Key Takeaways:
– Grant Williams, current Charlotte Hornets player, was previously labeled a “bad locker room guy” by Boston Celtics TV analyst Mike Gorman.
– During his tenure with the Boston Celtics, Williams admits that he faced initial disapproval from teammate Daniel Theis.
– Despite Williams’ impeccable performance for the Celtics, helping the team reach the 2022 NBA Finals, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2023.
– Following Gorman’s criticism, Williams received support from his former Celtics teammates, which he greatly appreciated.
During his tenure with the Boston Celtics, NBA star Grant Williams experienced a noteworthy rocky relationship with one of his teammates. Williams, currently playing for the Charlotte Hornets, confessed in a recent podcast that he wasn’t widely approved by everyone in the Celtics locker room, particularly by former teammate Daniel Theis.
Thorny Relationships Inside The Locker Room
In a May episode of “The Cedric Maxwell Podcast,” Williams admitted that he wasn’t universally liked by his teammates due to his unconventional personality. According to Williams, his humorous and upbeat nature didn’t sit well with everyone, causing friction within the team. The player reminisced about his initial encounters with Theis, saying he was disliked to such an extent that Theis even went forth to express his disdain openly. However, both players eventually found common ground, and Theis has now become one of Williams’ closest friends.
Williams’ Performance: A Bridge to Celtics’ Success
Despite being considered somewhat of a locker room annoyance, Williams cannot be underrated for his on-court performance. He demonstrated impressive defensive skills against rival Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks during the Eastern Conference Semifinals, contributing to Celtics’ reach to the 2022 NBA Finals. In fact, the player scored a career-high 27 points in Game 7 of the series, leading all scorers and highlighting his commendable skills. Regardless of his off-court complications, Williams’ performance certainly made him a valuable player for the Celtics.
A Surprising Trade Amid Noteworthy Contribution
However, in 2023, the Celtics traded Williams to the Dallas Mavericks. The three-team sign-and-trade deal saw the Boston Celtics land several second-round draft picks. In March 2024, Mike Gorman, a Boston Celtics TV analyst, spoke critically of Williams on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Hardy”. He labeled Williams as replaceable and dubbed him a “bad locker room guy.”
Teammates Rise to Support Williams
Post-Gorman’s comment, several of Williams’ former Celtics teammates rose to his defense. In particular, star Jayson Tatum publicly voiced his support for Williams on social media, praising him as a good teammate. Williams expressed his gratitude towards Tatum, noting that he did not even prompt Tatum to stand up for him. Williams continues to maintain a good relationship with his former teammates, exchanging regular correspondence.
Despite the scathing criticism, Williams reflected upon his four-year stint with the Celtics, contributing 6.2 average points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Yet, his reputation as a “bad locker room guy” persists, despite the hard work on the field and the support from his peers.
While this narrative unfolds, it is clear that more goes on behind a sports team’s dynamics than what is seen on the field. Whether the perceived friction positively or negatively impacts the team’s success remains a debatable question.