Richard Williams

Richard Williams (born August 22, 1945)

Teams coached: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State record: 191-163 (.540)
Overall record: 191-163 (.540)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  3  (1991, 1995, 1996)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  2  (1995, 1996)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  1  (1996)
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  2  (1990, 1994)
  • SEC Regular Season Champion:  3  (1991, 1995, 1996)
  • SEC Tournament Champion:  1  (1996)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2020-2021 Southern Miss (special asst)
2010-2014 Arkansas State (asst)
2009 Louisiana Tech (DBO)
2008-2009 UAB (DBO)
1986-1998 Mississippi State
1984-1986 Mississippi State (asst)

Richard Williams Facts

  • Richard Williams
  • Born August 22, 1945
  • Hometown: Pearl, Mississippi
  • Alma Mater: Mississippi State University (BA, 1967)
  • After graduating from MSU, Williams spend many years coaching at the HS and JUCO levels before getting the opportunity to come back to State as an assistant under Bob Boyd
  • Took over the program as head coach in 1986, a job he would hold for the next twelve seasons
    • Won three SEC regular season titles, one SEC Tournament and went to the NIT twice and NCAA Tournament three times
    • Crowning achievement came during the 1995-96 season, when the Bulldogs finished first in the SEC West and ended up making a run to the NCAA Final Four as a 5-seed
  • After some time away from coaching, Williams had brief stints in the ABA and WBA
    • Spent one year coaching his alma mater, Pearl HS, back home in Mississippi
  • Returned to the college ranks in 2008 as DBO at UAB under head coach Mike Davis; also had a brief stint as a volunteer DBO for Kerry Rupp at Louisiana Tech in 2009
  • Final coaching position was as an assistant at Arkansas State under John Brady, one of his former assistants at MSU
  • Retired from coaching in 2014 and embarked on a career in media as a radio commentator for MSU basketball games
  • Came out of retirement in October 2020 to spend one season as a special assistant for Jay Ladner at Southern Miss
  • Along with his wife, Diane, has one son and one daughter

Richard Williams Coaching Tree