Coach Tony Barbee announced Oct. 6 that Harper Williams has been named Auburn basketball's new administrative assistant.
Barbee and Williams were teammates at the University of Massachusetts.
"Harper comes to Auburn with a wealth of basketball knowledge, having played and coached professionally for 17 seasons," Barbee said.
During Williams' sophomore year at UMass, his team advanced to the Final Four and played at Madison Square Garden in the 1992 NCAA Tournament.
"I got a slam dunk that game at the same time my family was walking into the arena," Williams said. "That was an experience."
After his 17-season professional career with some of Europe's top leagues and coaching for Connecticut's Bassick High School, Williams began to seek other coaching positions.
Williams had plans to coach at UMass when Barbee contacted him about the administrative assistant opportunity.
"Being a 6-foot-7-inch power forward, being able to play center on two different levels and with the talent we have at Auburn, I can pass on some knowledge to a guy who has the natural ability to perform well," Williams said.
Senior guard Frankie Sullivan said Williams' relationships with the players have formed naturally.
"He's worked with the big guys and is making moves to make us better every day," Sullivan said. "When a guy comes in and soaks in everybody like a sponge, you know it's going to be great for the team."
The chemistry of the team is crucial, Williams said, and establishing relationships with each player individually is key to success.
"I don't just care about you because of basketball," he said. "I see your future. The most difficult part is that I can't always be your friend, but at the end of the day, you're going to respect what I do for you."
Williams said he is proud to be a part of Auburn's basketball program and is impressed by the attitudes he has observed among the players and students.
"One thing I really like about Auburn is that these kids are very respectful," Williams said. "I like the environment where everyone is just really passionate about sports and respecting the years of tradition."
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