One of the more forgotten names on the roster, the Celtics’ 2025 second-round pick, big man Amari Williams out of Kentucky, put on a show in the team’s first Las Vegas Summer League game on Friday night. Boston pulled out a wild 83-80 overtime win over the Raptors, and Williams finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks in 29 minutes.
He looked stronger and more confident with the ball than he did as a rookie, utilizing his 6’11”, 250-pound frame to dominate the glass and get in position for easy baskets. He looked like a legit, NBA-caliber big out there, ripping down every rebound in sight and making 7-9 shots from the floor.
Already 24 years old, Williams played in 22 games for Boston last season as a rookie, but with a full year and another offseason developing under the Celtics’ coaching staff, there’s reason to think he could take a step forward this year and become a real part of the rotation. We’ve seen it with other Maine success stories like Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, and if Friday night’s performance was any indication, Williams could be the next big man to break out for the Celtics.
Williams can bring a different look to Boston frontcourt
Along with the rebounding and finishing around the rim, Williams flashed some solid rim protection, looked like a strong pick-and-roll partner with Hugo Gonzalez, and showed some promise passing the ball, even grabbing and going on a few occasions, and operating as an offensive hub in the high post at times.
What a showing by Amari Williams in Las Vegas today:
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2026
☘️ 23 PTS (game-high)
☘️ 13 REB
☘️ 2 BLK
☘️ 7-9 FGM@celtics outlast the Raptors in OT! pic.twitter.com/BLvHhu9I56
He earned the nickname “Nottingham Nikola” for a reason, and while he’s obviously never going to come close to running an offense like Jokic does, even an ability to playmake from a center is a massive advantage and a great weapon for Joe Mazzulla to add to his toolbelt.
The Celtics added Mitchell Robinson in free agency to a center room that already includes Neemias Queta and Luka Garza, so the path to rotation minutes may be crowded for Williams. But he offers a different type of skill set with his passing abilities. The team will want to keep Robinson fresh, no doubt, and Garza struggles on the defensive end.
Williams should get his opportunities this season, and if he looks anything like he did in the team’s first summer league game, he’ll have a real chance to carve out a role. If he keeps improving, it’s going to be hard for Mazzulla to keep him off the floor, and that’s a great problem for Boston to have.
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