Boston Celtics big man Grant Williams is the youngest member of the NBPA’s executive committee and one of seven vice presidents, alongside teammate Jaylen Brown. In a recent interview with Uproxx, Williams detailed his vision for what he wants the player’s union to be like. That vision starts with a more collective mindset, trying to stray away from a hierarchy of veterans over rookies to a more equal structure.
“For me, it’s always been about shifting the power balance and making it more of a whole rather than a top-to-bottom hierarchy,” Williams said. “So, like I said, rookies have just as much of a voice as a veteran does. And that’s something that, as time has gone on, players have been more open to, especially as the talent has gotten better as years have gone on.”
Williams is also adamant players need to build relationships off the court because they are the only people that truly understand what kind of position they are in. They have the ability to make real change with their voices and platforms, as they did following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Wisconsin police officer.
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“I feel like the most potential you have in life, right now, is in your NBA career,” Williams says.
“And oftentimes, we retire by 35, maybe earlier, 37. So those are the years that you create the most value and create the most lifelong relationships that you need to create. And I’ve always been vocal about using that platform to do that.”
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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