Assistant coach Samantha Williams of the Lady Vols will not continue on Kim Caldwell’s coaching staff, per report.
According to a report from The Ball Out, Samantha Williams, an assistant coach for the Lady Vols basketball team, will not be retained on new coach Kim Caldwell’s staff at Tennessee.
Williams, who was hired in April 2021 by former coach Kellie Harper, has an extensive coaching background spanning over two decades. Her notable coaching stops include Duke from 2007-11 and Louisville from 2011-19, before joining Tennessee. During her tenure, Williams played a pivotal role in recruiting star transfer Rickea Jackson to commit to the Lady Vols. Jackson, the team’s leading scorer for the past two seasons, is anticipated to be a lottery pick in the upcoming 2024 WNBA Draft, where Williams will be present.
Additionally, Williams was instrumental in securing commitments from three recruits for Tennessee. However, one of them, Nyla Brooks, later reopened her recruitment following Harper’s dismissal.
Reacting to the news, Willie Brooks, Nyla’s father, expressed disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Not a good move, I think Coach Sam deserved the opportunity to prove herself. She is the one who has the relationship with recruits and current players.”
Williams, a former standout player at Auburn and a Parade All-American at DuPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky, holds the program record for career 3-point field goals at Auburn. She also had a brief professional basketball career with the San Jose Lasers in the American Basketball League (1996-97).
