Ex-Suns exec criticizes Monty Williams for speaking to Bucks in locker room

Monty Williams was widely praised throughout Phoenix’s Finals run. But one former Suns executive is now offering a strange criticism of him.

Amin Elhassan of Meadowlark Media appeared this week on “The Rich Eisen Show.” During the episode, Elhassan criticized Williams for entering the Milwaukee Bucks locker room during their championship celebration to offer congratulations. Elhassan said:

“I felt like it was a little too ‘Look at me Louie’ out there. I mean, you’re gonna walk into the winners’ locker room in the middle of their championship celebration, make them pause the celebration to say a big speech about how, ‘You’ve made me a better coach. You made us a better team.’ Come on.

“If you’re that empathetic where you know, ‘Hey even in this moment of defeat, I gain a kernel of victory by having faced this formidable foe,’ then you’re empathetic enough to know, ‘I’ll just wait until I catch ’em in the hallway.' Let them have their moment. Call them later.”

It’s worth nothing though that Elhassan prefaced his comments by saying that Williams “is an excellent human being,” “a genuine good guy” and “a very good coach.”

Regardless, the criticism from Elhassan, who served as Phoenix’s assistant director of basketball operations from 2008 to 2011, seems a bit odd. If you watch the video, Williams was in Milwaukee’s locker room for less than 15 seconds to offer his congrats before going on his way. It was a classy gesture and a strong show of sportsmanship that was an excellent capper to a hard-fought Finals series.

Something about it clearly did not sit right with Elhassan. But the former ESPN personality is known for stoking controversy with his takes.