Williams: Pistons' losing streak 'toughest challenge' of coaching career

Monty Williams' first season as head coach of the Detroit Pistons has been largely a disappointment thus far, as the team finds itself amid a 23-game losing streak.

In an interview with Andscape's Marc J. Spears, Williams acknowledged that he's currently dealing with the "toughest challenge" of his coaching career but remains optimistic about the road ahead.

"It's tough to even put it into words," Williams said when asked what he would tell fans frustrated with the Pistons. "Even with this losing streak, I'm around town, taking my kids to games, I still get an unbelievably great deal of support. And it means the world to me. But we're not done.

"I know it seems bad right now, and it is. This thing will turn, and I just have to have faith and belief. This is the toughest challenge I've had in my coaching career. But I felt that way when I got to Phoenix, and that thing turned. This one has taken a bit longer, but we've had way more obstacles."

Williams, the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year, joined the Pistons in June on a six-year, $78.5-million deal that made him the highest-paid coach in league history. He spent the previous four seasons as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, with whom he posted a 194-115 record in the regular season and a 27-19 mark in the playoffs.

The Pistons' 23-game losing streak ranks as the longest in franchise history. The longest single-season losing streak in NBA history is 26 games, set by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers.