After a seven-year absence, Boston Celtics center Amari Williams will have the chance to represent his country this summer. It's his first time suiting up for Great Britain's senior men's basketball team. The program recently announced he will join them for training camp and their upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifying window.
"We're excited to have Amari in the program," said Britain's head coach, Marc Steutel, per Basketball England, the nation's national governing body for basketball. "He is someone whose career is going in a direction that everybody in British basketball is very proud of, and somebody who has always shown a deep desire to play national team basketball."
Great Britain faces Switzerland in a road bout on Aug. 27 before hosting Slovakia in Newcastle on Aug. 30 at the Vertu Arena.
Amari Williams 'glad to finally have the opportunity' to play for Great Britain
The Nottingham, UK, native has remained close with a roster he is now once again a part of. He has also maintained a connection with general manager Dan Clark.
After nearly a decade away, those relationships, including with teammates he grew up with, make him even more eager to represent his country again.
"I've wanted to be involved throughout that time, but the timing has never fallen right to allow that to happen until now. I've got a lot of close friends on the roster, so I'm excited to reconnect with them and compete for our country together," shared Williams.
"Dan and I have talked a lot over the last few years. We've always been in communication, and he reaches out regularly to see how I'm doing, what's going on, [and] to congratulate me on things happening in my life. And he's always told me when it's possible for me, he wants me here. I'm glad to finally have the opportunity to come in, and I'm excited."
International run gives Amari Williams perfect springboard for Celtics training camp
Leaving Summer League, it was fair to wonder how secure the former Kentucky standout's two-way spot was. He was quiet in the Sin City C's final showing in Las Vegas. There were also instances throughout his time in the desert when he struggled to contain the pick-and-roll.
However, perhaps the most significant development was seeing him look more confident on the court. The seven-foot center didn't shy from verbal challenges. And when he imposed his physicality, the result was punishing. The prime example came on a vicious screen in Boston's last tilt of this summer's showcase.
If Williams enters his second year in the NBA more assertive, it's a game-changer. He already has the size, strength, and mobility. What he requires is consistently operating with aggressiveness.
I asked Amile Jefferson about Amari Williams carrying out the message of playing with more assertiveness.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) July 16, 2026
“Can see his confidence exuding on the game. He puts his imprint on the game very early on…I’m really proud of his growth.” https://t.co/1cuCN694yI pic.twitter.com/bwWfEimfNS
From his screens, with one of the final ones he set in Las Vegas as a shining example, to his impact on the glass, it will elevate what he brings to the table.
Just as a run with Portugal last summer was the ideal ramp-up for Neemias Queta [who is projected to remain the Celtics' starting center entering next season] before a breakout year, Williams now has the perfect springboard to training camp at the Auerbach Center.
The 24-year-old from the United Kingdom gets to build off the good and the bad from Summer League while sharpening his craft with Great Britain's senior men's basketball team.
With John Tonje joining the Portland Trail Blazers, even after Dillon Mitchell officially joined the Celtics on a two-way deal, Williams is likely to hold on to his two-way roster spot. How he's spending his time leading up to training camp will help make that a reality.
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