Altering the Narrative
Last season Grant Williams was nothing but a below-par NBA player who played less than 20 minutes per game. He was someone former Celtics head coach Brad Stevens relied on for defense, and rebounding, but his offense was nothing but a liability. This season in 2022, former Tennessee Volunteer has evolved his game and Boston is reaping the results.
C/O: The Associated Press
There were rumors around the league last season that Grant Williams was on his way out the door. He shot 58.8% from the charity stripe in 2021, 37.2% from beyond the arc, and 43.7% from the field. Williams was put in mostly due to his defensive intensity, and his ability to make the correct decisions. Opponents would leave him open for three, and Williams would never consistently let them pay. There was no inkling that Williams would have the year that he is having, but Boston needs all of it.
His turnaround has been an essential part of the Celtics season, and the fact they turned themselves from a .500 team to a contender in the blink of an eye. Currently, Grant Williams is fourth in the NBA in three-point percentage at 43.5% behind only Luke Kennard, PJ Tucker, and Suns’ forward Cameron Johnson. He is one of only nine players in the league today to play over 20 minutes per game and shot over 42% from downtown.
Williams has allowed Boston to stretch the floor on a whole new level and created a more lethal offense for a team that already has two stars. His corner threes, and continued hustle, make Grant Williams an invaluable player for this team. Opponents have to force Williams to put the ball on the floor now, and he has taken great advantage of that.
C/O: David Butler II
In the preseason, Udoka benched Williams for complaining to the referees during a game, but in early January, the first-year coach stated, “His shooting ability and what he does defensively, he covers a lot of holes for us.”
There is no doubt that without the evolution of Grant Williams, this team would not be in the same position that they are in today. With 15 contests remaining in the 2022 NBA regular season, Williams will be one of the keys in assisting the stars of Tatum and Brown. If Horford or Williams III are out now, Williams is a seamless transition into one of the big man positions. A problem for Boston has always been shooting and continues to be shooting, but Williams is helping to alleviate this issue quite significantly.
In the last five contests, Williams has played 30 minutes in three of the games and contributed on both the offensive and defensive ends. Having a player come off the bench like Williams is a luxury the Celtics have to value given the turnaround he has made since the beginning of the season.
From a player that was almost borderline unplayable, and very much on the trade block to a key bench piece for a team that is now a dark horse contender. Grant Williams has completely flipped the script on his career and adapted to the way he needed to play with Tatum and Brown. Williams is slowly becoming a fan favorite and is a prime example of not giving up on the thing that you love to do.
