A person’s impact is often not truly seen until they retire or are gone.
For Pat Williams, legacy extends far beyond how his teams played during his tenure as an NBA executive. Without Williams, the Orlando Magic likely would never have become an NBA franchise, and many players who played in the Magic organization in the late 1980s and 1990s would not have met a man who was much more than a co-founder and executive.
“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” said Orlando Magic president Dan
DeVos and CEO Alex Martins in a joint statement. “His accomplishments will always be
Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was a
incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sport in countless ways.
by bringing the Magic to Orlando, transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was
“Always ahead of his time. Pat forever changed the sports landscape in Orlando.”
Williams died at age 84 on July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. A celebration of his life will be held Friday at 3 p.m. ET at First Baptist Orlando.
He played in the NBA for 51 years and spent more than 30 years as an executive with the Magic. The former Magic general manager helped set the stage for Orlando to get an NBA franchise alongside Jimmy Hewitt. The work they did ultimately led to Orlando getting an NBA franchise on April 22, 1987.
“There is no Orlando Magic without Pat Williams,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He was held in the highest regard in the basketball community and was a friend to me and many generations of league executives. Pat was never short on kind and encouraging words and always brought enthusiasm, energy and optimism to everything he did during his more than 50 years in the NBA.”
Prior to leading the Magic organization, he also served as general manager of the Chicago Bulls (1969–73), Atlanta Hawks (1973–74), and Philadelphia 76ers (1974–86). Williams enjoyed his greatest success with the 76ers, who reached the NBA Finals four times and won it once.
Williams was the Magic’s first general manager in 1989 and served in that role until his promotion to senior vice president in 1996 and he served in that role until his retirement in 2019. During his tenure, Orlando made the playoffs three times, including their first NBA Finals appearance in NBA history. His NBA career earned him the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
In the first draft in franchise history, the Magic selected Nick Anderson with the 11th overall pick. To Anderson, Williams was more than just the guy who made him the first draft pick in franchise history.
“I am totally devastated,” Anderson wrote in an Instagram post“This is a sad day for basketball and for Orlando. My kids asked me, ‘Why are you crying, Dad?’ and I told them it’s because I lost a father for the second time. The last time I felt this pain was when my dad passed away. And now my basketball dad Pat Williams has gone to join my dad in heaven. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that a young kid from the streets of Chicago would be chosen to be the first player in NBA history. Pat Williams made it possible.”
Dennis Scott and Penny Hardaway were also selected by Williams. They both shared similar sentiments about the role Williams played in their careers and the emotions they felt when they learned of his passing.
“I was hurt” Hardaway said“I just shed a tear because he had such an impact in so many different ways in our lives. Not just for the city of Orlando, for the DeVos family, for us as players, but for everyone who crossed his path. He was such a smart guy, such a touching guy and a guy who saw things before they happened.”
“When someone touches you, and it’s sincere and genuine, it never leaves you,” Scott said. “When I graduated from Georgia Tech in December, I called him and said, ‘You always told me to go back to school, and I finally did.’ And now that my number is retired at Georgia Tech, he said, ‘I’ll be there.’ He can’t be there, which is why it hurts so much right now.”
It’s one thing for someone to make a team better, but it’s another to leave a lasting impression on the players who crossed their path. Williams’ role with the Magic went beyond that of co-founder and executive.
He was like a father figure to many of the players he brought into the Magic organization, and for that, his legacy and impact make him one of the most important figures, if not the most important, in franchise history.
