Monty Williams took his first NBA head coaching job with the Hornets at a time when the franchise was defined by uncertainty.

Star players were looking to leave and no one knew who the next owner would be, or even if the team would remain in New Orleans long term.

Williams kept his focus on coaching, and has been rewarded with a four-year extension running through the 2015-16 season.

"The problems we have in the NBA are really good problems to have," Williams said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, the day the club announced his extension. "I would have loved to have all the ducks in a row and all the other good things everybody else had in their organizations, but that just wasn't my reality and at the same time my job hadn't changed and my players needed me to be focused on my job."

The new deal comes as the 40-year-old Williams heads into the final year of the first head coaching contract he signed in 2010.

The Hornets didn't release contract terms. Williams confirmed the length of the extension, but declined to discuss his pay other than to say, "It's more than I deserve."

Williams took the Hornets to the playoffs his first season with a 46-36 record. Last season, the club went 21-45 after trading star Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal that helped New Orleans build for the future with the acquisition of 23-year-old shooting guard Eric Gordon and an additional first-round draft choice.

The Hornets then won the NBA's draft lottery, selected Kentucky star Anthony Davis first overall and added Duke's Austin Rivers with the 10th pick.

This offseason, the Hornets have traded to acquire forward Ryan Anderson from Orlando and center Robin Lopez from Phoenix.

"The Hornets have a promising future and an exciting young nucleus," said Hornets executive vice president Mickey Loomis. "It is our opinion that Monty is the perfect coach to develop and lead this group of talent going forward."