Magic co-founder Pat Williams encouraged, impacted those around him

ORLANDO, Fla. — To those in Orlando and around the NBA, his name was Nick Anderson.

To Magic co-founder Pat Williams, the franchise’s first-ever draft pick went by his birth-name.

“I can’t recall a time that Pat Williams called me by Nick,” Anderson told the Orlando Sentinel via phone Thursday. “It was always, ‘Nelison, how are you doing?’ and that always stuck with me.

“It was special because a lot of people didn’t know that but Pat Williams surely did,” he added. “It meant a lot to me.”

Anderson first met Williams, who died Wednesday at 84, during a workout in downtown Orlando ahead of the 1989 NBA draft. A second workout with Anderson was held, and when draft day arrived, the Magic informed his agent that they would select him No. 11 overall if he was available.

“Minnesota took Pooh Richardson and there I was at 11,” Anderson recalled. “And Pat Williams brought me to Orlando. I’m forever grateful for him doing that.”

Anderson’s life changed. And so did the fortunes of the Magic.

But the organization would have never come to fruition if it weren’t for Williams’ pitch to the league to bring a franchise to Orlando with help from businessman Jimmy Hewitt.

A teammate of Anderson’s on the Magic inaugural squad was Jeff Turner, who at the time was playing in Italy after beginning his pro career with the then-New Jersey Nets.

Before Turner signed as one of the franchise’s first free agents, Williams made him and his wife make a promise to do something for the Magic general manager.

“We kind of both looked at each other and we were waiting,” Turner told the Sentinel. “And he said, ‘I need you to move and live in Orlando full-time. I need you here to help me build this thing year round.' ”

Turner had just built a house in Nashville, Tenn., and when he wasn’t playing basketball, that’s where he and his wife spent their time. But it was Williams who convinced them to move to the area and set the foundation of the franchise.

“When you’re a young professional athlete, particularly in the NBA, you’re so wrapped up in yourself and in your career,” Turned said. “Pat got me to think more long-term. This was a chance to make Central Florida my home. He just had a vision and I bought it.

“I’ve been here 35 years,” he added. “That’s that vision.”

Williams made a similar sales pitch to Turner’s eventual broadcast partner and longtime Magic play-by-play voice David Steele.

Steele had his dream job as the play-by-play voice of the Florida Gators, but Williams wanted him and his wife to move from Gainesville. It was not an easy decision to depart the Gators and move to a city which at the time was much smaller than it is today.

“But he was so convincing,” Steele said of Williams. “I did a lot of research on him and research on making a move from a university like the University of Florida to a professional sports team. One thing that kept coming up when I talked to people in the know — other broadcasters who were maybe national or regional — they said the same thing: ‘Don’t go to just any professional sports team. Make sure it’s going to be a place that is a quality organization with quality, high-character people running the show.’

“It was really important in making that decision to feel confident that this was going to be a first-class organization in Orlando and Pat really presented it as that,” Steele added.

Tragedy had struck Steele’s family around the time he was deciding. His mother had died less than a year before the Magic were set to debut.

Williams sent Steele a package in the mail with a note expressing his condolences, along with a small book about dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“I really thought that was a really kind gesture and it just drew me even more to the feeling that this was going to be a place that I would be very comfortable working,” Steele said.

That experience made Williams different from other league executives. According to Anderson, Williams had an open-door policy for those inside the organization whether you were a player, part of the front office or simply just a janitor in the building.

The author of more than 100 books, Williams was available to talk to about anything in life and often offered advice or encouragement.

“It wasn’t about him,” Steele said. “He was a great people person and people were drawn to him because of his personality and enthusiasm, but also because you could tell really cared.”

Williams’ connection with people went beyond the Magic organization and just basketball. He impacted those in the community as well.

That included longtime Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer, who heard from Williams often in recent years. The Magic co-founder wanted to bring a Major League Baseball team to Central Florida and call them the Dreamers.

“Pat was always high energy, enthusiastic about his cause whatever it may be. It was basketball in the beginning or the baseball he was pitching towards the end,” Dyer told the Sentinel.

“I will remember Pat as someone who’s passionate about everything he did, was excited about something every time I met him and as a person who was probably the catalyst for the city of Orlando becoming the best sports destination in the country,” Dyer added.

Whether someone had played for Williams during the course of his 51 years in the NBA, including 30-plus with the Magic, or interacted with him in the community, he left his imprint on people because of who he was — a kind-hearted and charismatic person.

And that was clear to Anderson from the moment he met Williams ahead of the draft.

“I don’t say a whole lot but I know what he’s done for me in so many different ways,” Anderson said. “There were so many great players that they could have chosen before me, but Pat Williams chose me and I am forever thankful.

“Someone saw something that I maybe didn’t see in myself and that was Pat Williams.”