Monty Williams Biography – Phoenix Suns Head Coach

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Monty Williams' Bio

Monty Williams is the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Image Source: Social Media.

  • Birth DateOctober 8, 1971
  • Birth Name Tavares Montgomery Williams
  • Age 53
  • Height 6' 8"
  • Weight 225 lbs
  • Father's Name Tavares Williams
  • Mother's Name Joyce Williams
  • Birth Place Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
  • Birth Sign Libra
  • Nationality American
  • Profession Basketball Coach, Basketball Player
  • Net Worth $9 Million
  • Partner Lisa Keeth
  • Relationship Status Married
  • Eye Color Black
  • Children Lael Williams, Janna Williams, Faith Williams, Micah Williams, Elijah Williams,
  • Education Degree in Communication and Theater
  • Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Williams

Monty Williams is known for being the head coach of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. He is also a former professional basketball player who played for five different NBA teams. Moreover, he has also worked as a coach for many teams, be it in college or NBA.

Monty has gained significant fame in the basketball world. Hence, it is not a surprise when it is said many fans have shown interest in his personal life. So, this is Monty Williams’ biography, including his parents, wife, kids, and many more.

Only Child Of His Parents

The Phoenix Suns head coach was born Tavares Montgomery Williams on October 8, 1971. He is the only child of Tavares Williams and Joyce Williams Graves.

Sadly, Monty Williams’ parents separated when he was seven years old. He has claimed that he does not have a real relationship with his dad. His mom worked as a data entry clerk and raised him as a single mother.

Monty Williams' Parents
When he was seven years old, Monty Williams’ parents separated. Image Source: Joyce Williams’ Facebook.

Wiliams attended Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Then, he went to the University of Notre Dame. The coach graduated with a degree in communication and theater.

Monty Williams, Net Worth – $9 Million

As a basketball personality, the NBA coach has earned not only significant fame in his professional career but also a massive fortune. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Monty Williams’ net worth is estimated to be $9 million.

Before becoming an NBA coach, Williams had earned millions of dollars as a basketball player. So, let’s look at his earnings from his playing and coaching career.

Income As A Basketball Player

Monty played as a small forward on his high school and college basketball teams. After graduating from Notre Dame, the New York Knicks selected him as a first-round pick during the 1994 NBA Draft. He played with the team for two seasons before being traded to San Antonio Spurs.

Three years later, Williams joined the Denver Nuggets but was released within a month. He later competed for the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. His playing career was short-lived as he retired due to chronic knee problems.

In nine years of his playing career, the now-coach pocketed a considerable sum. The table below shows some of Monty Williams’ salary as an NBA player.

Team Season Salary (*Amount after inflation)
New York Knicks 1995/96 $845,000 ($1,505,463*)
San Antonio Spurs 1997/98 $1,235,000 ($2,093,228*)
Orlando Magic 1999/00 $510,000 ($833,724*)
Orlando Magic 2003/04 $1,000,000 ($1,479,020*)
Philadelphia 76ers 2002/03 $887,435 ($1,340,258*)

Table Source: HoopsHype

In his nine years of playing career, the former player earned $7.945 million ($12.26 million after inflation). After his playing career ended, he still became involved in the sports, but this time as a coach.

Earnings As A Coach

Following his retirement in 2003, Williams took a break from basketball for a few years. He returned to the sports in 2005 as a coaching staff intern with the San Antonio Spurs. The same year, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan hired him as an assistant coach.

Five years later, Monty joined the New Orleans Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans) as their head coach making him the youngest person to acquire such a position at 38 years old in the NBA. He served the team for five years.

In 2012, the head coach signed a four-year contract extension with the team that was reportedly worth $11 million. In 2015, he was fired from the team, and he joined Oklahoma City Thunder as the associate head coach. Later, he served as the assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.

In November 2020, the Phoenix Suns hired him as their head coach. As per Celebrity Net Worth, the American coach has pocketed $2.7 million a year as his salary. Hence, Monty Williams’ net worth has increased significantly over the years.

Jim Calhoun is another basketball coach who has pocketed a considerable sum in his professional coaching career.

Losing His Wife And Moving On

Life is a mixture of sunshine and hurricanes. The well-known NBA coach suffered an unbearable loss back in 2016.

In February 2016, Monty Williams’ wife since 1995, Ingrid Williams, got into a terrible accident. She and their three kids were returning from basketball practice when a sedan driven by Susannah Donaldson, a 52-year-old woman, crashed into the SUV they were driving in.

The woman and her dog died at the scene, and the coach’s spouse and kids were rushed to a hospital. Sadly, Ingrid could not make it and passed away the following afternoon. It must have been difficult for Monty to lose his partner with whom he had been together since his university days.

Following the tragic demise of his beloved partner with whom he had been married for more than a decade, a void was created in the basketball coach’s life, and the incident made him desperate to seek emotional support. The void was fulfilled when he met his now-wife, Lisa Keeth.

The couple dated for a while and tied the knot. They have not revealed much about their marital life in the media. But, the pair must be living a wonderful life together. Moreover, Monty Williams’ new wife, Lisa, seems to prefer to live away from the limelight.

Also Read: Learn About Adam Zimmer

A Proud Father Of Five Kids

With his first wife, the Suns head coach welcomed five children. Among Monty Williams’ children, three are daughters, Lael Williams, Janna Williams, and Faith Williams, and two are sons, Elijah Williams and Micah Williams. According to azcentral, he also has a stepson.

 

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A post shared by Lael Williams (@laeljoywilliams)

The kids are very close to each other and spend quality time together. Furthermore, in the 2016 crash, his daughters, Faith, Lael, and Janna, were with his late wife.

Nevertheless, the American coach seems to be living a wonderful life with his children and wife. As he is still active as a basketball coach, his net worth will surely increase in the coming days. His mom must be proud of how he has handled his professional life and grief.

Let’s hope Monty gains more success in the coming days.