Ime Udoka pokes fun at Grant Williams, praises his defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
A known talker off the court, Grant Williams did his talking on it in the Boston Celtics’ Game 2 showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Williams finished with a career-high 21 points while locking down two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on the defensive end. The impressive performance was the latest example of how much Williams has improved since being drafted by the C’s in 2019.
Forsberg: Grant Williams quickly making a national name for himself
He may not be the star that his teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are, but that hasn’t stopped Williams from letting his voice be heard in the Celtics locker room. Head coach Ime Udoka couldn’t help but crack a couple of jokes when asked about it on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand”.
“For good or bad, yes, he has a voice,” Udoka quipped on Thursday. “He’s very talkative, very opinionated. But on the floor it’s what we need, we need the communication. Very vocal and we encourage that. Off the court he doesn’t stop either, so we take it with a grain of salt and we’ll take it if he’s that vocal on the court.”
Udoka was asked what Williams’ most unorthodox opinion has been.
“That he should get plays ran for him like Jayson and Jaylen do,” Udoka answered. “I called one play for him this year against Oklahoma City when (Shai) Gilgeous-Alexander was on him. He got a post-up and Gil just blocked him at the rim and that was pretty much his one attempt.”
The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn tweeted the clip of the play Udoka is referring to:
As fun as it is to roast Williams for his quirkiness, Udoka made sure to praise the 23-year-old for his versatility and effectiveness on the defensive end.
“For a shorter guy that has that leverage, Dennis Rodman-like, he can get under the big guys and hold his ground well as far as that,” Udoka said. “He can move his feet well enough on the perimeter. That’s the versatility we need. But he’s strong enough to guard guys his size now.
“He may have the height disadvantage at times, but he makes up for that with his toughness, strength, and he’s a really cerebral guy out there that studies his opponents and knows how to get under their skin. He’s been doing a great job all year.”
Williams will look to keep it up when the C’s head to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. ET with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston.
