Pat Williams, a longtime NBA executive who built the 1982-83 NBA champion Philadelphia 76ers as general manager and co-founded the Orlando Magic, died Wednesday in Orlando, Fla. He was 84.
The Magic announced he died at a hospital in Orlando from complications of viral pneumonia, a team official said.
“He will be forever remembered for his achievements,” Magic chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins said in a joint statement. “He was a brilliant visionary with unparalleled optimism and unmatched energy who helped change the world of sports in so many ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando to transforming the marketing and promotion of sports, he was always ahead of his time. Pat changed the world of sports in Orlando forever.”
Williams served as general manager of the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks before spending 12 years as GM of the 76ers. His biggest accomplishment was negotiating the trade that transferred the rights of Julius Erving from the New York Nets to the 76ers. Over the next few years, Williams drafted guards Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney and bolstered the 76ers' roster by acquiring Moses Malone, the reigning NBA MVP. Under Irving and Malone's guidance, Philadelphia went 65-17 in the 1982-83 regular season and swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
In 1986, Williams left the 76ers to join Orlando-area businessman Jimmy Hewitt and begin work on bringing an NBA expansion team to Orlando. Initially, many observers considered the effort a failure, but Williams, a seasoned promoter who counted former MLB owner Bill Veeck among his heroes, persuaded the NBA Board of Governors to bring a team to Orlando.
“It's hard to imagine it happening without him and Jimmy Hewitt,” Martins said. Athletic 2019.
“If it wasn't for Pat's hard work rallying the community together and helping people understand what the NBA and professional sports is, this team wouldn't be here and the NBA likely wouldn't be in Orlando,” Martins said.
“Without Pat Williams, there would be no Orlando Magic. He was a highly respected figure in the basketball community and a friend to me and generations of league executives,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement released early Thursday morning. “Pat was a kind man who never lacked a word of encouragement and always brought enthusiasm, energy and optimism to everything he did throughout his more than 50-year career in the NBA.”
Williams served as general manager of the Magic from the team's founding until 1996. During his tenure, he drafted Shaquille O'Neal with the No. 1 pick in 1992 and again with the No. 1 pick in 1993, trading Chris Webber for Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and three future first-round picks.
In 2011, Williams announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a treatable but incurable disease. A year later, he was awarded the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In recent years, Williams has often attended Magic home games, sitting in the lower row, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and reading a book during breaks.
Upon retiring from his ceremonial role with the Magic in 2019, he said: “I'm retired from basketball, but I'm not retired from life. I'm not a golfer. I'm not a fisherman. I don't play shuffleboard.”
“And I'm really motivated for the next chapter in my life,” he added. “I'm a builder. … Looking to the future, I'd like to dive back into architecture starting this afternoon while I'm still healthy.”
He spent the last few years of his life trying to bring a major league team to Orlando.
Williams is survived by his wife, Ruth, and 19 children, 14 of whom were adopted.
“He loved a challenge, and when he moved his family to Orlando to start with the Magic, he was filled with excitement and energy every day,” the Williams family said in a statement released Wednesday.
“We all grew up believing anything was possible thanks to his unwavering enthusiasm for the things he was passionate about. Those who attended games, saw him at church or spent time with him in social settings know that he never met a stranger and was always quick to offer an encouraging word. He was a giver, a teacher, a great cheerleader and a lifelong learner. He loved to read and cherished books. But most importantly, he was quick to talk about his relationship with Jesus.”
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(Photo of Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt: Courtesy of the Orlando Magic)
