Orlando Magic co-founder and former general manager Pat Williams dead at 84

A former minor league baseball player and NBA champion GM was vital to the effort of bringing the Magic to Orlando.

By Sam Albuquerque
| 12:00 p.m. July 27, 2024

Sports

Orlando Magic co-founder and former general manager Pat Williams died July 17 from complications relating to pneumonia. He was 84.

“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” team officials said in a 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. He shined a light on what those who called Orlando home already knew - that Central Florida was a fabulous place to live, work and play. We all owe him a debt of gratitude and he will certainly be missed, but never forgotten.”

Williams, a former minor league baseball player, not only served as the general manager for the Magic but also spent time as the GM for the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers — where he helped build the team that won the 1982-83 NBA Championship by trading for Hall-of-Famers Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone.

For the Magic, he was the GM who led the young franchise to the 1994-95 NBA Finals by drafting Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway and signing free agent Horace Grant.

author

Sam Albuquerque

A native of João Pessoa, Brazil, Sam Albuquerque moved in 1997 to Central Florida as a kid. After earning a communications degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida, he started his career covering sports as a producer for a local radio station, ESPN 580 Orlando. He went on to earn a master’s degree in editorial journalism from Northwestern University, before moving to South Carolina to cover local sports for the USA Today Network’s Spartanburg Herald-Journal. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his lovely wife, Sarah, newborn son, Noah, and dog named Skulí.