Jimmy Williams
	Position: Assistant Coach Alma Mater: Ashland University, 1970

Jimmy Williams, who has been training both college and high school players since 2007, joined the Memphis coaching staff in early December. In his most recent position, Williams has been training players by himself and also has worked with players at the prestigious John Lucas Camp in Houston.

A well-respected coach with expertise in big man development, Williams has coached 36 players that went on to the National Basketball Association (NBA), including 15 first-round draft picks. Notables that Williams coached during his career include Dave Winfield, Mychal Thompson, Kevin McHale and Kevin Garnett. Williams is also a zone defense specialist and an excellent recruiter.

"Jimmy a veteran coach who has been at the highest level in both the college and NBA game," said Pastner. "Jimmy is one of the best big man coaches in the game, and he has worked with some of the greatest big men such as Mychal Thompson, Kevin McHale and Kevin Garnett.

"Jimmy is an energetic and upbeat coach and will be a tremendous addition to the Tigers basketball family."

In his most recent stint in Stillwater, Okla., Williams helped direct the Cowboys to a 65-36 record and three-straight postseason appearances (2005 NCAA, 2006 and 2007 NIT) from 2004-07. The 2004-05 Oklahoma State squad went 26-7, won the Big 12 Conference Tournament and earned the league's NCAA Tournament automatic bid. The Cowboys, coming off a 2004 NCAA Final Four appearance, advanced to the 2005 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in Chicago, where they dropped a heart-breaking 79-78 loss to Lute Olson's Arizona team. Josh Pastner (assistant coach) and Jack Murphy (video/recruiting coordinator) served on Olson's staff that season.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to be a part of one of the top college basketball programs in the country," said Williams. "I'm looking forward to working with the Memphis post players and helping them improve their games. "I've heard about the tremendous following that Memphis basketball has, and it's a credit to the city and community the support they give the Tigers. I can't wait to get there and be a part of it."

Williams' first "go-round" with the Cowboys was in the 1999-2000 campaign. That season, Oklahoma State posted a 27-7 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. The Cowboys were ranked sixth in the final ESPN/USA Today coaches poll that season.

Before he returned to Oklahoma State in 2004, Williams spent one season as an assistant coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. The 2003-04 Ragin' Cajuns swept the Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament titles and earned the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.

In between his collegiate coaching days at Oklahoma State in 1999-2000 and Louisiana-Lafayette, Williams jumped to the NBA, assisting Flip Saunders with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was with the T-Wolves from June of 2000 until September of 2002, when he joined the Golden State Warriors as an advance scout. During his time with the Timberwolves, Williams worked with NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett.

Prior to his first stint at Oklahoma State, Williams served on Danny Nee's staff at Nebraska from 1993-99, including the last three seasons as associate head coach. The Huskers earned seven-consecutive postseason tournament berths during Williams' time in Lincoln. Nebraska won the 1994 Big Eight Conference Tournament and claimed the 1996 NIT crown.

After a two-year coaching hiatus in the mid-1980s, Williams returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant for J.D. Barnett at Tulsa in 1988. He spent two seasons with the Golden Hurricane program, before moving on to San Diego State where he was an assistant for three seasons with the Aztecs.

Before his leave of absence from college coaching, Williams served on the Minnesota Golden Gophers staff under both Bill Musselman and Jim Dutcher for 15 seasons from 1971-86. While in the Twin Cities, Williams helped lead the Golden Gophers to Big Ten Conference championships in 1972 and 1982. Minnesota advanced to the postseason eight of the 15 seasons and finished in the Big Ten's upper division nine times during his tenure with the Gophers.

"Jimmy is a players' coach," said Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and is now the color analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers radio network. "He's knowledgeable and personable, and it's easy for players to talk to him. Jimmy is very instructional and critical, but in a positive manner. He knows how to build up confidence level in players and does it in a positive way."

Williams began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ashland University, as the head coach of the junior varsity squad. He accumulated a 12-3 record during the 1969-70 season.

A native of Havana, Fla., Williams graduated from Ashland University in 1970, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a minor in Education. He was a college division All-American for the Eagles and helped the school to the college division national championship in 1969.