Herb Williams

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Lore & Background

Williams arrived in New York in 1992, spending seven years as the primary backup to Patrick Ewing. His time with the franchise was defined by resilience and leadership during critical moments. The team reached the NBA Finals in both 1994 and 1999, with Williams serving as a key leader on the roster. In the 1999 series, he held the unique distinction of being the only Knicks player to appear in both the 1994 and 1999 Final series, as Ewing was injured during the 1999 run. Even when playing sparingly, his presence on the bench and in rotation provided stability for a team that reached the championship round twice.

In Their Own Story

The path to New York began with Williams being drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 1981, where he played until February 22, 1989. That day marked a major turning point when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Detlef Schrempf. After stints elsewhere, he found his long-term home with the Knicks in 1992. His career included a brief detour during the 1996 season; he played just one game, totaling 31 minutes, for the Toronto Raptors before being waived and immediately returning to New York. He retired after the 1999 Finals following six regular-season games and eight playoff games that year. Four years later, in 2005, he returned to the organization as an assistant coach, eventually serving as interim head coach when Lenny Wilkens resigned.

Reader's Guide

Herb Williams' coaching career with the Knicks began four years after his retirement as a player. He served under head coaches Don Chaney and Lenny Wilkens before taking over as interim head coach in 2005 following Wilkens' resignation. His tenure as acting head coach lasted only until July 26, 2005, when Larry Brown was hired. Williams returned to the bench for the final two games of the 2005–2006 season after Larry Brown fell ill. He continued as an assistant under Isiah Thomas and Mike D'Antoni, remaining on staff through Mike Woodson's era until Phil Jackson fired the entire coaching staff in 2014. Williams also coached for the Knicks' NBA Summer League team and was hired as an assistant coach for the WNBA's New York Liberty on March 26, 2015.

Did You Know?

• Williams played exactly one game (31 minutes) for the Toronto Raptors in 1996 before being waived and returning to the Knicks.
• He is the only Knicks player to appear in both the 1994 and 1999 NBA Finals series.
• After retiring as a player, he returned four years later to become an assistant coach for the Knicks.
• Williams served as interim head coach of the Knicks during the final two games of the 2005–2006 season due to Larry Brown's illness.