Monty Williams left the Oklahoma City Thunder organization in mid February, after the sudden and tragic death of his wife of 20 years, Ingrid Williams. After delivering a powerful eulogy, filled with forgiveness and humility, the former Pelicans head coach and former OKC assistant coach is now ready to rejoin the NBA.
Currently assisting the Men’s US Basketball team in their Olympic quest to Rio, Coach Williams has been offered many positions throughout the NBA league for the 2016-2017 year, and it seems that life for the Williams family will start a new beginning in San Antonio.
Williams is expected to accept a position with the San Antonio Spurs, allowing him and the 5 children to be surrounded with support from his in-laws who reside in the Texas city. Although the specifics of the position have not been set, Williams and the Spurs organization are said to come to terms, at a later date, with what his exact role will be.
When interviewed by ESPN’s Hannah Storm regarding getting back to coaching, Williams said getting back to coaching is the one thing he has has peace about. “I can’t wait to get back and start coaching. I wouldn’t even think that if I didn’t know, one, my wife would want me to. My kids talk about it all the time. And there have been some things that have happened in my life lately that have allowed me to get that back.”
Storm also asked the coach if he ever still finds himself talking to his wife. “Yeah, I still text her, and it’s not like I know she’s going to answer — I know she’s not going to answer — but it’s just part of what I do. I’ll go outside at night and I’ll just look up in the sky and just start talking to her,” he said, “The reality is we live in a world that’s filled with stuff, and quitting is not an option. It’s just life. You have to be able to get up, face your flaws, and just whatever it is, a step, an inch. You just gotta keep moving forward.”
Our thoughts and prayer of encouragement are with Monty Williams and his family.
