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On Draft Night, the Boston Celtics traded the 32nd overall pick in exchange for selections 46 and 57, along with two future second-round picks. When their turn came again at No. 46, they selected Amari Williams, a 7-foot center from Kentucky. The 23-year-old averaged 11 pts, 8.5 rebs, 3.2 asts, and 1.2 blks on 56/25/62 splits last season after transferring from Drexel where he won two CAA Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Getting Williams that deep into the draft was a huge win to me because he has a very unique skill set.
Mike Zarren, the Celtics’ Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Counsel, described Williams as “one of the best passing big men in college for a long time,” and the numbers back that claim up. As a Wildcat, Williams posted a 24.7% assist rate, placing him in the 99th percentile among players at his position. He was, in many ways, the engine of the Wildcats’ offense, as reflected in his 26.9% usage rate. Whether operating from the post, the top of the key, or the elbow, Williams consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to read the floor.
In a post-draft press conference, Brad Stevens reflected on the Celtics’ playoff loss to the Knicks, noting that what stood out to him “more than anything was when we got stagnant and played without pace.” He followed up by saying, “we’re gonna try to address some of that.” Williams appears to fit that directive. He has shown the ability to grab a defensive rebound and immediately initiate the offense or even take it coast-to-coast himself.
In addition to his passing, Williams ranked in the 99th percentile in both defensive rebound percentage (29.7%) and free throw rate (74.4%). While Williams shot just 62% from the free-throw line in college, there were encouraging signs of improvement during Summer League play, where he went 9-for-10 from the stripe. For a 7-footer, excelling in playmaking, rebounding, and drawing contact provides a strong foundation to build upon.
Defensively, I think Amari Williams is solid, too. He dominated at Drexel, once again earning two DPoY awards, but I didn’t think he was at that level as a defender. His year at Kentucky was more of how I’d view him. He averaged 2.0 blocks per game over his final three seasons at Drexel, before that number dipped to 1.2 last season.
Based on his college and Summer League performances, I’d classify Williams primarily as a drop coverage big, though he has shown the ability to switch on occasion. It’s not always smooth, and I wouldn’t recommend frequent switching at this stage, but he has demonstrated flashes of being able to stay in front of NBA-level guys. That said, I believe he could benefit from getting leaner and improving his lateral quickness to become more comfortable and effective in those situations.
The main weakness for Williams is putting the ball in the basket. He shot 56% from two-point range (career high) and 46% in the paint at Kentucky — 67% at the rim is slightly better but all these percentages are low for a center. He currently poses no threat from beyond the arc, and overall, his lack of touch is evident. Developing at least a reliable push shot would go a long way in unlocking more of his offensive potential as teams might decide to not guard him closely.
That said, I do believe he was somewhat miscast as a shot creator at Kentucky, which likely contributed to his inefficiency.
As I mentioned earlier, Williams was the focal point of Kentucky’s offense, with a significant portion of his touches coming in the post. While I really liked when he operated as a playmaker from that area, he was also frequently relied upon to be a primary post scorer and that is NOT where I believe he’ll make his living at the next level.
His post game isn’t polished enough to translate effectively at the NBA level at this point. Williams would occasionally flash some touch on hook shots, but more often than not, he relied on his strength to overpower defenders in the post. My expectation is that, whether in the G League or eventually with the big club, his offensive role will be simplified, primarily serving as a roll man when scoring. This should naturally reduce both the volume and difficulty of his shot attempts, ideally resulting in more efficient scoring numbers.
He shot 44% at Summer League, but there was an outlier game where he shot 3-of-10. He didn’t have the best summer outing, but his last game was really encouraging. Williams stuffed the stat sheet with 6 pts, 8 rebs, and 4 asts despite only playing the first half. He was given more of an opportunity to initiate actions, and it really paid off.
It took longer than expected, but Williams eventually signed a two-way contract with the Celtics. My expectation is that he’ll spend most of the season in Maine, though injuries can quickly shift those plans. If he does see regular season minutes, he has the tools to contribute as a screen-setter and passer. I also trust that Joe Mazzulla will have a plan to effectively space the floor around a non-shooting big, as he’s successfully done in the past.
To earn and keep those minutes, Williams will need to prove he can hold his own defensively and be consistent on the glass. Ultimately, I think his rookie season could follow a trajectory similar to Baylor Scheierman’s last year which consisted of a slow start in the G League, showing little in limited garbage-time minutes, but gradually finding his rhythm towards the end of the year.
I like Williams as a prospect and hope that he does well if given an opportunity.
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