Pat Williams, Orlando Magic co-founder, dead at 84
ORLANDO, Fla. - Pat Williams, the man who helped co-found the Orlando Magic after spending the previous 12 years as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, has died. He was 84.
Williams' family announced his death late Wednesday evening in a statement released by the Orlando Magic.
"He stepped into his eternal reward today, and as believers, we know that this is cause for celebration," the family said. "We have peace through our broken hearts knowing he’s in the arms of Jesus. He was the best husband, father and grandfather and brother anyone could ask for — a warrior, a hero, a visionary, but most importantly, a larger than life follower of Jesus."
Born in Philadelphia in 1940, Williams began his professional sports career in minor league baseball after attending Wake Forest University on a baseball scholarship. In the late 1960s, Williams joined the 76ers organization as the team's business manager and then general manager, helping them win an NBA title in 1983. He also had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks.
Williams then turned his talents to Orlando, where he and Central Florida businessman Jimmy Hewitt persuaded the NBA to grant the city an expansion franchise. The league's board of governors granted that expansion in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Williams served as the Magic’s first GM from the inaugural season in 1989 until 1996, when he became the senior vice president.
"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."
In recent years, Williams focused on bringing an MLB franchise to Orlando. In 2023, he unveiled plans for a 45,000-seat, domed baseball stadium that he hoped would someday be home to the Orlando Dreamers.
At a news conference Tuesday, Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams shows rendering of a proposed new domed baseball stadium he hopes will help lure a Major League Baseball team to Orlando, Florida. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News
Williams estimated the new stadium would cost $1.7 billion and had hoped to convince the Orange County Tourist Development task force to commit nearly a billion dollars in funding from their Tourist Development Tax, which brings in hundreds of millions of dollars every year and is specifically designed to help fund tourism projects.
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Ultimately, the task force awarded funding to other high-profile proposals submitted by the Orange County Convention Center, Florida Citrus Sport, the Amway Center, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and UCF Sports.
In addition to a career in sports management, Williams was an accomplished author, having written more than two dozen books.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and his 18 children, 14 of whom were adopted from four nations.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM THE WILLIAMS FAMILY BELOW:
"It is with great sadness that we share this news about our Dad, Pat Williams. He stepped into his eternal reward today, and as believers, we know that this is cause for celebration.
"We have peace through our broken hearts knowing he’s in the arms of Jesus. He was the best husband, father and grandfather and brother anyone could ask for — a warrior, a hero, a visionary, but most importantly, a larger than life follower of Jesus.
"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. 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 life long learner. He loved to read and he cherished his books. But the most important thing was that he was quick to talk about his relationship with Jesus. We know for a fact that he would want everyone reading this to realize that the greatest decision you will ever make is to make Jesus your friend and your Savior.
"The Lord rewarded his hard work and faithfulness, and we will miss him dearly, but his legacy will live on. He loved Orlando and will forever be etched into the heart of who we are. We say thank you for your love and prayers through these last few weeks. We know this is not goodbye, just ‘see you later.’ In true Pat fashion, we can see him standing inside the gates of heaven ready to welcome everyone and shake their hand, just as he did at Magic games! We love you Dad, and we will see you soon."