Pensacola (Florida) names David Williams II head boys basketball coach

According to the Pensacola News-Journal, Williams was named the new head coach of the Tigers on Monday

New Pensacola boys basketball head coach David Williams II (right) stands with his father, David Williams, who was the Tigers' longtime head coach from 1986-2004, after Williams II is announced as the team's coach at Pensacola High School on Monday, April 21, 2025. / Ben Grieco/bgrieco@gannett.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Ben Grieco of the Pensacola News-Journal, Pensacola (Florida) has named David Williams II as their new head boys basketball coach.

Williams II is no stranger to the greater-Pensacola area where he spent the previous four seasons as the head boys basketball coach at Escambia High School where he went 30-56 (.348) winning percentage during his tenure with the Gators from 2021 to 2025. Before coaching at Escambia High School, Williams was the assistant under Jeremy Ruffin's staff at Escambia as well as serving as an assistant coach at Booker T. Washington.

Williams comes from a great coaching tree where his father, David Sr. coached at Pensacola High School for 19 seasons from 1986 to 2004.

Williams is a Pensacola High School alum, where he led the Tigers to the Final Four as a senior during the 2003-2004 season where they lost in overtime to Class 4A runner-up Winter Haven, playing under his father, who retired from coaching following that season.

Williams Sr. was drafted in the seventh round of the 1981 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft by the Phoenix Suns before his career was cut short due to numerous knee injuries that led him to taking the head coaching job at Pensacola High School in 1986.

"It’s surreal. My kids grew up on this campus. I know the history of the basketball program back to the 1950s. Now, it’s my son. For him to be coaching at the same place that I was. It is a great honor and a great legacy. I’m praying for the best for him. He’s prepared for this job. I’m just elated.” Williams Sr. told the Pensacola-News Journal.

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