Grant Williams makes preseason debut for Dallas

Former Vol Grant Williams makes preseason debut for Dallas.

Minnesota defeated Dallas, 111-99, Thursday in a NBA preseason game at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Former Vol Grant Williams made his debut with Dallas.

He started at forward and recorded six points, two rebounds, one assist and one block in 16 minutes.

Williams made 2-of-7 field goal attempts and 2-for-7 three-point attempts.

Williams played for Boston from 2019-2023. He was a first-round selection by the Celtics in the 2022 NBA draft (No. 22 overall).

He was traded to the Mavericks on July 12.

Williams played at Tennessee from 2016-2019, turning professional after his junior season as a two-time SEC Player of the Year.

Dallas will next play Saturday against the Timberwolves. Tipoff is slated for noon EDT at Etihad Arena.

PHOTOS: Grant Williams through the years

Grant Williams on his time with the Boston Celtics, feud with Deuce Tatum and more

Grant also highlights the valuable lessons he learned while playing in Boston, and looks back at the tenure of now Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka when he was in that role with the Celtics.

You can take the man off the roster of the Boston Celtics, but you can’t quite take the Celtics out of Boston alum and now Dallas Maverick Grant Williams. In a recent interview with The Hoop Chat’s Emily Austin, the Charlotte native talked about his journey from college to the NBA and reflected on his time with the Celtics.

He also spoke about his academic interests, living with fellow former Celtic Kemba Walker during the COVID pandemic, and his evolving relationship with Jayson Tatum’s son, Deuce, with whom he has had a fairly one-sided feud over the years.

Grant also highlights the valuable lessons he learned while playing in Boston, and looks back at the tenure of now Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka when he was in that role with the Celtics.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to catch the chat in full!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston alum Grant Williams lauds mentor and former roommate Kemba Walker

Grant Williams and Kemba Walker both joined the Boston Celtics in 2019. The two have shared a tight friendship ever since.

The 2019 offseason was a busy one for the Boston Celtics. Shortly after drafting forward Grant Williams with the No. 22 pick in that year’s draft, Boston swung a trade for veteran guard Kemba Walker. In short order, the two newest members of the Celtics formed a friendship that lasts to this day, although both have moved on from Boston.

Walker, 33, joined AS Monaco this summer, taking his talents to the sunny shores of the Mediterranean. His former teammate Williams was also on the move during the offseason, inking a new deal with the Dallas Mavericks. The latter recently spoke about his relationship with his former mentor and roommate.

On a recent appearance with the Hoop Chat with Emily Austin, Williams shared glowing admiration for Walker’s character and leadership.

“Kemba’s one of the best vets, if not the best that I’ve had,” Williams said. “He’s a guy that is selfless. He will always offer his shirt off his back for you.”

Celtics alum Grant Williams opens up on the beef with Deuce Tatum

Williams’ ties to Boston endure, as does a mostly one-sided beef with the biggest star in the Celtics locker room, Deuce Tatum.

Even though he is no longer a member of the Boston Celtics, the ties Dallas Mavericks forward Grant Williams forged with the team that drafted him endure, as does a mostly one-sided beef between Williams and the biggest star in the Celtics locker room, Deuce Tatum.

The Tennessee alum recently opened up about that feud in an interview with “The Hoop Chat’s” Emily Austin. “Me and Deuce don’t have beef,” explained Williams. “That’s my guy.” Noting that the beef emanated from the younger Tatum, the Charlotte native explained that “it’s one of those … love-hate” things given he’ll always be there for him.

Austin and Williams got into what it’s been like watching Deuce grow up over the three years the now-Mavs swingman has been in the league; “It’s funny, he’s getting older now, he’s starting to talk.”

Check out the clip embedded above to hear what Williams had to say about his feud with Deuce and watching him grow up in the Celtics’ locker room.

Keep an eye out for more from The Hoop Chat for more from their interview with Boston’s No. 22 pick of the 2019 NBA draft.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 12

Today’s installment focuses on the 34 players who wore No. 12 over the years as of September 2023.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball played in them, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history, with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the 34 players who wore No. 12 over the years as of September 2023.

Former Celtic Grant Williams on the time Joel Embiid stepped on his head

The harrowing accident and its aftermath in Boston’s 2023 NBA Playoffs series with the Sixers was one of the more jarring moments of the postseason — and thankfully left the Tennessee alum mostly okay.

It is not every day that a 7-foot tall, 280 lb. big man steps on the head of an opposing player in the NBA, but not only did that happen to former Boston Celtics reserve forward Grant Williams, he got right up and kept playing after the medical staff got the blood from a split lip under control.

In one of the scarier moments of playoff basketball in recent history, the Charlotte native not only emerged mostly unscathed but continued to play at a high level against the man behind the unintended stop (Joel Embiid) and his ball club (the Philadelphia 76ers). The harrowing accident and its aftermath in Boston’s 2023 NBA Playoffs series with the Sixers was one of the more jarring moments of the postseason — and thankfully left the Tennessee alum mostly okay.

Williams gave his first-person account of the wild sequence on former teammate Theo Pinson’s Tidal League “Run Your Race” podcast.

Check it out for yourself in the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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How should we assess the Boston Celtics’ 2023 NBA offseason?

Whether it was a good one or a bad one is evidently in the eye of the beholder.

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The Boston Celtics had one of the more active offseasons in the NBA this summer. Whether it was a good one or a bad one is evidently in the eye of the beholder. The move to swap out veteran point guard Marcus Smart for former Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis has been a polarizing one, as has letting reserve forward Grant Williams walk in free agency.

But there is also a case to be made that this was exactly what the Celtics needed to push the club over the top after a spate of seasons ending short of the goal of winning a league-record 18th banner.

As to the eye of the beholder stuff, the folks behind the “Through The Wire” podcast got together to assess the offseasons of every team in the Eastern Conference on a recent episode.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear what they thought of the Celtics’ offseason — and strick around to hear how their peers did.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Grant Williams on how Rick Barnes’ tough love helped shape his career

Despite the challenging environment, Williams acknowledges that the tough training ultimately helped him become a better player.

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Former Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams gives Rick Barnes, his head coach at Tennessee, a great deal of credit for helping to shape him into the player he is today.

Barnes was an intense and often unorthodox coach in how he did his job, a point talked on at length by Williams on a recent appearance on former teammate Theo Pinson‘s Tidal League “Run Your Race” podcast.

The Charlotte native recounted the intense practices Barnes was known for, pushing players to their limits to make them better. He shared anecdotes about Barnes making players run extra sprints, challenging them to improve often breaking them down emotionally.

Despite the challenging environment, Williams acknowledges that the tough training ultimately helped him become a better player.

To hear the tale in full for yourself, check out the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Former Celtic Grant Williams on being drafted by Boston

From twisting his ankle in his workout for Boston to hearing his name called on the big night, Williams opens up about a key period in his life.

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Former Boston Celtics reserve forward Grant Williams made an appearance on former teammate Theo Pinson‘s Tidal League “Run Your Race” podcast this summer. He talked about his time in the NBA with the team that drafted him, as well as his college days playing for Rick Barnes at Tennessee.

Among the many topics touched on by the Charlotte native was his journey of being drafted by the Celtics, including his unexpected selection and his interactions with the brass of the storied franchise during the draft process. From twisting his ankle in his workout for Boston to hearing his name called on the big night, Williams opens up about a key period in his life.

To hear the tale of how the former Vol ended up in green and white in full, check out the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Grant Williams on facing Stephen Curry with the Celtics in the 2023 NBA Finals

Williams emphasized Curry’s playing style and its impact on and off the ball, and the former Vol praised the Dubs star’s ability to create gravity from almost anywhere on the court.

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Former Boston Celtics reserve forward Grant Williams appeared on fellow former Celtic Theo Pinson‘s Tidal League “Run Your Race” podcast this summer, and the Charlotte native opened up about a host of topics from his time with the Celtics and with the Tennessee Volunteers before that.

One of the stories he touched on was his experience playing against Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry. Williams emphasized Curry’s playing style and its effects on and off the ball. The former Vol praised the Dubs star’s ability to create gravity from almost anywhere on the court with his lights-out shooting.

To hear what else Williams had to say about his tenure with the Celtics and that fateful 2022 NBA Finals matchup with Golden State and Curry, take a look at the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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