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Monty Williams agrees to be Sixers’ top assistant

Williams compiled a 173-221 record during five seasons as the New Orleans Pelicans' coach.

Monty Williams (right), who played his final NBA season with the Sixers in 2003, will be joining the team's coaching staff.
Monty Williams (right), who played his final NBA season with the Sixers in 2003, will be joining the team's coaching staff. Read moreDanny Johnston / AP Photo
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

Monty Williams agreed to join the 76ers' coaching staff as Brett Brown's lead assistant coach.

Williams, 46, had served as the San Antonio Spurs vice president of basketball operations the last two seasons.

Williams, a former head coach of the New Orlean's Pelicans and associate head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, reunites with Brown and with the Sixers.  He played in 21 games for the team during the 2002-03 season. It was the final year of his nine-year playing career that also included stops with the New York Knicks, Spurs, Denver Nuggets,  and Orlando Magic.

He'll replace former Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, who accepted the head coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks. Williams won't have a tough time getting familiar with the coaching staff. Williams and Brown both have ties to San Antonio and Gregg Popovich. They worked together.

Williams played under Popovich in San Antonio from Feb. 8, 1996 through the 1997-98 season. Brown joined the Spurs staff in 1998. The two worked together during the 2004-05 season. Brown was a Spurs assistant coach, while Williams served as a coaching intern. At the time, Brown was the director of player development. Williams worked in development under Brown.

Recognized as a good coach and a terrific man, Williams is seen as a great hire for the Sixers.

He spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach with the Thunder. He took an indefinite leave of absence after his wife, Ingrid, died in a car accident on Feb. 10, 2016. It was announced that he wouldn't return to the team following the season.

Before going to OKC, he compiled a 173-221 record during five seasons as the Pelicans coach. Williams led New Orleans to two postseason appearances. Before that, Williams spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers. He also was an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team from 2013 to 2016.

Bridges visits Bulls

Villanova small forward Mikal Bridges worked out for the Chicago Bulls on Monday. He said that he has workouts scheduled with the Sixers and New York Knicks.  He has already worked out for the Charlotte Hornets.