Montana guard Money Williams leaves the team after the death of his mother

MISSOULA – Sophomore guard Money Williams is taking a break from the Montana men’s basketball team following the death of his mother.

According to a news release Thursday, Williams has returned to his home in Oakland, California, to care for his siblings after his mother, Latoya Bailey, died in her sleep on Oct. 12. Williams’ father, Money Williams Sr. According to the press release, he passed away on November 29 of last year.

On a GoFundMe page created by the family asking for support, Williams explained: “With the deaths of both of our parents, my older sister Mo’Ney and I have become responsible for our three younger siblings: Joanna, Jermaine and Jeremiah Benson . “The burden of this responsibility, coupled with our grief, is immense.”

According to the press release issued by GoFundMe communications manager Jeff Platt, Williams faces the choice of leaving UM and the basketball team indefinitely “or risk having these children separated in the foster care system.”

To read Williams’ story on his GoFundMe page, click here.

Williams joined the Montana basketball program in 2023 as an expected recruit out of Oakland High School, where he won a state championship as a high-scoring guard.

As a freshman at UM last year under coach Travis DeCuire, Williams played in 12 games (with six starts) before suffering an injury Dec. 19 at UC Davis that forced him to miss the rest of the season.