BasketballBig WestHiringSWAC

NBA veteran Mo Williams hired as head coach at Alabama State

Mo Williams, who played at Alabama before his 14-year NBA career, has been hired as the new head coach at Alabama State in the SWAC. This is the first head coaching gig for Williams, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant for his old college coach Mark Gottfried at Cal State Northridge.

“Mo Williams checked the boxes that we were looking for in the next head coach of Alabama State men’s basketball, and his passion and leadership speak volumes,” AD Jennifer Lynne Williams said on Tuesday. “He is no stranger to the South, having played high school basketball in Mississippi and college basketball in Alabama.”

An All-SEC player for the Crimson Tide, Williams was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz and spent over a decade in the league playing for seven different teams. He made the All-Star roster in 2009 during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, then won a NBA Championship with the team in 2016.

“It’s a great day to be a Hornet,” he said. “I am extremely excited to become part of the family, and I am looking forward to the challenge. Go Hornets!”

Former head coach Lewis Jackson resigned in March after 15 seasons at the helm, during which time he won over 200 games and reached the postseason five times. However, the Hornets have won less than 10 games in three of the last four seasons (including last year).

 

credit to Alabama State Athletics for the image