Regardless of if you're a player or a coach, the NBA is a fraternity. Well, according to Cleveland Cavaliers insider Chris Fedor, that mentality played a huge part in the team hiring Jawad Williams as an assistant coach.
In a full-circle moment, Jawad Williams has joined head coach Kenny Atkinson’s staff on the Cleveland Cavaliers in an assistant role after he spent the full length of his NBA playing career in a Cavaliers uniform.
The ‘05 national champ is getting a new opportunity in the NBA coaching ranks. After being a member of the 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels national championship-winning men’s basketball team, Jawad Williams had a playing career that took him around the world, but did include some time in the NBA.
Cleveland Cavaliers fans have reason to celebrate this week when local legend Jawad Williams returned to the team in a new role. Williams, once a standout at St. Edward High School in nearby Lakewood, now joins Kenny Atkinson’s coaching staff as an assistant coach and player development leader.
Part of what makes the NBA, or any pro sports league, so compelling to watch is the narratives, especially those centered on rivalries. Throughout the decades, the NBA has fostered a number of rivalries, some long-lasting and others short but sweet.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson has lost several assistants. He just added another. Per a team announcement, the Cavaliers have hired Cleveland native and former Cavs forward Jawad Williams as assistant coach.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster is certainly a point of emphasis for the front office heading into the offseason, the coaching staff also needs attention.
Former four-year UNC basketball forward Jawad Williams retired as a player in the Japanese B.League two years ago. The 2005 Tar Heel national champion,