Monty Williams will soon be the newest member of the Detroit Pistons.
Team owner Tom Gores seemingly would not be denied, and we learned late Wednesday night that the team would be hiring Williams as its next head coach.
The reported details of the contract are staggering. According to ESPN, it’s for six years and $78.5 million, and The Athletic says there are incentives in place that could make it a nine-figure deal.
WHAT TWITTER IS SAYING: Tom Gores, Pistons get big applause for convincing Monty Williams to become coach
But what do we know about the soon-to-be 37th head coach in franchise history. Let’s break down the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year:
He could play, now
Tavares Montgomery Williams, 51, is more than just the guy with the whistle. He’s been around the NBA for almost 30 years.
The 6-foot-8 forward was drafted by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1994 draft, just weeks after the Knicks lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Williams was the 24th overall pick — the Pistons passed on him at third overall in favor of Grant Hill — because could flat-out score at Notre Dame. He averaged 22.4 points per game as a senior and was an All-American honorable mention.
And his playing career almost ended before it he made a big splash on the national stage. Entering his sophomore season, Williams was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, threatening his ability to ever play again. But the Fredericksburg, Virginia, native overcame the same ailment that killed Reggie Lewis and was eventually cleared by doctors.
Williams final NBA game was with the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 of the 2003 Eastern Conference semifinals. It was an overtime loss to … the Detroit Pistons. He played 10 minutes off the bench and did not score.
In his nine years in the NBA, he averaged 6.3 points on 48.1% shooting and shot a mere 11.1% on his 36 career attempts from the 3-point line.
Left speechless
In 2016, Williams’ wife, Ingrid, was killed in a car accident in Oklahoma City. She left behind her husband and their five children, then ages 17 to 5.
But it was Williams’ eulogy at his wife’s funeral that not only raised his national profile but tugged at the heartstrings. Without shedding a tear, Williams spoke of faith, forgiveness and family as he celebrated her memory.
Williams since remarried in 2019.
He can coach too, now
The first NBA coach Williams played for was Pat Riley. One hell of an indoctrination into pro ball, right? The other coaches he played for: Gregg Popovich, Mike D’Antoni, Doc Rivers and Larry Brown. A who’s who of first-chair coaches in the NBA.
And one of those men helped Williams break into the coaching ranks. Popovich had Williams on his staff as a coaching intern for the 2004-05 season, when the Spurs beat the Pistons in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He soon became an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers and head coach Nate MacMillan. In 2010, he was hired as head coach of the New Orleans Hornets (who eventually became the Pelicans), but was let go after five seasons, a sub-.500 record and two quick playoff appearances.
He was an assistant in Oklahoma City for one season before joining the Philadelphia 76ers’ staff. Then during the 2019 playoffs, Williams was hired by the Phoenix Suns, who were coming off having the worst record in the Western Conference. In just two seasons, Williams led Phoenix to the NBA Finals, where it fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
In 2021-22, the Suns entered the postseason with the best record in the game, but embarrassing exits from the past two playoffs spelled the end for Williams there.
But if you’re wondering how he’ll handle superstar talents, the status guys like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey who to obtain? While it’s safe to assume Deandre Ayton wouldn’t be a fan, here’s a look at the big-name players Williams has led as head coach: Chris Paul (twice); Anthony Davis; Devin Booker and, most recently, Kevin Durant.