The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- robwms22@uab.edu
- Alma Mater:
- UAB '13 / M '17
- Experience:
- 3rd Season
- Hometown:
- Greenville, Miss.
UAB men's basketball head coach Andy Kennedy announced the hiring of former UAB player Rob Williams as the Blazers' new assistant coach on May 5, 2023.
The 2025-26 season saw UAB post an outstanding 9-0 conference record and became the second team in American Conference history to ever go undefeated in conference play (2022-23 Houston also did it). UAB won 10 straight road games which was tied for the longest streak last year behind Michigan (W11) and Miami (OH) (W15).
During the 2024-25 season Williams helped guide the Blazer to a 24-13 record and an NIT quarterfinals appearance. UAB went up to Philadelphia and beat Saint Joseph's 69-65 before two games out in California. The Blazers first beat Santa Clara before dropping the quarterfinals to UC Irvine, who made the NIT Championship. Kennedy also led UAB back to the American Conference Championship for the second year in a row and has made four straight conference championship appearances dating back to 2022 with Conference USA.
Williams has helped coach Kennedy win 145 games over the last five seasons, which is tied for the 15th most in NCAA during that period. Junior Yaxel Lendeborg helped UAB to 24 of those wins this season and was named AAC Defensive Player of the Year / AAC First Team All-Conference. He has the most double-doubles in UAB and AAC History with 45. Lendeborg was later drafted 11th overall in 2026 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. Alejandro Vasquez was named to the Second-Team all conference.
The coaching staff led the Blazers back to the NCAA Tournament during the 2023-24 season for the second time in three years even after losing five of their six leading scorers from the previous season, including the No. 5 scorer in the nation Jordan “Jelly” Walker and future NBA player Trey Jemison. The staff led the Blazers to wins over two ranked opponents in a single season for the first time since the 2009-10 season with wins over No. 19 Memphis and No. 20 Florida Atlantic. UAB also defeated Maryland during the Asheville Championship, marking the Blazers’ first win over a active Big Ten school since 2006.
Williams spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Denver. During his time in the Mile High City, Williams oversaw steady growth for the Pioneers. Denver's seven conference wins in 2021-22 matched its total from the previous three seasons combined. In 2022-23, Williams and Denver matched the program's highest win total since the 2016-17 season.Denver averaged 72.7 points per game during the 2022-23 season, the program's highest scoring total since the 2017-18 season.
Williams spent five seasons on staff at UAB before he served as an assistant at Denver. After serving as a Graduate Manager for two seasons from 2015-17, he was promoted to Director of Player Relations and served in that role from 2017-21.
Prior to his role on staff, Williams spent five years as a player in the Blazers' program and drew 81 starts in 123 career games played. He finished his career in 2014 with 580 rebounds and ranks 10th all-time at UAB. Williams also served as one of the Blazers' top threats from beyond the arc and knocked down 54 three-pointers over his final two seasons.
Williams was part of a 2010-11 Blazer team that won the Conference USA regular season title and reached the NCAA Tournament.
Following his graduation with a degree in communication studies, Williams toured the United States with an Athletes in Action team.
Williams returned to UAB in 2015 to pursue a master's degree in communication management.
