A show of support. A call for forgiveness.
THUNDER, NBA PAUSE TO REMEMBER MONTY WILLIAMS’ WIFE
Monty Williams led his family into Crossings Community Church Thursday afternoon, hand-in-hand with his two young sons, his three daughters behind them.
There was peace inside the northwest Oklahoma City sanctuary as the Thunder assistant coach took his seat at 2 p.m., the NBA trade deadline.
Less than two hours earlier, multiple reports had Thunder players Steve Novak and D.J. Augustin being traded to Denver. Yet both of them were seated with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the rest of the Thunder players in pews adjacent to the Williams family. Just rows behind sat Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers, their teams set to play each other late Thursday in Los Angeles.
The trade deadline is a chaotic time for NBA families and front offices. But some of the league’s biggest power brokers weren’t closing last-minute deals Thursday. Future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and
Chris Paul weren’t wondering who their teams would acquire. Instead, they were in Oklahoma City for a memorial service, to celebrate the life of Williams’ wife, Ingrid, who died Feb. 10 from injuries suffered in a multi-car crash.
“It just shows what kind of guy Monty is, what kind of person Ingrid is, and the impact they made with different organizations and different coaches’ lives,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “In talking to Monty, the one thing that’s really humbled him is the outpouring of support, and the amount of people that have reached out to him and his family.”
Many players, coaches, and front-office staff from around the NBA were among the 900 in attendance. The New Orleans Pelicans, who Williams coached five seasons, returned to OKC a week after playing the Thunder here. Former NBA coaches P.J. Carlesimo, Jeff Van Gundy, Avery Johnson and Tom Thibodeau came.
They heard Dr. Mark Hitchcock from Faith Bible Church in Edmond, where the Williams family attended since arriving in Oklahoma City last summer, and Pastor Bill Gebhardt from Fellowship Bible Church in New Orleans. Both spoke glowingly about Ingrid. Gebhardt’s word to describe her: Devoted.
Then, it was Monty Williams’ turn.
He spoke of how Ingrid saved his life as an 18-yearold at Notre Dame.
Williams told the story of finding out his basketball career was over because of a heart condition. When he told his then-girlfriend Ingrid, she said, “Jesus can heal your heart.”
Williams went on to All-American honors at Notre Dame and nine NBA seasons, playing for Popovich in San Antonio and Rivers in Orlando before breaking into coaching as a Spurs intern.
As Williams stood in front of a slideshow of family photos and bouquets of red, yellow and white flowers, he talked about Ingrid’s faith and shared his own.
“We can’t lose sight of the fact that God loves us,” Williams said.
He described his desire to get home from Thunder practice just to hang out around the house with Ingrid and his five children, the seven of them “doing nothing.”
He closed by reminding everyone the Feb. 9 crash claimed two lives. Susannah Donaldson died at the site of the crash on South Western Avenue after her vehicle struck Ingrid’s head-on. Police say Donaldson was traveling at 92 mph in a 40-mph zone 1.2 seconds before the crash.
Williams said his family harbored no ill will toward Donaldson’s family.
“In my house, we have a sign that says ‘As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.’ We cannot serve the Lord if we don’t have a heart of forgiveness,” Williams said.
“That family didn’t wake up wanting to hurt my wife. We, as a group, brothers united in unity, should be praying for that family.”