As a 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. Williams was an NBA first-round pick despite a pre-existing heart condition. He was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft. Williams played in 9 NBA seasons from 1994 to 2003. He played for the Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. In his NBA career, Williams played in 456 games, scored a total of 2,884 points and averaged 6.3 points per game. On April 8, 1997, he scored a career-high 30 points as a member of the Spurs against the Denver Nuggets. Chronic knee problems forced him into retirement in 2003.
Coaching career
In 2005, Williams won an NBA championship as a coaching staff intern with the San Antonio Spurs. In 2005, Williams was hired by new head coach Nate McMillan as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. On June 7, 2010, Williams was offered a three-year contract to be the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets. At the date of his hiring, Williams became the youngest head coach in the NBA at 38 years old. In his first season with the Hornets, the team finished with a 46–36 record and made the playoffs. On August 18, 2012, Williams accepted a four-year contract extension from the Hornets. 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. On June 29, 2015, Williams became the associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder. On June 1, 2016, it was announced that Williams would not return with the Thunder. 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. On May 3, 2019, the Phoenix Suns announced they had agreed to terms with Williams to be the team's head coach at the conclusion of the 76ers' 2018–19 season. He is also a member of the NBA Competition Committee.
Executive career
In 2016, Williams became the vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs. On June 26, 2017, while being vice president for the Spurs, Williams was selected as the winner of the Sager Strong Award during the first NBA Awards Show.
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.
