Gary Williams Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

Gary Williams was one of three former coaches inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Thursday night, joining Nolan Richardson, Alonzo Mourning, and David Stern in a highly decorated induction class. Williams had coaching stops at American, Boston College, and Ohio State but none more significant than his time manning the post for his alma mater Maryland.

A winner of 668 games during a 22-year tenure in College Park, Williams’ teams were characterized by loyalty and hard work. The 2002 national championship banner in the rafters is a testament to that  in the a testament to that  all came when he coached the Terps to a 64-52 win over Indiana in the 2002 NCAA championship without a single McDonald’s All-American on the roster.

Over one hundred friends, family members, and former players came to Springfield to honor the two time ACC Coach of the Year. Among them was Walt Williams, a former player who was integral to the Maryland basketball program in the early ’90s when it was still mired in sanctions from the Bob Wade era.

“Imagine you’re out there and playing as hard as you can with every ounce of energy that you have, and then you’d look over at him on the sideline and he’d give you a feeling inside that made you think, ‘I’ve got a little bit more.’ That’s the tribute to his greatness. That’s the thing he had, ” Williams said.

Whether or not that feeling was a lightning bolt of inspiration or pure fear of letting coach down, Williams always got the best out of his players when it mattered most.  He certainly left his mark at Maryland, one that Terps fans are reminded of every time they look down from the Comcast Center stands at “Gary Williams Court.”

Thursday’s induction was well-deserved for the winningest coach in the school’s history.

Forward Calvin Godfrey Transfers to Memphis
Forward Calvin Godfrey Transfers to Memphis
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