The Boston Celtics just selected Amari Williams with the No. 46 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, beginning the process of replacing the minutes they lost in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Obviously, the Celtics will still have the chance to re-sign Luke Kornet and Al Horford in free agency, but bringing in a fresh young face to their center room is a very interesting addition.
Williams is a big-bodied center with a massive wingspan who could be an intriguing pick-and-roll project for the Celtics to work with. The big man will turn 24 years old during next season, but age hasn’t been a deterring factor for Boston with previous selections in recent years (see Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson).
If the Celtics can develop him well, Williams could be a solid long-term piece for them.
What does Amari Williams bring to the table?
With his 7-foot-6 wingspan, Williams is an absolute monster down low, capable of swatting shots and sending people packing at the rim. He’s also a fairly capable scorer in post-up positions, which bodes well for his touch around the rim in general.
Perhaps the most intriguing part about Williams’ game is his passing, which Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor is very high on.
“He’s at his most comfortable as a facilitator, handling the ball on the perimeter, finding cutters with speedy bounce passes,” O’Connor wrote. He can also look for his own shot, straight-line driving to the basket.”
O’Connor compared him to current Celtics center Neemias Queta in his 2025 NBA Draft guide, though Williams didn’t get into a ton of foul trouble at Kentucky, which could be a good sign for his development in general.
The biggest knocks on Williams are the classic ones that come with most towering big men: He doesn’t move well on the perimeter, and he’s not a great three-point shooter.
Williams won’t be the guy to switch onto guards and chase them around the three-point line when other teams try to target him. He’s just not fast or agile enough to play that role.
And during his time with the Wildcats, Williams was a non-shooter. He didn’t make a single three in college, but that’s okay. The Celtics have already proved capable of playing non-shooting centers with Luke Kornet playing big minutes in their lineup.
Still, adding another big-bodied center in Williams will immediately help the Celtics start replacing some of the minutes the Porzingis trade left behind, even if it's in a develpomental role (and with him spending some time in Maine).