Bryston Williams

Bryston Williams is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the University of Iowa men's basketball program.

During his first season in Iowa City, Williams helped guide the Hawkeyes to the program's first Elite Eight appearance in 39 years and its first Sweet 16 since 1999. As a No. 9 seed, Iowa downed three higher-seeded teams -- No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska.  The Hawkeyes led their South Region title game with seven minutes remaining with a Final Four spot on the line.

Iowa's 73-72 win over top-seeded Florida gave the Hawkeyes their second victory all-time against a defending national champion. Iowa became the ninth No. 9 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed and just the sixth No. 9 seed all-time to advance to the Elite Eight.

The Hawkeyes finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-13 overall record, with the 24 victories tying for the fifth-most in a single season in program history.  The team finished the season ranked 15th in the final Associated Press poll.

Iowa, which featured 12 transfers among its 14-player roster, won three NCAA Tournament games in 2026; by comparison, the program had combined for just four NCAA Tournament wins in the previous 24 seasons.

Senior guard Bennett Stirtz, who made the jump from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa City, was as good as advertised. Stirtz earned honorable mention All-America honors from The Associated Press and the USBWA, alongside first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media after averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds.  He played 40 or more minutes 17 times during the season and finished with a program record 1,396 minutes.

Stirtz elevated his game from a second-team All-MIAA selection at the Division II level to an All-American in the Big Ten.  He was the only player in the nation to record 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90+ 3-pointers and 50+ steals, becoming one of just three Power Conference players all-time to post those single-season numbers.

Stirtz became the first Hawkeye with 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a season and just the third Hawkeye ever to score 700+ points.  His 734 total points were the fourth-most in a single season in Iowa history.

Stirtz was selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft with the 16th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.  He is the third point guard in Hawkeye history to be selected in the first round.

Williams spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach on Ben McCollum's coaching staff at Drake.  He helped guide the Bulldogs to a school-record 31 victories, a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular-season and tournament title and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by way of a 67-57 upset win over sixth-seeded Missouri.

Williams helped rebuild the Drake roster, as the Bulldogs brought in a combined 10 transfers and first-year players.  Under his guidance, Stirtz was named the MVC Larry Bird Player and Newcomer of the Year, while being named a finalist for both the Riley Wallace and Lou Henson Awards.

The St. Joseph, Missouri, native came to Iowa City after serving as an assistant coach at Drake (2024-25), Wyoming (2023-24) and Indiana State (2021-23) at the collegiate level, while also spending time in the NBA and G-League.

During his stint at Indiana State, Williams coached the Sycamores to 23 wins during the 2022-23 season.  The team made its first postseason appearance since 2014, earning the top seed in the College Basketball Invitational.

Before making the move to Terre Haute, Williams spent three seasons as an assistant for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. He developed the team’s mechanical shooting program, assisted with pre- and post-practice workouts, broke down film and postgame reports.

Earlier in his career, Williams gained professional experience working in the NBA G League with the Memphis Hustle during the 2017-18 season and coaching the Iowa Energy during the 2016-17 season.

A former player, Williams was a member of Ben McCollum’s first recruiting class at Northwest Missouri State in 2009.  He scored more than 700 points, helping secure two MIAA conference titles and a Sweet 16 appearance as a senior. Following graduation, he served as a graduate assistant under McCollum for two additional seasons, contributing to two more MIAA titles and Sweet 16 runs.

Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate recreation in 2014 and a master’s degree in applied health science in 2016 from Northwest Missouri State. He and his wife, Hannah, have three children – daughter Kamryn and sons Kyrie and Kayson.

Career
2014-16	Graduate Assistant, Northwest Missouri State
2016-18	Assistant Coach, Memphis Grizzlies
2018-21	Assistant Coach, Detroit Pistons
2021-23	Assistant Coach, Indiana State
2023-24	Assistant Coach, Wyoming
2024-25	Assistant Coach, Drake
2025-pres.	Assistant Coach, University of Iowa