Orlando Magic co-founder and Hall of Famer, Pat Williams, passed away earlier today at the age of 84, surrounded by family, according to a press release issued later tonight.
Williams’ cause of death was due to complications from viral pneumonia.
Williams, along with local businessman Jimmy Hewitt, began the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando in 1986. On April 22, 1987, the NBA Board of Governors granted an expansion franchise to Orlando, and on December 22, 1988, the Magic sold their 10,000th season ticket, thus fulfilling their commitment to the NBA, and the Magic were born.
Williams spent well over four decades in the NBA, starting his basketball career with the Philadelphia 76ers as the club’s business manager in 1968. He followed that with his first general manager role in the NBA joining the Chicago Bulls as their GM at the tender age of 29. He remained a general manager in the league for 27 years in stints with the Bulls, Hawks, and Sixers, playing a major role in bringing the NBA title to Philadelphia in 1983. Williams served as the Magic’s GM until 1996 when he was promoted to his post of senior vice president.
Williams loved baseball and it was also a dream of his to bring baseball to Orlando, which he tried to do back in 2023, when he was stumping to lure the Tampa Bay Rays to The City Beautiful, with a new billion-dollar stadium – though he’d never live to see it.
He wrote over 100 books, was an avid runner, and completed the Boston Marathon 13 times, and is survived by his wife Ruth and their 19 children, 14 of whom were adopted.