ^ Jan 8, FOX Sports North; ET, 2019 at 12:25p. "Potential candidates to be next Timberwolves head coach". FOX Sports.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Portland Trail Blazers News Headlines". Portland Trail Blazers. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Thunder Announces Coaching Staff". NBA.com. June 29, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ Reid, John (June 1, 2016). "Monty Williams not returning to Thunder as assistant coach". NOLA.com. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
- ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (June 4, 2018). "Monty Williams to return to coaching, become 76ers lead assistant". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ "Blazers assistant Monty Williams is offered head coaching position by New Orleans". The Oregonian. June 4, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ "2010-11 New Orleans Hornets Schedule and Results". Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ "New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams gets four-year contract extension". nola.com. August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
- ^ "Pelicans fire coach Williams after 5 seasons". May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
- ^ "Suns hire 76ers assistant Williams as coach". ESPN. May 3, 2019.
- ^ "Suns agree to terms with Monty Williams to become new head coach". Phoenix Suns. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- ^ Marshall, John (May 4, 2019). "Williams agrees to deal to become Suns coach". NBA.com. The Associated Press. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Phoenix Suns complete trade to acquire Chris Paul from Oklahoma City Thunder". ESPN. November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Suns' Monty Williams receives NBCA Coach of the Year honors". NBA.com. May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "New York's Tom Thibodeau wins 2020-21 NBA Coach of the Year award". NBA.com. June 7, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Suns beat Clippers, clinch first playoff spot in 11 years". ESPN.com. April 28, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ King, Dave (May 23, 2021). "Suns-Lakers Preview, Game One: Could come down to Devin Booker". Bright Side Of The Sun. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Cacciola, Scott (June 4, 2021). "Lakers Eliminated from Playoffs With Game 6 Loss to Suns". The New York Times. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Baer, Jack (June 30, 2021). "NBA playoffs: Chris Paul's 41 points put away Clippers, Suns advance to first NBA Finals since 1993". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Monty Williams". www.basketball-reference.com. June 30, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Emotional Monty Williams visits Bucks' locker room after Finals loss: 'I wanted it so bad'". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ "SUNS COACHING STAFF TO COACH TEAM LEBRON IN 2022 NBA ALL-STAR GAME". Phoenix Suns. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "Phoenix Suns 1st NBA team to clinch 2022 playoff berth after win vs. Heat". Arizona Sports. March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian [@wojespn] (April 12, 2022). "ESPN Sources: The Phoenix Suns' Monty Williams - architect of the NBA's best regular-season team - has been voted the National Basketball Coaches Association's Coach of the Year for a second consecutive time:" (Tweet). Retrieved May 11, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Monty Williams of Phoenix Suns wins 2021-22 Coach of the Year award". www.nba.com. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- ^ "Phoenix Suns dismiss head coach Monty Williams". NBA.com. May 13, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ "Sources: Williams gets $78.5M deal to coach DET". ESPN.com. June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Spurs hire ex-OKC assistant Williams as VP". ESPN.com. September 16, 2016.
- ^ "Monty Williams receives inaugural Craig Sager Strong Award | NBA.com". www.nba.com.
- ^ Diaz, Hector (June 26, 2017). "An emotional Monty Williams accepts the 1st-ever Sager Strong Award". SBNation.com.
- ^ "Ex-Pelicans coach Monty Williams' wife dies in automobile accident". February 2016.
- ^ Rankin, Duane. "Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams delivers medicines, warmth to Paul Westphal's family". The Arizona Republic.
- ^ Evans, Kelley D. (December 9, 2018). "Sixers assistant coach Monty Williams: 'God makes me look much better than I deserve'".
- ^ "Monty Williams". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Monty Williams, Coaching With a Servant's Heart
- 1971 births
- Living people
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople
- African-American basketball coaches
- African-American basketball players
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball coaches from Maryland
- Basketball coaches from Virginia
- Basketball players from Maryland
- Basketball players from Virginia
- Denver Nuggets players
- New Orleans Hornets head coaches
- New Orleans Pelicans head coaches
- New York Knicks draft picks
- New York Knicks players
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball players
- Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coaches
- Orlando Magic players
- Philadelphia 76ers assistant coaches
- Philadelphia 76ers players
- Phoenix Suns head coaches
- Portland Trail Blazers assistant coaches
- San Antonio Spurs executives
- San Antonio Spurs players
- Small forwards
- Sportspeople from Fredericksburg, Virginia