Who is Monty Williams?
Monty Williams is a famous NBA coach who is currently the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. He is a former NBA player who played for 9 seasons for different teams and then went on to coach several teams including the US National Team as an assistant coach.
Image Source: CNN
Quick Biography
Real Name: Tavares Montogomery Eli Williams
Alias: Monty Williams
Date of Birth: 8th October, 1971
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States
Profession: NBA Coach, Former NBA Player
Teams Played For: New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers
Teams Coached: Portland Trail Blazers (Assistant), New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons
Current Team: Detroit Pistons
Nationality: American
Parents: Joyce Williams (Mother), Tavares Williams (Father)
Spouse: Ingrid Williams (1995 – 2016), Lisa Keeth (2017 – Present)
Children: Elijah, Lael, Janna, Micah, and Faith
Place of Residence: Michigan, USA
Early Life
Monty Williams was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia to Joyce and Tavares Williams on 8th October 1971. He did his schooling at Potomac High School located in Oxon Hill, Maryland. He was into basketball ever since his schooling days and he also excelled in basketball while at Potomac.
He went on to complete his alma mater at the University of Notre Dame from 1989 to 1994 and his love for the sport followed him there as given his height and physique, he was first a small forward in the university and then became an honorable mention All American during his senior season. His stats were impressive even then as he averaged 22.4 points and 8.4 rebounds.
Career
In 1994, Monty Williams was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA draft which marked the beginning of his career as a player. Willaims played for New York Knicks from 1994 to 1996 and went on to play in the NBA for nine seasons and for five different teams. From 1996 to 1998, Williams played for San Antonio Spurs before signing with the Denver Nuggets in 1999. However, he was released just a month later. After that, Monty Williams was with Orlando Magic for three years from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers before retiring as a player in the same year due to his knee injuries.
However, this was far from the end of his career as he then began his NBA coaching career in 2005 and joined the San Antonio Spurs as a coaching staff intern. The same year the Spurs won the NBA championship. Following that, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers under the coaching tenure of Nate McMillan where he continued his stint till 2010.
In 2010, Williams was offered to be the head coach for the New Orleans Hornets as part of a three-year contract. Monty Williams was 38 at the time, thus making him the youngest head coach in the NBA. He continued his role at the Hornets for 5 years. During this, he also got many other opportunities like being an assistant coach in the US National Team in 2013 for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Williams let go of the Hornets (renamed Pelicans) in 2015 after a good 2014-15 season where they made it to the first round of the playoffs.
In 2015, he was signed as the associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder and he continued there till 2016. He was then inactive for the coming two seasons before coming back as the lead assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers from 2018 to 2019.
In 2019, Williams signed a five-year contract with the Phoenix Suns as a head coach. During this, many recognitions came his way. He helped improve the overall record and was named the NBCA Coach of the Year post the 2020-21 season. He also led the Suns to the NBA finals for the first time since 1993 during his first-ever final as a coach. In 2022, he was named as the head coach for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game given his successful record as a coach. Post the 2021-22 season, he was named as the NBA Coach of the Year. However, post a loss against the Denver Nuggets, Monty Williams was fired as the coach of the Phoenix Suns.
In the same year, he was named as the head coach for the Detroit Pistons and he continues to guide the Pistons in the same capacity as of 2024.
Personal Information
Tavares Montogomery Eli Williams, aka Monty Williams, was born on 8th October 1971 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States. He was born to Jayce Williams and Tavares Williams. As Monty Williams likes to keep his life private, not much information is available regarding his siblings. Monty Williams is 53 years old as of 2024.
Born and raised in the United States, Monty Williams is an American citizen. By zodiac sign, he is a Libra. Monty Williams’ height is an impressive 6 ft 8 inches which has contributed to his impressive stats as a player as well as a coach. Maintaining a good physique and fitness, he weighs around 102 kgs. He has black colored eyes and he is mostly spotted with no hair.
Monty Williams is a reserved and private person and we have not found any official social media account of Monty Williams. However, he has made appearances on certain podcasts and has a dedicated coach profile on sites like NBA, NBC Sports, and more. For his fans looking forward to connect with him, there is no information about his social media handles as of now.
Relationship
Monty Williams got married to his late wife Ingrid Williams in 1995. The two shared a 21-year-long marriage till Ingrid’s demise in 2016. Monty Williams’ first wife passed away due to injuries sustained in a car crash in 2016. The duo has five beautiful children in the age range of 13 to 25: Elijah, Lael, Janna, Micah, and Faith.
With his kids
After the demise of his first wife, Monty Williams got married to a former volleyball player Lisa Keeth in a private ceremony in 2017. While Keeth was diagnosed with breast cancer, the duo seemed to have detected it early and they are living a happy life together as of 2024.
With Lisa Keeth
Image Source: Black Wall Street Times
Net Worth
Having played nine seasons of the NBA with different franchises and having coached several franchises starting from 2005 to the present, questions about Monty Williams’ net worth have been the talk of the town. As of 2024, the net worth of Monty Williams is estimated to be around or more than 25 million dollars. His latest contract with the Detroit Pistons for 78.5 million dollars for six years since 2023 has not only added to his net worth but also made him one of the highest-paid coaches of the NBA at the present date.
Trivia
- Despite a pre-existing heart condition that kept him out of two games at the University of Notre Dame, Monty Williams was an NBA first-round pick during his college career.
- Monty Williams’ stats as a player are quite impressive. During his 9 seasons as a player, he played 456 games with a total of 2,884 points. His average is 6.3 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game!
- Williams’ signature style of play is known to be rebounding and aggressive.
- His record as a coach includes 194-115 with the Phoenix Suns.
FAQ’s
How much is Monty Williams worth?
The net worth of Monty Williams as of 2024 is estimated to be around or beyond 25 million dollars. He is a popular name amongst some of the highest-paid coaches of the NBA. His name on the list was further solidified when he was offered a six-year coaching contract worth 78.5 million dollars with the Detroit Pistons. Most of the amount he has earned is from his successful coaching career.
Who is Monty Williams’s second wife?
The second and current wife of Monty Williams is Lisa Keeth. The two got married in a private ceremony in 2017 and not much was shown through social media or otherwise. Lisa Keeth has her own reputation in the field of sports and she is a renowned volleyball player and has also bagged a Holland Award in 2001. Keeth is an American Citizen and is 42 years old. It was also made public that Keeth was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, she seems to be fine now and Williams credited it to the early scan.
What happened to Monty Williams’s wife?
Monty Williams was married to Ingrid Williams for 21 long years from 1995 to 2016. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Ingrid Williams passed away on 10th February 2016. She got into a car crash in which she was “hit head-on by a car that crossed over the center lane” as quoted by reputed news portal ESPN. She sustained deadly injuries in the crash and succumbed to those injuries in the hospital. It was a shocking and emotional moment for the community of Oklahoma city.
With Ingrid Williams
Image Source: The US Sun
When did Monty Williams remarry?
Monty Williams remarried in 2017 after the death of his first wife in 2016. He married the former volleyball player Lisa Keeth in what seemed to be a private ceremony as not much details about the wedding were made public through any channel or social media.
What are the ages of Monty Williams children?
Monty Williams has five children with his late wife Ingrid Williams. They are: Elijah, Lael, Janna, Micah, and Faith. During his wife’s car accident in 2016, three of his children were with her. Thankfully, all of them came out of it safe. They were reported to be in the age range from 5 to 17 years old back then. Therefore, as of 2024, the age range of Monty Williams’ children should be from 13 to 25 years old.
Did Monty Williams play in NBA?
Yes, Monty Williams played in the NBA before becoming a coach. His career in the NBA as a player spanned from 1994 to 2003. He made his debut with the New York Knicks in 1994 and went on to play for nine seasons with five teams including New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Philadelphia 76ers.
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Image Credit: Faith Driven Athlete Podcast