BREAKING: Pat Williams, Orlando Magic Co-Founder, Dies at 84

Pat Williams was an NBA executive for 51 years, including 30-plus with the Orlando Magic. He was general manager when the team reached the NBA Finals in 1995.

Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams passed away on Wednesday from complications from viral pneumonia. / Photo courtesy of patwilliams.com

ORLANDO — Pat Williams, the longtime basketball executive and co-founder of the Orlando Magic franchise, died on Wednesday, the club announced in a press release. Williams was 84.

The cause of death was viral pneumonia, the Magic said.

“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” said Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins 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. Pat forever changed the sports landscape in Orlando."

Williams, who spent more than 51 years in the NBA, was a driving force in Orlando getting an expansion franchise on April 22, 1987. The Magic's first NBA season, with Williams serving as their general manager, was 1989.

"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," Williams' family said in a statement. "We all grew up believing that anything is possible because of his unwavering enthusiasm for what he was passionate about."

Under Williams, the Magic made the playoffs three times, including an NBA Finals appearance. He was eventually promoted to senior vice president in 1996 and held that role until he retired in 2019. His career in the NBA earned him the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Prior to helping co-found the Magic, Williams was also the general manager for the Chicago Bulls (1969-1973), Atlanta Hawks (1973-1974), and Philadelphia 76ers (1974-1986). Philadelphia made four NBA Finals appearances and won one championship in his tenure.

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