Monty Williams, head coach for the Phoenix Suns, is from the D.M.V. area. (Courtesy Photo)
By Micha Green
AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor
mgreen@afro.com
Before his professional basketball career as an athlete and Head Coach for the Phoenix Suns, D.M.V. native, Monty Williams was fostering his skills in the Washington Metropolitan area.
As people nationwide tune into the NBA finals, those in the D.M.V have an extra layer of pride as Williams was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia and attended Potomac High School in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Williams went on to play college basketball at University of Notre Dame and then professionally in the NBA from 1994-2003, for teams including the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.
He then went on to begin his coaching career as an intern with the Spurs, an assistant coach with the Portland Trailblazers, and went on to be the youngest head coach in the league in 2010 when he accepted a position with the New Orleans Hornets.
Williams’ coaching career would lead him to several other positions including a coaching job with the U.S. National Team for the 2016 Olympics. He began as head coach for the Suns in 2019.
While Williams’ hard work and dedication to his craft has taken him far, some D.M.V. natives insist that hailing from the Washington Metropolitan area played a role in his success.
“It’s in the water,” one Twitter user from the D.C. area said.
“At some point the sports world is gonna have to give P.G. (Prince George’s County) our props for the talent we produce in the NBA,” another social media user wrote.
Others were shocked and ecstatic to hear Williams was from the D.M.V.
“On who Monty Williams is from PG? We love to see it,” one person tweeted.
Some proud D.M.V. natives are now rooting hard for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA finals.
“He’s from the DMV??? Wow, I need Suns to win it all,” a social media user wrote with excitement.
“Did not know he was from here. Rooting for the Suns even harder now,” another person tweeted.
Hip Hop Caucus, which fights for racial, climate and economic justice, wrote with excitement, retweeting a photo of Williams, “PG County Stand Up!”
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