Word of God coach Byron Williams is tailor-made to be a basketball coach

For Byron Williams, an entry door coat check is a tailor-made custom. Williams, Word Of God Christian Academy’s third-year boys’ basketball coach, will look to put his signature on a Holy Rams championship in the John Wall Holiday Invitational.

Raleigh’s Word Of God will meet Southern California Academy in Thursday’s T.J. Warren Foundation Bracket championship game at 8:30 p.m. in Wake Tech’s North Campus gymnasium.

One look inside Williams’ suit coat might reveal the coach’s signature, too. Williams, a tailor, makes his own suits. He owns 52 wear-ready suits and is guiding his teenage son’s first venture into the custom clothing business.

Williams coached previously at Raleigh’s Shaw and Saint Augustine’s universities. These schools are among the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) — a historic conference with a tournament known for high-end fashion among coaches and patrons. Williams’ wardrobe selections have offered noteworthy complements to the Holy Rams’ on-court achievements during this 49th Holiday Invitational.

“I can go real dressy, or I can get real sporty,” Williams said.

Williams’ suits include windowpane patterns among their most prominent design elements. For each suit Williams crafts, he includes a jacket, trousers, shorts and vest.

Williams donned a mauve or plum-colored suit (including shorts) with royal blue windowpane and a corresponding royal blue polo style shirt for Word Of God’s semifinals overtime win Wednesday over Combine Academy (Lincolnton). The preceding Monday, Williams wore a winter white suit with black windowpane and a matching white shirt when the Holy Rams defeated Chambers (Charlotte). Williams switched from suit pants before the game and wore shorts during the game.

“The tradition has blended together,” Williams said. “It’s just a blend of ‘old school’ and ‘new school.’ ”

The ongoing pandemic has included relaxed game attire trends for coaches at all levels. This practice extends to shoes, for which Williams advocates a different kind of fancy footwear.

“We should have been here. We’re coaching basketball in hard bottom shoes. It makes more sense to coach in tennis shoes,” Williams said.

Then, Williams continued, there is a more important reason.

“It helps us stay in tune with the players. It’s really a connection with the players,” Williams said. “The response I get when I come with a new pair of tennis shoes is amazing.”

Tennis shoes selection corresponding with game suits is as detailed a decision-making process as determining whether a defensive player should fight over or under a screen.

Williams enjoys his low-top Michael Jordan brand sneakers in part because low-top sneakers allow trousers to hang more appropriately. Williams affirmed how shoes, a strong interest of many 21st century aspiring players, empowered Jordan — the current Charlotte Hornets owner and 20th century Laney High School (Wilmington), North Carolina Tar Heels, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and U.S. Olympics legend — to remain in touch with younger generations.

Williams wears his Kobe Bryant shoes to pay tribute to the late Lakers and U.S. Olympics star.

There, too, is the question whether Jordan or Bryant is recognized more among current players.

“That’s a North Carolina question,” Williams said. “MJ is the best.”

This story was originally published December 30, 2021 at 4:53 PM.