Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year and Atlanta basketball legend Lou Williams founded Winner’s United in 2024. They have quickly established a presence on the grassroots circuit and are building momentum heading into this season. Here is what you need to know about their program and what they are built upon.

Program at a Glance

Year founded: 2024
Home base: Atlanta, GA
Founder: Lou Williams
Director: Matt Grier
 2026 Coaching Staff: Lou Williams, Mathew Grier, Kenny Butler, Ty Young, Bill Humphries, Tyrone Turman, TJ Stargell, Perrieion Snow, plus many more
Program Motto: Pressure Creates Diamonds. We Create Blue Magic.
Circuit: Nike EYCL

Players to track this season:

Class of 2027 -Jasiah Wymbs
Class of 2028 – Hailey Houlder, Taylor Liberal, Ja’Nyrie Robinson
Class of 2029 - Jada Williams
Class of 2030 – Melody Ashford
Class of 2031 – Marley Walker, AJ Abdaltam
Class of 2032 - Amayra Minus

Empowering Females Through Basketball

Just one year after retiring from the NBA in 2023, Lou Williams returned to his Atlanta roots to launch Winner’s United, creating a girls' program designed to compete at elite grassroots levels. Williams is now putting together a girls’ program that will become must-watch in the girls’ basketball scene.

Director Matthew Grier spoke to On the Radar Hoops last week and had this to say on the direction of the club. “Our mission is to empower young girls through basketball, providing them with opportunities to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills both on and off the court.”

Just Getting Started

There is no shortage of talent in the Atlanta area. On the other side of that equation, there are many programs competing for the services of that talent. Every major shoe circuit has a grassroots program representative in the city. In this competitive environment, only the best can rise to the top. Winner’s United feels confident with their position in the Atlanta girls’ basketball community.

“We think we have the best middle school group in the state and probably in the country coming up. They have experienced early success and continue to get better and stronger.”

Beyond the talented young group the program has, Grier is optimistic about the high school teams that are returning. He explains, “Our 2027 group was rolling through the EYCL finals last July, before the incident at Run for the Roses. That unfortunate circumstance brought an abrupt end to a successful summer. We're returning focused and positioned for continued growth this season and beyond."

Track Winner’s United on their journey this year by following them on Instagram @WinnersUnitedBasketball.

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. You can reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com and follow him on X @CoachHemi and Instagram @Coach_Hemi.