Tavares Montgomery Williams was born on October 8,1971 and is an American professional basketball coach, executive and former player.
27 Facts About Monty Williams
2.
Monty Williams played for five NBA teams during a playing career that spanned from 1994 to 2003.
3.
Monty Williams's NBA coaching career has included stints as an assistant coach, associate head coach, and head coach.
4.
Monty Williams 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.
5.
In May 2019, Monty Williams was hired as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns.
6.
Monty Williams 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.
7.
Monty Williams was an NBA first-round pick despite a pre-existing heart condition that kept him out for two seasons at Notre Dame.
8.
Monty Williams was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft.
9.
Monty Williams played in nine NBA seasons from 1994 to 2003.
10.
Monty Williams played for the Knicks until 1996, when he was traded alongside Charles Smith to the San Antonio Spurs for Brad Lohaus, JR Reid and a future first round pick that became John Wallace.
11.
In 2003, Monty Williams was re-acquired by the Orlando Magic in a trade sending a conditional pick swap to Orlando.
12.
Monty Williams was waived by the Magic three days later, effectively ending his basketball career.
13.
In spring 2005, Monty Williams won an NBA championship as a coaching staff intern with the San Antonio Spurs.
14.
In fall 2005, Monty Williams was hired by new head coach Nate McMillan as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers.
15.
On June 29,2015, Monty Williams became the associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
16.
On June 4,2018, Brett Brown announced that Monty Williams would join his staff in Philadelphia as the lead assistant coach, his first coaching job in two seasons.
17.
On June 7,2010, Monty Williams was offered a three-year contract to be the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.
18.
At the date of hiring, Monty Williams became the youngest head coach in the NBA at 38 years old.
19.
On June 9,2013, Monty Williams accepted an assistant coach role with the US national team, along with Jim Boeheim and Tom Thibodeau, for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
20.
On November 16,2020, Monty Williams reunited with star point guard Chris Paul after last coaching him back in 2011 when they were with the New Orleans Hornets.
21.
Monty Williams finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year voting behind Tom Thibodeau.
22.
Monty 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.
23.
Monty 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.
24.
On December 27,2021, Monty Williams was placed in the Suns COVID-19 protocol.
25.
Monty Williams was selected for his second consecutive NBCA Coach of the Year award.
26.
In 2016, Monty Williams became the vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs.
27.
On June 26,2017, while serving as vice president for the Spurs, Monty Williams was selected as the winner of the Sager Strong Award during the first NBA Awards show.