A social media video depicting a well-known NBA coach praying with a colleague on national television is going viral for what it depicts: A Christian leader comforting a friend in his loss.
The video shows Phoenix coach Monty Williams shaking hands and speaking to Houston’s Stephen Silas on the court seconds after Silas’ team won 111-97. Silas’ father, former NBA player and coach Paul Silas, passed away three days prior to the game.
In the video, Williams embraces Silas and then prays for him for nearly 30 seconds.
The video was posted on social media by Jason Romano of Sports Spectrum. Romano called Williams the “real deal.”
Suns coach Monty Williams is the real deal. After a tough loss, he embraces Houston coach Stephen Silas and PRAYS for him after the loss of his dad Paul Silas. Beautiful display of love and empathy. pic.twitter.com/MevvBp13At
— Jason Romano (@JasonRomano) December 14, 2022
“Beautiful display of love and empathy,” Romano wrote.
The television broadcaster called Williams a “class act” for his action. Williams was the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year.
“Monty… True, Authentic, Man of God,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“This is the greatness of sport. Life is bigger than ball,” another person wrote.
An outspoken Christian, Williams was profiled for a recent edition of Sports Spectrum, which covers Christian athletes and coaches. Williams remained humble during the interview.
“On a really good day, I’m pretty average at coaching. I know that. I’ve been around the great ones, and I kind of know I’m not that, and so I rely on the Lord to do what He’s gonna do through me,” Williams told Sports Spectrum. “The only thing I know that I can do every day is serve others, and that’s basically the foundation of my coaching.”
A lifetime of service, Williams said, is what “Jesus mandated.”
“One of my anchor verses is Colossians 3:23, doing my work as ‘unto the Lord and not unto man.’ Another anchor verse for me is Matthew 6:33: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.’ Those two verses help me in my coaching because no matter what’s going on, a big win or tough loss, I know that I’m there to do God’s will. I don’t do it well, and I fail daily. But that’s my reference point. That’s my lighthouse. In doing that, my goal is to serve and to elevate people as best I can.”
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Ronald Martinez/Staff
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.