Pat Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and a veteran of over 50 years in the NBA, passed away on Wednesday due to complications from viral pneumonia, as announced by the team. Williams was 84 years old.
Williams began his NBA career in 1968 as the business manager for the Philadelphia 76ers. He later served as the general manager for the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks, and the 76ers, contributing to the 76ers’ 1983 championship win.
In the late 1980s, Williams played a key role in bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The NBA’s board of governors approved an expansion franchise in 1987, leading to the Magic’s inaugural season in 1989.
“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” stated Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins in a joint statement. “His accomplishments will always be remembered. Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was an incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sports in multiple ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando to transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was always ahead of the curve.”
Williams served as the Magic’s general manager until 1996, when he was promoted to senior vice president.
“There is no Orlando Magic without Pat Williams,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “He was held in such high regard in the basketball community and was a friend to me and so many generations of league executives. Pat was never at a loss for a kind and supportive word and always brought great enthusiasm, energy, and optimism to everything he did throughout his more than 50 years in the NBA.”
In addition to his contributions to the NBA, Williams was an advocate for bringing Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball to Orlando. He played baseball at Wake Forest and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization in 1962, eventually moving into a front-office role and being named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News in 1967.
“He loved a challenge, and when he moved our family to Orlando to start the Magic, he was full of excitement and energy that he displayed every day,” Williams’ family stated. “We all grew up believing that anything is possible because of his unwavering enthusiasm for what he was passionate about. Those who attended the games, saw him at church, or spent time with him in a social setting know that he never met a stranger and was always quick with an encouraging word. He was a giver, a teacher, the ultimate cheerleader, and he was a lifelong learner.”
Williams was known as the “king of the lottery” due to his success in securing top draft picks for the Magic, including Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, and Dwight Howard.
“Most teams have a trophy case full of trophies,” Williams once told The Associated Press. “We have a case filled with pingpong balls.”
Williams authored over 100 books, completed 58 marathons (including the Boston Marathon 13 times), and was an active fundraiser for cancer research after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2011. He served on several boards for cancer organizations, including the Board of Directors for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Williams received the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame, the Magic’s Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class in 2014, and the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
“The Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award was created to honor colleagues like Pat Williams who has demonstrated his enthusiasm for the game of basketball throughout his life,” said Hall of Fame Chairman Jerry Colangelo in 2012. “Pat not only made a major impact in his leadership to cultivate the Chicago Bulls organization and bring a championship to the Philadelphia 76ers, but he invested an incredible effort to bring a successful franchise to Central Florida.”
Williams is survived by his wife, Ruth, and 19 children, 14 of whom were adopted from foreign countries.
“Pat forever changed the sports landscape in Orlando,” said DeVos and Martins. “He shined a light on what those who called Orlando home already knew — that Central Florida was a fabulous place to live, work, and play. We all owe him a debt of gratitude and he will certainly be missed, but never forgotten.”
Memorial arrangements are pending, according to the Magic.
