Pat Williams
Basketball executive and author
Pat Williams (1940-2024) was an American basketball executive who co-founded the Orlando Magic. He was also a motivational speaker and the author of about 100 books.
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Born 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Died 2024
About Pat Williams
Pat Williams began his sports career as a minor league baseball catcher and then worked in a baseball front office. In 1968 he moved into the NBA as a general manager, including with the Philadelphia 76ers team that won the 1983 championship. He co-founded the Orlando Magic in 1987 and later served as a senior vice president of the team. Williams also worked as a motivational speaker for companies such as Coca-Cola, Cisco and Honeywell. In 2012 he received the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He wrote about 100 books. A lifelong admirer of Walt Disney, Williams wrote How To Be Like Walt.