Jimmy Williams (basketball coach)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Williams is an American basketball
coach. Williams is a native of Havana, Florida
, Williams graduated from Ashland University
in 1970.
Williams began his coaching career in 1969-1970 at Ashland University, as the head coach of the junior varsity
team. Williams became an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis in 1971. He remained with the program until 1986. He served as the interim head coach for the Golden Gophers during the 1985-86 season. During his time as an assistant at Minnesota he worked under both Bill Musselman
and Jim Dutcher
.
After two-years away from coaching, Williams returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant for J.D. Barnett and the Tulsa University in 1988. He spent two seasons in Tulsa before moving on to San Diego State University
, where he was an assistant for three seasons with the Aztecs. In 1992 he became an assistant coach and later associate head coach at University of Nebraska. He later coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Oklahoma State University. He also spent time with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
from 2000 to 2002 as an assistant. He later scouted from the Golden State Warriors
.
In the summer of 2007, Williams was offered an assistant coaching position again with the University of Minnesota
, by new head coach Tubby Smith
. Williams resigned his position at Oklahoma State. Minnesota's AD Joel Maturi
nixed the deal allegedly due to NCAA violations from 1970s and 80s at the U of Minnesota, that Williams may have been involved in. In October 2007, Williams filed a lawsuit against the University of Minnesota. Williams was awarded $1.25 million dollars by a jury for lost past and future income on 5/26/2010. Williams stated that he hopes now to return to the coaching profession.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach. Williams is a native of Havana, Florida
Havana, Florida
Havana is a town in Gadsden County, Florida, United States and suburb of Tallahassee. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,703...
, Williams graduated from Ashland University
Ashland University
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private, non-profit university that is located in Ashland, Ohio.The University offers 73 undergraduate majors and nine pre-professional programs. The majors include toxicology/environmental science and entrepreneurship, which are unusual for an institution of its...
in 1970.
Williams began his coaching career in 1969-1970 at Ashland University, as the head coach of the junior varsity
Junior varsity
Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
team. Williams became an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
in Minneapolis in 1971. He remained with the program until 1986. He served as the interim head coach for the Golden Gophers during the 1985-86 season. During his time as an assistant at Minnesota he worked under both Bill Musselman
Bill Musselman
William Clifford Musselman was an American basketball coach in the NCAA, the ABA, the WBA, the CBA, and the NBA. He was a fiercely intense coach who once was quoted as saying "defeat is worse than death, because you have to live with defeat."-Early life:Musselman was the second of five children....
and Jim Dutcher
Jim Dutcher (basketball coach)
Jim Dutcher is a former head basketball coach at the University of Minnesota.Dutcher took over the Gophers program in 1975 following the departure of Bill Musselman, previously having been a head coach at Eastern Michigan University and an assistant coach at the University of Michigan under Johnny...
.
After two-years away from coaching, Williams returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant for J.D. Barnett and the Tulsa University in 1988. He spent two seasons in Tulsa before moving on to San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
, where he was an assistant for three seasons with the Aztecs. In 1992 he became an assistant coach and later associate head coach at University of Nebraska. He later coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Oklahoma State University. He also spent time with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
from 2000 to 2002 as an assistant. He later scouted from the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
In the summer of 2007, Williams was offered an assistant coaching position again with the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, by new head coach Tubby Smith
Tubby Smith
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...
. Williams resigned his position at Oklahoma State. Minnesota's AD Joel Maturi
Joel Maturi
Joel Maturi is the athletic director at the University of Minnesota. He previously held the same post at the University of Denver and Miami University.-Early career:...
nixed the deal allegedly due to NCAA violations from 1970s and 80s at the U of Minnesota, that Williams may have been involved in. In October 2007, Williams filed a lawsuit against the University of Minnesota. Williams was awarded $1.25 million dollars by a jury for lost past and future income on 5/26/2010. Williams stated that he hopes now to return to the coaching profession.