Monty Williams facts for kids
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Williams at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | October 8, 1971 Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S. |
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| High school | Potomac (Oxon Hill, Maryland) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Notre Dame (1989–1994) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the New York Knicks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1994–2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | TMI Episcopal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As head coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 2,884 (6.3 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,296 (2.8 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 544 (1.2 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Tavares Montgomery Williams (born October 8, 1971) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the boys' basketball team at TMI Episcopal. Before this, he was the head coach for the Detroit Pistons. Williams played for five different teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1994 to 2003. He has also worked as an assistant coach and a head coach in the NBA.
Williams was the head coach for the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans from 2010 to 2015. He also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. national team. In May 2019, Williams became the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. In 2021, he led the Suns to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. The next year, in 2022, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year. The Suns also set a team record with 64 wins that season. After leaving Phoenix in 2023, Williams coached the Pistons for one year.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Williams was born on October 8, 1971, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He went to Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland. There, he was a standout basketball player.
College Career at Notre Dame
Williams played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was a Small forward who stood 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall. In his final year, he averaged 22.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Even with a heart condition that kept him from playing for two seasons, he was still a top pick. The New York Knicks chose him in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft. He was the 24th player picked overall.
Playing in the NBA
Monty Williams played in the NBA for nine seasons, from 1994 to 2003.
New York Knicks (1994–1996)
Williams started his NBA career with the New York Knicks. He played for them from 1994 to 1996.
San Antonio Spurs (1996–1998)
In 1996, Williams was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. He played for the Spurs until 1998.
Denver Nuggets (1999)
Williams signed with the Denver Nuggets in 1999. However, he was released from the team within a month.
Orlando Magic (1999–2002)
The Orlando Magic then picked up Williams. He played for the Magic until 2002.
Philadelphia 76ers (2002–2003)
Williams joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2002. In 2003, he was briefly re-acquired by the Orlando Magic but was waived soon after. This marked the end of his playing career. He played in 456 NBA games, scoring a total of 2,884 points. He averaged 6.3 points per game. He had to retire in 2003 because of ongoing knee problems.
Coaching Career Highlights
After his playing career, Monty Williams moved into coaching.
San Antonio Spurs (2005)
In 2005, Williams worked as an intern with the coaching staff for the San Antonio Spurs. He was part of the team that won an NBA championship that year.
Portland Trail Blazers (2005–2010)
Later in 2005, Williams became an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He worked under head coach Nate McMillan.
New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans (2010–2015)
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On June 7, 2010, Williams became the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets. At 38 years old, he was the youngest head coach in the NBA at that time. In his first season, the Hornets finished with a 46–36 record and made the playoffs. In 2012, he signed a four-year contract extension. The team later changed its name to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Williams also became an assistant coach for the U.S. national team in 2013. He helped coach the team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The Pelicans finished the 2014–15 season with a 45–37 record. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. Williams left the Pelicans in May 2015 after five seasons. His record as head coach was 173 wins and 221 losses in the regular season.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2015–2016)
In June 2015, Williams became the associate head coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He left the Thunder in June 2016.
Philadelphia 76ers (2018–2019)
In June 2018, Williams joined the Philadelphia 76ers as the lead assistant coach. This was his first coaching job in two years.
Phoenix Suns (2019–2023)
On May 3, 2019, the Phoenix Suns hired Williams as their head coach. He signed a five-year deal. In his first season, the Suns had a 26–39 record before the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the season restarted, Williams led the Suns to an impressive 8–0 record in the 2020 NBA Bubble. This improved their overall record to 34–39, but they did not make the playoffs.
In November 2020, Williams was reunited with star player Chris Paul. Williams had coached Paul before with the New Orleans Hornets. After the 2020–21 NBA season, Williams was named NBCA Coach of the Year. He also finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year voting. The Suns finished the season with a 51–21 record, winning their division. Williams led the Suns to victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in the playoffs. He then coached them to win the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. This sent the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. It was also Williams' first time coaching in the NBA Finals. The Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
In January 2022, Williams was chosen to be the Western Conference head coach for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. This was because the Suns had the best record in the NBA at 40–9. The Suns were the first team to make the playoffs that season. They finished with a franchise record of 64 wins and 18 losses. Williams won his second straight NBCA Coach of the Year award. He was also named the 2021–22 season NBA Coach of the Year. However, in the playoffs, the Suns lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals.
In July 2022, Williams signed a new contract extension with the Suns. On May 13, 2023, the Suns fired Williams after they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs.
Detroit Pistons (2023–2024)
On June 2, 2023, Williams became the head coach for the Detroit Pistons. In his first year, the team had a difficult season. They lost 28 games in a row, which was the longest losing streak in one season in NBA history. On June 19, 2024, Williams was fired after one season. The Pistons had the worst record in the league that year, with 14 wins and 68 losses.
TMI Episcopal (2024–Present)
On October 20, 2024, Williams accepted a new coaching role. He became the boys' basketball head coach at TMI Episcopal in San Antonio, Texas. He will coach his sons, Elijah and Micah, there.
Executive Career
San Antonio Spurs (2016–2017)
In 2016, Williams became the vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs. In 2017, he received the Sager Strong Award at the first NBA Awards show.
Personal Life
Monty Williams is a Christian. He has five children with his first wife, Ingrid. Ingrid passed away in 2016 due to injuries from a car accident. Williams married his second wife, Lisa Keeth, in 2017.
Career Playing Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | |
NBA 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 |
| Detroit | 2023–24 | 82 | 14 | 68 | .171 | 5th in Central | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Career | 785 | 381 | 404 | .485 | 56 | 29 | 27 | .518 | |||
See also
In Spanish: Monty Williams para niños
