Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams was more than just a man who ran an NBA team. Much more.
He once played minor league baseball, his first love, authored more than 100 books and along with wife Ruth, adopted 14 children from foreign countries. He was also a marathon runner.
That full life came to an end on Thursday, when Williams died from complications related to viral pneumonia, the Magic announced. He was 84.
“There is no Orlando Magic without Pat Williams,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He was held in such high regard in the basketball community and was a friend to me and so many generations of league executives. Pat was never at a loss for a kind and supportive word and always brought great enthusiasm, energy and optimism to everything he did throughout his more than 50 years in the NBA.
“We express our heartfelt condolences to Pat’s wife, Ruth, their family and the entire Magic organization.”
Williams began his NBA career in 1968 as the Philadelphia 76ers’ business manager. He then served stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls — before returning to Philadelphia as GM. He shaped the roster that won the NBA title in 1983.
Not long after that, Williams was heavily involved in the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. It happened in 1987, when the league’s board of governors granted a franchise in 1987. The Magic began play as an expansion franchise two years later, with Williams serving as GM. He was promoted to senior vice president in 1996.
“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins said in a joint statement. “His accomplishments will always be remembered. Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was an incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sports in multiple ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando, to transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was always ahead of the curve.”
Of course, baseball was his first love. He played catcher at Wake Forest, then signed on with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962. He later became a front-office employee and was named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News in 1967.
“He loved a challenge, and when he moved our family to Orlando to start the Magic, he was full of excitement and energy that he displayed every day,” Williams’ family said in a statement. “We all grew up believing that anything is possible because of his unwavering enthusiasm for what he was passionate about. Those who attended the games, saw him at church, or spent time with him in a social setting know that he never met a stranger and was always quick with an encouraging word. He was a giver, a teacher, the ultimate cheerleader, and he was a lifelong learner.”
Per The Associated Press:
Williams was at one time dubbed the “king of the lottery,” given the success he and the Magic had when he showed up to represent the club at the league’s annual event to determine who gets the No. 1 pick. Lottery luck fell his way three times, bringing Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway and Dwight Howard to Orlando.
“Most teams have a trophy case full of trophies,” Williams once told The Associated Press. “We have a case filled with pingpong balls.”
Williams ran 58 marathons and authored more than 100 books. He is survived by wife Ruth and 19 children, including 14 who were adopted from foreign countries.
“Diagnosed in February 2011 with multiple myeloma, Williams became an avid fundraiser for cancer research and sat on several boards for cancer groups throughout the country, including the Board of Directors for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation,” the AP wrote. “He also was a motivational speaker, often addressing groups on leadership, teamwork and the mental challenge that comes after being diagnosed with cancer, among other topics.”
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