Gary Williams
Encyclopedia
Gary B. Williams is an American
university administrator and former college basketball
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland
, Ohio State University
, Boston College
, and American University
. In 2002, he led Maryland
to the NCAA Tournament Championship
. Williams retired after the 2010–11 season, and remains at his alma mater, Maryland, as the special assistant to the athletic director.
, New Jersey
, Williams played for Maryland as the starting point guard
under coach Bud Millikan
. He was a member of the 1966 Charlotte Invitational Tournament championship team and the 1965 Sugar Bowl
Tournament championship team. He set a Maryland record for field goal percentage, going 8-for-8 from the field in an ACC
game against South Carolina
in 1966 (35 years later a Williams pupil, Lonny Baxter
, would break that record, hitting all ten of his field goal attempts.) Williams was the Maryland team captain in 1967. He graduated in 1968 with a B.S. in Marketing. While at the University of Maryland, Williams was a member of Phi Delta Theta
Fraternity.
in Camden, New Jersey
. He won a NJSIAA State championship as head varsity coach at Wilson High. With his chance to learn under Dr. Tom Davis, Williams left to become an assistant basketball coach at Lafayette College
in 1972 and continued at Boston College in 1977 until he became a head coach. He was also the head soccer coach at Lafayette College during his assistant coaching job.
Williams held three head coaching positions prior to Maryland. In 1978, Williams obtained his first head coaching position at American University
. He led American to relative success, coaching them to several NIT
berths. In 1982, Williams returned to Boston College, leading the Eagles to two NCAA tournament appearances, and one NIT appearance in his four year tenure. In 1986, Williams took over at Ohio State
of the Big Ten Conference
. Under Williams, the Buckeyes advanced to one NCAA tournament appearance and two NIT appearances in three seasons.
, an original member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
, announced Williams as its next head coach on June 13, 1989. The basketball program and the Maryland athletic program as a whole were still reeling from the aftershock of the 1986 death of Maryland basketball star Len Bias
and struggles under coach Bob Wade
, a former high school coach from Baltimore
.
Williams coached the 1989–90 squad to a respectable 18–13 record and an NIT
berth. However, in March 1990, the NCAA imposed harsh sanctions on the school for several major violations, mostly dating to the Wade era. Maryland was banned from postseason play in 1991 and 1992, and was kicked off live television for 1990-91. Additionally, Maryland docked itself several scholarships over two years. With his recruiting efforts severely hamstrung, Williams found it very difficult to rebuild the program. However, with the help of Walt Williams
, Maryland stayed competitive through a low point of the program's history.
After a surprise appearance in the 1994 Sweet 16, the Terrapins were a fixture in the national rankings until 2005. Maryland's teams during this era featured future NBA players such as Joe Smith, Steve Francis
, Juan Dixon
, Steve Blake
, Lonny Baxter
, Terence Morris
and Chris Wilcox
, and a cast of supportive role players, exemplified by Byron Mouton.
In 2001, Williams led Maryland to the first Final Four in school history, losing to Duke in the semifinals. On April 1, 2002, Williams led the Terrapins to their first NCAA National Championship, defeating Indiana
64–52. Williams is the only coach to ever win a national championship without a single McDonald's All American on the roster since its inception. He became the first coach to direct his alma mater to a national title since Norm Sloan
accomplished the feat with North Carolina State
in 1974. The 2002 team also won a school-record 32 games, as well as the school's first outright ACC title in 22 years--to date, the last time that an ACC member from North Carolina hasn't won at least a share of the regular-season title. In March 2004, Maryland won the ACC Tournament Title, defeating Duke 95–87, led by Tournament MVP John Gilchrist
.
In the 2004–2005 season, Maryland failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 1993–1994 season, which was then the longest streak in the ACC. This began a relatively mediocre stretch for Maryland, where they failed to make the tournament three out of the next five years.
In 2010, the Terrapins shared the regular-season conference title with Duke. The same season, Williams also earned his second ACC Coach of the Year award. 2011 saw the Terrapins struggle to a 19-14 mark, failing to make the post-season for the first time since 1993.
On May 5, Gary Williams announced his decision to retire from coaching basketball. He will remain with the Maryland athletic department as Assistant Athletic Director and Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.
and Mike Krzyzewski). In his 31 years as a Head Coach, Williams has amassed an overall record of 654–368 (.640) and 447–240 (.651) at Maryland. He passed Lefty Driesell
as the school's winningest coach in 2006.
Williams' Maryland teams have performed exceptionally well at Cole Field House
and the Comcast Center
. Under his direction, the Terps are 269–60 (.818) at home including a 148–7 (.955) mark against non-conference foes. Between 1989 and 2003, Williams and Maryland won 87 consecutive non-conference home games. That streak was ended on December 14, 2002 by Billy Donovan's Florida Gators
.
Coach Williams has an overall NCAA tournament record of 29–16 (.644), 25–13 (.658) at his alma mater. His 29 wins in the NCAA tournament places him seventh among active coaches in that category. Williams has coached Maryland to fourteen NCAA tournament appearances, including a streak of eleven consecutive appearances (1993-1994 season to 2003-2004 season), as well as four post season NIT appearances, allowing Maryland to own the longest current consecutive streak of postseason appearances in the ACC (Wake Forest
, who had previously had the longest active streak, failed to qualify for the postseason in 2007.) Additionally, Williams has 71 wins over top-25 ranked opponents, 33 wins over top-10 ranked opponents (at least one every season from 96-97 to 09-10), 20 wins over top-5 opponents, three ACC regular season titles (co-champions in 1995 and 2010, and outright champions in 2002), and an ACC tournament title (2004). Williams' NCAA Tournament accomplishments include seven Sweet Sixteens, two Elite Eights, two Final Fours, and a national championship in 2002. Williams also leads active coaches with seven wins over top-ranked teams, the most recent coming against North Carolina
on January 19, 2008. Since 1995, Coach Williams and Maryland have averaged 22.5 wins per season. Williams has led the Terrapins to at least 20 wins in 10 of the last 13 seasons and is tied with Rick Pitino
for 6th among active coaches with 17 career 20-win seasons.
Williams had a discordant relationship with his former athletic director, Debbie Yow, who is now the athletic director at North Carolina State University
. In April 2011, Yow, after hiring Mark Gottfried
to be the new head coach of the Wolfpack basketball team, accused the Maryland coach of attempting to "sabotage" N.C. State's search process by advising candidates that she was difficult to work with. Williams immediately denied the accusation.
A home victory over Virginia
on January 19, 2005, moved Williams into a tie with former Virginia head coach Terry Holland
as the fifth winningest coach in ACC history. On January 21, 2006, a home victory over Virginia Tech
earned Williams his 142nd ACC win, moving him into a tie with former Carolina head coach Frank McGuire
for third place in that category. Four nights later, a victory over Georgia Tech
gave him third place outright.
On February 7, 2006, a 76–65 home victory over Virginia gave Williams his 349th win, allowing him to pass Lefty Driesell as the university's all-time winningest head coach. On February 3, 2007, a road victory over Wake Forest earned Williams his 150th ACC victory. He is the third coach in conference history to accomplish this feat; only Dean Smith
and Mike Krzyzewski have won more conference games.
On February 6, 2008, a 70–65 road victory over Boston College
gave Williams his 600th win. Gary Williams is one of only 8 active NCAA basketball head coaches with at least 600 wins.
On November 21, 2008, a 89–74 overtime
home victory over Vermont gave Williams his 400th victory at his alma mater. In ACC history, Williams stands alongside Smith and Krzyzewski as the only coaches to amass this number of wins.
On February 21, 2009, Williams upset #3 (AP/ESPN Coaches Polls) University of North Carolina
, 88-85 in OT. Then on March 12, Williams' Terps earned another victory over a Top-10 opponent, defeating #8 Wake Forest, the second-seeded team, 75-64 in the quarterfinals of the 2009 ACC Tournament
, following a 74-69 victory over N.C. State in the opening round. The victory over the Demon Deacons was Williams' 17th ACC Tournament victory, tying Lefty Driesell for the most in school history.
Williams coached in his 1000th game on January 22, 2010, an 88-64 victory over NC State.
On March 9, 2010, he was named the ACC coach of the year. On March 19, 2010, Williams coached Maryland (#4 rank in the Midwest Region) to a first-round victory, by a score of 89-77, over Houston (#13 rank in the Midwest Region) in the opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Two days later, Williams engineered a comeback in the final seconds of the second round game against Michigan State
, only to lose to a buzzer beater
shot by Korie Lucious
. The final score was 85-83. A win would have put Williams in the Sweet Sixteen for the 9th time in his coaching career.
He is good friends with Syracuse
head coach Jim Boeheim
, going back to his days at Boston College. Williams golfs often with former Big East
commissioner Mike Tranghese
, and is a frequent guest of Baltimore Ravens
owner Steve Bisciotti
in the owner's suite at Ravens games.
Williams was one of thirteen college coaches to appear in EA Sports
' NCAA March Madness 2004
. As part of the "Coaches Council", he imparted information and guidance to the gamer.
He has been a member of the University of Maryland's Alumni Hall of Fame since June 2005.
On May 12, 1990, Williams was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
, with a strong emphasis on first getting the ball inside to the post, and once the opposing defense collapses, distributing the ball to the perimeter. On defense, he favors a highly physical, pressing and trapping style, using turnovers to key the offense through the fast break. His defensive philosophy is inspired by both his former coach Bud Millikan
, who utilized an aggressive man-to-man scheme, and Tom Davis
who helped teach Williams the more aggressive trapping schemes in addition to the fast break offense.
He has drawn a great deal of both criticism and humor for his on-court demeanor. Williams is known for his pre-game fist pump at home games to pump up the Maryland student section. He is also known for being incredibly animated towards his bench, especially when one of his on-court players has a miscue. There are followers of the program who contend that these acts are merely a function of Williams' competitive drive, and that on the whole, these acts belie Williams' gift as a teacher of the game. Juan Dixon
, starting shooting guard
on Maryland's national championship team, spoke highly of Williams in the introduction to the book Sweet Redemption, labeling him as a father-figure.
, once said in a newspaper interview that Williams "has made a living off of the player who is maybe one or two tools short of the complete package (say, height or leaping ability), but who competes hard and plays with a chip on his shoulder." Much of his success in the years since the university recovered from NCAA sanctions is from players that fit that mold.
In 2009, The Washington Post
published an extensive expose on Williams' tenure from the 2002 title year to mid-season 2008–09
. The three-part feature analyzed the Williams' recruiting process, and noted how local prep basketball talent went elsewhere for college. It cited that Williams refused to associate closely with local AAU program directors and coaches, due to their questionable reputations. The Post asserted this reticence stemmed from the Rudy Gay
recruiting episode, in which the player's ultimate choice, UConn
, was suspected of NCAA violations. The Baltimore Sun staff writers covering Maryland have challenged Williams' recruiting procedures, but also noted his personality reflects whom he recruits.
Rick Barnes
- an assistant to Williams at Ohio State
. Has had successful tenures at Providence
and Clemson
, and is currently the head coach of Texas
, whom he guided to the Final Four
in 2003.
Fran Fraschilla
- was also on Williams' Ohio State staff. Had a successful run at Manhattan
. He also was the head coach at St. John's and New Mexico. He now serves as an ESPN
college basketball analyst.
Fran Dunphy
- served as an assistant to Williams at American. During a seventeen year tenure at Penn, he won 310 games (a school record) and 10 Ivy League
titles. Successor to John Chaney at Temple
.
Jimmy Patsos
- served on Williams' staff at Maryland from 1991 to 2004, now the head coach at Loyola
.
Mike Lonergan
- former national championship-winning head coach at The Catholic University of America
who was on Williams' Maryland staff during the 2004-05 season. Successor to Tom Brennan at Vermont
, now at George Washington.
Dave Dickerson
- served on Williams' staff at Maryland from 1996 to 2005; later named head coach at Tulane
. Now an assistant at Ohio State
under Thad Matta
.
Chuck Driesell
- son of famed coach Lefty Driesell
, served on Williams' staff, now the head coach at The Citadel
.
Billy Hahn
- served on Williams' staff from 1989 to 2001; later named head coach at La Salle
. Now an assistant at West Virginia
under Bob Huggins
.
28 of Williams' players have been drafted by the NBA
. This includes four lottery picks since 1992. Among the more prominent names:
In addition, Šarūnas Jasikevičius
, who played for Williams in the late 1990s, was signed by the Indiana Pacers
in the summer of 2005. More recently, Chris McCray
, who was academically ineligible to play basketball the majority of his senior year at Maryland, was not picked in the NBA draft, but signed a free agent contract with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks in September 2006, and D. J. Strawberry
, son of former major leaguer Darryl Strawberry
was signed by the Phoenix Suns
after being selected 59th in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft
. Strawberry now plays for the Reno Bighorns.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
university administrator and former college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, and American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
. In 2002, he led Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
to the NCAA Tournament Championship
2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia...
. Williams retired after the 2010–11 season, and remains at his alma mater, Maryland, as the special assistant to the athletic director.
Playing career
A native of CollingswoodCollingswood, New Jersey
Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Williams played for Maryland as the starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
under coach Bud Millikan
Bud Millikan
Harold A. "Bud" Millikan was the head coach of the University of Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team from 1950 to 1967. He compiled a 243–182 record...
. He was a member of the 1966 Charlotte Invitational Tournament championship team and the 1965 Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
Tournament championship team. He set a Maryland record for field goal percentage, going 8-for-8 from the field in an ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
game against South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in 1966 (35 years later a Williams pupil, Lonny Baxter
Lonny Baxter
Lonny Leroy Baxter is an American professional basketball player. He is 203 cm in height, and plays the position of power forward-center.-College:...
, would break that record, hitting all ten of his field goal attempts.) Williams was the Maryland team captain in 1967. He graduated in 1968 with a B.S. in Marketing. While at the University of Maryland, Williams was a member of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
Fraternity.
Early coaching career
Prior to entering the college ranks, Williams was a successful high school basketball coach at Woodrow Wilson High SchoolWoodrow Wilson High School (New Jersey)
Woodrow Wilson High School is a four-year public high school in Camden, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Camden City Public Schools....
in Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. He won a NJSIAA State championship as head varsity coach at Wilson High. With his chance to learn under Dr. Tom Davis, Williams left to become an assistant basketball coach at Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
in 1972 and continued at Boston College in 1977 until he became a head coach. He was also the head soccer coach at Lafayette College during his assistant coaching job.
Williams held three head coaching positions prior to Maryland. In 1978, Williams obtained his first head coaching position at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
. He led American to relative success, coaching them to several NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
berths. In 1982, Williams returned to Boston College, leading the Eagles to two NCAA tournament appearances, and one NIT appearance in his four year tenure. In 1986, Williams took over at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
The Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
of the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Under Williams, the Buckeyes advanced to one NCAA tournament appearance and two NIT appearances in three seasons.
Maryland
The Maryland TerrapinsMaryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
, an original member of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, announced Williams as its next head coach on June 13, 1989. The basketball program and the Maryland athletic program as a whole were still reeling from the aftershock of the 1986 death of Maryland basketball star Len Bias
Len Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
and struggles under coach Bob Wade
Bob Wade (basketball coach)
Robert Pernell Wade is a former men's college basketball head coach for the University of Maryland , as well as an American football defensive back for the National Football League.-Football career:...
, a former high school coach from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.
Williams coached the 1989–90 squad to a respectable 18–13 record and an NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
berth. However, in March 1990, the NCAA imposed harsh sanctions on the school for several major violations, mostly dating to the Wade era. Maryland was banned from postseason play in 1991 and 1992, and was kicked off live television for 1990-91. Additionally, Maryland docked itself several scholarships over two years. With his recruiting efforts severely hamstrung, Williams found it very difficult to rebuild the program. However, with the help of Walt Williams
Walt Williams
Walter Ander Williams is a retired American professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" forward/guard, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and is credited by many for resurrecting the school's basketball program which was going through very...
, Maryland stayed competitive through a low point of the program's history.
After a surprise appearance in the 1994 Sweet 16, the Terrapins were a fixture in the national rankings until 2005. Maryland's teams during this era featured future NBA players such as Joe Smith, Steve Francis
Steve Francis
Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
, Juan Dixon
Juan Dixon
Juan Dixon is an American professional basketball player. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.-Early life:...
, Steve Blake
Steve Blake
Steven Hanson "Steve" Blake is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Previously, he played for the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.-High school:Blake spent his freshman and sophomore year...
, Lonny Baxter
Lonny Baxter
Lonny Leroy Baxter is an American professional basketball player. He is 203 cm in height, and plays the position of power forward-center.-College:...
, Terence Morris
Terence Morris
Terence Darea Morris is an American professional basketball player.- High school career :...
and Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chris Ray Wilcox is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons. He previously played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, and collegiately at the University of Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins win...
, and a cast of supportive role players, exemplified by Byron Mouton.
In 2001, Williams led Maryland to the first Final Four in school history, losing to Duke in the semifinals. On April 1, 2002, Williams led the Terrapins to their first NCAA National Championship, defeating Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
64–52. Williams is the only coach to ever win a national championship without a single McDonald's All American on the roster since its inception. He became the first coach to direct his alma mater to a national title since Norm Sloan
Norm Sloan
Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North...
accomplished the feat with North Carolina State
NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which it was a founding member....
in 1974. The 2002 team also won a school-record 32 games, as well as the school's first outright ACC title in 22 years--to date, the last time that an ACC member from North Carolina hasn't won at least a share of the regular-season title. In March 2004, Maryland won the ACC Tournament Title, defeating Duke 95–87, led by Tournament MVP John Gilchrist
John Gilchrist (basketball)
John H. Gilchrist III, is a former Maryland Terrapins point guard, currently a free agent.-College:...
.
In the 2004–2005 season, Maryland failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 1993–1994 season, which was then the longest streak in the ACC. This began a relatively mediocre stretch for Maryland, where they failed to make the tournament three out of the next five years.
In 2010, the Terrapins shared the regular-season conference title with Duke. The same season, Williams also earned his second ACC Coach of the Year award. 2011 saw the Terrapins struggle to a 19-14 mark, failing to make the post-season for the first time since 1993.
On May 5, Gary Williams announced his decision to retire from coaching basketball. He will remain with the Maryland athletic department as Assistant Athletic Director and Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.
Coaching Profile
As of March 2010, Gary Williams was the 5th winningest active coach in the country and he is currently the 3rd winningest coach all-time in the ACC (behind only Dean SmithDean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
and Mike Krzyzewski). In his 31 years as a Head Coach, Williams has amassed an overall record of 654–368 (.640) and 447–240 (.651) at Maryland. He passed Lefty Driesell
Lefty Driesell
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Davidson College, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA...
as the school's winningest coach in 2006.
Williams' Maryland teams have performed exceptionally well at Cole Field House
Cole Field House
The William P. Cole, Jr. Student Activities Building, more commonly known as Cole Field House, was the home of the University of Maryland basketball teams from 1955 until it was replaced by Comcast Center in 2002...
and the Comcast Center
Comcast Center (arena)
Comcast Center is the arena for the University of Maryland Terrapins men’s and women's basketball teams. The Comcast Center, dubbed "The House Gary Built", was ranked the 7th toughest venue to play in by EA Sports. The on-campus facility is named for the Comcast Corporation, which purchased a...
. Under his direction, the Terps are 269–60 (.818) at home including a 148–7 (.955) mark against non-conference foes. Between 1989 and 2003, Williams and Maryland won 87 consecutive non-conference home games. That streak was ended on December 14, 2002 by Billy Donovan's Florida Gators
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
.
Coach Williams has an overall NCAA tournament record of 29–16 (.644), 25–13 (.658) at his alma mater. His 29 wins in the NCAA tournament places him seventh among active coaches in that category. Williams has coached Maryland to fourteen NCAA tournament appearances, including a streak of eleven consecutive appearances (1993-1994 season to 2003-2004 season), as well as four post season NIT appearances, allowing Maryland to own the longest current consecutive streak of postseason appearances in the ACC (Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Their only Final Four appearance was in 1962 and through the years they have produced several NBA players. The Demon Deacons have...
, who had previously had the longest active streak, failed to qualify for the postseason in 2007.) Additionally, Williams has 71 wins over top-25 ranked opponents, 33 wins over top-10 ranked opponents (at least one every season from 96-97 to 09-10), 20 wins over top-5 opponents, three ACC regular season titles (co-champions in 1995 and 2010, and outright champions in 2002), and an ACC tournament title (2004). Williams' NCAA Tournament accomplishments include seven Sweet Sixteens, two Elite Eights, two Final Fours, and a national championship in 2002. Williams also leads active coaches with seven wins over top-ranked teams, the most recent coming against North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
on January 19, 2008. Since 1995, Coach Williams and Maryland have averaged 22.5 wins per season. Williams has led the Terrapins to at least 20 wins in 10 of the last 13 seasons and is tied with Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
for 6th among active coaches with 17 career 20-win seasons.
Williams had a discordant relationship with his former athletic director, Debbie Yow, who is now the athletic director at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. In April 2011, Yow, after hiring Mark Gottfried
Mark Gottfried
Mark Frederick Gottfried is an American men's college basketball coach and former player. He was named head coach of NC State on April 5, 2011....
to be the new head coach of the Wolfpack basketball team, accused the Maryland coach of attempting to "sabotage" N.C. State's search process by advising candidates that she was difficult to work with. Williams immediately denied the accusation.
Recent Milestones Since 2005-06 Season
A home victory over Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
on January 19, 2005, moved Williams into a tie with former Virginia head coach Terry Holland
Terry Holland
Michael Terrence "Terry" Holland is the Athletics Director and Executive Assistant to Chancellor Steve Ballard at East Carolina University...
as the fifth winningest coach in ACC history. On January 21, 2006, a home victory over Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball
The Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Home games are played at Cassell Coliseum, located on Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg.-History:...
earned Williams his 142nd ACC win, moving him into a tie with former Carolina head coach Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire
Frank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball....
for third place in that category. Four nights later, a victory over Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represents the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in NCAA Division I basketball. The team plays its home games in Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Under the tenure of Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech established itself as a national force in basketball...
gave him third place outright.
On February 7, 2006, a 76–65 home victory over Virginia gave Williams his 349th win, allowing him to pass Lefty Driesell as the university's all-time winningest head coach. On February 3, 2007, a road victory over Wake Forest earned Williams his 150th ACC victory. He is the third coach in conference history to accomplish this feat; only Dean Smith
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
and Mike Krzyzewski have won more conference games.
On February 6, 2008, a 70–65 road victory over Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
gave Williams his 600th win. Gary Williams is one of only 8 active NCAA basketball head coaches with at least 600 wins.
On November 21, 2008, a 89–74 overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
home victory over Vermont gave Williams his 400th victory at his alma mater. In ACC history, Williams stands alongside Smith and Krzyzewski as the only coaches to amass this number of wins.
On February 21, 2009, Williams upset #3 (AP/ESPN Coaches Polls) University of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, 88-85 in OT. Then on March 12, Williams' Terps earned another victory over a Top-10 opponent, defeating #8 Wake Forest, the second-seeded team, 75-64 in the quarterfinals of the 2009 ACC Tournament
2009 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, the culmination of the 2008–09 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season and a part of the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, took place from March 12–March 15, 2009, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
, following a 74-69 victory over N.C. State in the opening round. The victory over the Demon Deacons was Williams' 17th ACC Tournament victory, tying Lefty Driesell for the most in school history.
Williams coached in his 1000th game on January 22, 2010, an 88-64 victory over NC State.
On March 9, 2010, he was named the ACC coach of the year. On March 19, 2010, Williams coached Maryland (#4 rank in the Midwest Region) to a first-round victory, by a score of 89-77, over Houston (#13 rank in the Midwest Region) in the opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Two days later, Williams engineered a comeback in the final seconds of the second round game against Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center...
, only to lose to a buzzer beater
Buzzer beater
In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end-of-quarter or halftime buzzer...
shot by Korie Lucious
Korie Lucious
Korian "Korie" Lucious is an American college basketball player, formerly playing for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team....
. The final score was 85-83. A win would have put Williams in the Sweet Sixteen for the 9th time in his coaching career.
Personal life
Williams was married to Diane McMillen from 1968 to 1990. They divorced following his resignation from Ohio State to join the University of Maryland as its Men's Basketball coach after being separated since June 1988. Together, they had a daughter, Kristin, who works as a schoolteacher. Williams is a grandfather of three, including a pair of twins. Williams was remarried in April 2011.He is good friends with Syracuse
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
head coach Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
, going back to his days at Boston College. Williams golfs often with former Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
commissioner Mike Tranghese
Mike Tranghese
Michael "Mike" Tranghese was the commissioner of the Big East Conference and helped create the conference as founder Dave Gavitt's right-hand man in 1979.Tranghese retired as commissioner in the spring of 2009. John Marinatto succeeded him as commissioner....
, and is a frequent guest of Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
owner Steve Bisciotti
Steve Bisciotti
Stephen J. Bisciotti is the current majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League.-Background:...
in the owner's suite at Ravens games.
Williams was one of thirteen college coaches to appear in EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' NCAA March Madness 2004
NCAA March Madness 2004
NCAA March Madness 2004 was the 2003 installment in the NCAA March Madness series. It was released on November 17, 2003 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Former Syracuse player Carmelo Anthony was featured on the cover. Commentary is done by Brad Nessler and "Mr. College Basketball" Dick Vitale as he...
. As part of the "Coaches Council", he imparted information and guidance to the gamer.
He has been a member of the University of Maryland's Alumni Hall of Fame since June 2005.
On May 12, 1990, Williams was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
Coaching style
Williams exclusively runs the flex offenseFlex offense
The Flex offense is an offensive strategy in basketball developed in the 1970s. It is a patterned offense relying on cuts across the key and down screens to create a "pick-the-picker" action. This offense is most effective against a man-to-man defense, though some ambitious coaches have used it...
, with a strong emphasis on first getting the ball inside to the post, and once the opposing defense collapses, distributing the ball to the perimeter. On defense, he favors a highly physical, pressing and trapping style, using turnovers to key the offense through the fast break. His defensive philosophy is inspired by both his former coach Bud Millikan
Bud Millikan
Harold A. "Bud" Millikan was the head coach of the University of Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team from 1950 to 1967. He compiled a 243–182 record...
, who utilized an aggressive man-to-man scheme, and Tom Davis
Tom Davis (basketball)
Dr. Thomas "Dr. Tom" Davis is an American former college men's basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Lafayette College, Boston College, Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and Drake University from 1971 to 2007....
who helped teach Williams the more aggressive trapping schemes in addition to the fast break offense.
He has drawn a great deal of both criticism and humor for his on-court demeanor. Williams is known for his pre-game fist pump at home games to pump up the Maryland student section. He is also known for being incredibly animated towards his bench, especially when one of his on-court players has a miscue. There are followers of the program who contend that these acts are merely a function of Williams' competitive drive, and that on the whole, these acts belie Williams' gift as a teacher of the game. Juan Dixon
Juan Dixon
Juan Dixon is an American professional basketball player. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.-Early life:...
, starting shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
on Maryland's national championship team, spoke highly of Williams in the introduction to the book Sweet Redemption, labeling him as a father-figure.
Recruiting style
Williams has gained a reputation as a recruiter who almost exclusively goes after less-heralded players and develops them into Division I talents. An opposing coach, Dave OdomDave Odom
Dave Odom is a retired American men's college basketball coach, who most recently coached at the University of South Carolina...
, once said in a newspaper interview that Williams "has made a living off of the player who is maybe one or two tools short of the complete package (say, height or leaping ability), but who competes hard and plays with a chip on his shoulder." Much of his success in the years since the university recovered from NCAA sanctions is from players that fit that mold.
In 2009, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
published an extensive expose on Williams' tenure from the 2002 title year to mid-season 2008–09
2008-09 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team
The 2008–2009 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Terrapins qualified for the NCAA tournament for just the second time since the 2003–04...
. The three-part feature analyzed the Williams' recruiting process, and noted how local prep basketball talent went elsewhere for college. It cited that Williams refused to associate closely with local AAU program directors and coaches, due to their questionable reputations. The Post asserted this reticence stemmed from the Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...
recruiting episode, in which the player's ultimate choice, UConn
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, was suspected of NCAA violations. The Baltimore Sun staff writers covering Maryland have challenged Williams' recruiting procedures, but also noted his personality reflects whom he recruits.
Coaching tree and NBA picks
Many of Williams' former assistants have gone on to earn head coaching positions. These include:Rick Barnes
Rick Barnes
Richard Dale Barnes is the current head coach of the University of Texas Longhorns men's basketball team. He has coached Texas for the last twelve seasons, taking the team to the NCAA Tournament each year, including a Final Four appearance led by T. J. Ford in 2003...
- an assistant to Williams at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. Has had successful tenures at Providence
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
and Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
, and is currently the head coach of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, whom he guided to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
in 2003.
Fran Fraschilla
Fran Fraschilla
-External links:*...
- was also on Williams' Ohio State staff. Had a successful run at Manhattan
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
. He also was the head coach at St. John's and New Mexico. He now serves as an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
college basketball analyst.
Fran Dunphy
Fran Dunphy
Fran Dunphy is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at Temple University. He succeeded John Chaney in 2006.- Coaching career :...
- served as an assistant to Williams at American. During a seventeen year tenure at Penn, he won 310 games (a school record) and 10 Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
titles. Successor to John Chaney at Temple
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
.
Jimmy Patsos
Jimmy Patsos
Jimmy Patsos is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Loyola University Maryland.Patsos earned his B.A. from Catholic University in 1989. There, he played basketball under Jack Bruen, who later coached Colgate University to a couple of NCAA tournament...
- served on Williams' staff at Maryland from 1991 to 2004, now the head coach at Loyola
Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
.
Mike Lonergan
Mike Lonergan
Mike Lonergan is the head coach of the George Washington University Colonials men's basketball team. He replaced Karl Hobbs...
- former national championship-winning head coach at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
who was on Williams' Maryland staff during the 2004-05 season. Successor to Tom Brennan at Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, now at George Washington.
Dave Dickerson
Dave Dickerson
-Head coaching record:-References:...
- served on Williams' staff at Maryland from 1996 to 2005; later named head coach at Tulane
Tulane Green Wave
Green Wave, the nickname of the sports teams of Tulane University, was adopted during the 1920 season, after a song titled The Rolling Green Wave was published in Tulane's student newspaper in 1920. From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were known as the Olive and Blue for the official...
. Now an assistant at Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
under Thad Matta
Thad Matta
Thad Matta is an American college basketball coach. He is the current head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team. He was hired as the 13th head coach in Ohio State history on July 7, 2004 after the school had fired previous coach Jim O'Brien...
.
Chuck Driesell
Chuck Driesell
Chuck Driesell is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Driesell previously served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams at the University of Maryland and spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University...
- son of famed coach Lefty Driesell
Lefty Driesell
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Davidson College, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA...
, served on Williams' staff, now the head coach at The Citadel
The Citadel
-Places:*The Citadel , a 201 m skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates*The Citadel , the old fortified city of Gozo, Malta*The Citadel , a shopping mall in Colorado*The Citadel , a diving spot in Martinique...
.
Billy Hahn
Billy Hahn
Billy Hahn is a basketball assistant coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers under head coach Bob Huggins. During his head coaching and assistant coaching career, Hahn has coached and recruited 19 future NBA players and set various school records at Maryland with numerous NCAA Tournament...
- served on Williams' staff from 1989 to 2001; later named head coach at La Salle
La Salle University
La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the school was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. As of 2008 the school has approximately 7,554...
. Now an assistant at West Virginia
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
under Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
.
28 of Williams' players have been drafted by the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. This includes four lottery picks since 1992. Among the more prominent names:
- Michael AdamsMichael Adams (basketball)Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
(formerly an assistant on Williams' Maryland staff.) - Dana BarrosDana BarrosDana Bruce Barros is a retired American professional basketball player from the NBA. Before the NBA he played at Boston College, finishing as one of the school's all-time leading scorers....
(the sixteenth overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft1989 NBA DraftThe 1989 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1989 in New York City, New York, USA. It has been regarded as one of the worst drafts in NBA history, along with the 1986 NBA Draft and the 2000 NBA Draft. Though the draft produced talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick...
) - Walt WilliamsWalt WilliamsWalter Ander Williams is a retired American professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" forward/guard, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and is credited by many for resurrecting the school's basketball program which was going through very...
(the seventh overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft1992 NBA DraftThe 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
) - Joe Smith (the first overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft1995 NBA DraftThe 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
) - Keith BoothKeith BoothKeith Eugene Booth is an American basketball coach and former player. Booth played college basketball at the University of Maryland from 1994 to 1997. He was an assistant coach at his alma mater under Gary Williams from 2004 to 2011...
(now an assistant on Williams' Maryland staff.) - Steve FrancisSteve FrancisSteven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
(the second overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft1999 NBA DraftThe 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
) - Chris WilcoxChris WilcoxChris Ray Wilcox is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons. He previously played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, and collegiately at the University of Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins win...
(the eighth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft2002 NBA DraftThe 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
) - Juan DixonJuan DixonJuan Dixon is an American professional basketball player. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.-Early life:...
(the 17th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft) - Lonny BaxterLonny BaxterLonny Leroy Baxter is an American professional basketball player. He is 203 cm in height, and plays the position of power forward-center.-College:...
(the 43rd overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft) - Steve BlakeSteve BlakeSteven Hanson "Steve" Blake is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Previously, he played for the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.-High school:Blake spent his freshman and sophomore year...
(the 38th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft2003 NBA DraftThe 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
) - James Gist (the 57th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft2008 NBA DraftThe 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
) - Greivis VasquezGreivis VasquezGreivis Vásquez is a Venezuelan basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college career with the University of Maryland men's basketball team...
(28th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA DraftThe 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
) - Jordan WilliamsJordan WilliamsJordan Williams is an American professional basketball player for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . He played two seasons of college basketball for the University of Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team.-High school career:Williams played high school basketball for...
(36th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft2011 NBA DraftThe 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
)
In addition, Šarūnas Jasikevičius
Šarunas Jasikevicius
Šarūnas Jasikevičius is a Lithuanian professional basketball player who plays for Panathinaikos BC. He is a member of the Lithuanian national team, and plays the point guard position.-Early years:...
, who played for Williams in the late 1990s, was signed by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the summer of 2005. More recently, Chris McCray
Chris McCray
Chris McCray is an American professional basketball player. He formerly played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA and is a current member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce squad....
, who was academically ineligible to play basketball the majority of his senior year at Maryland, was not picked in the NBA draft, but signed a free agent contract with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks in September 2006, and D. J. Strawberry
D. J. Strawberry
Darryl Eugene "D. J." Strawberry, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He is the son of former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry.-High school:...
, son of former major leaguer Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
was signed by the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
after being selected 59th in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
. Strawberry now plays for the Reno Bighorns.
Head coaching record
See also
- List of college men's basketball coaches with 600 wins
- List of NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coach