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When the Boston Celtics traded down in the NBA Draft, they were confident there would be “useful” players still available with the 46th pick rather than the 32nd pick they traded away.
That’s where Boston grabbed Kentucky center Amari Williams in Thursday night’s second round of the draft. They followed that by taking Virginia Commonwealth guard Max Shulga at No. 57.
“These are two really good players. You never know how well guys will play in the NBA for guys taken in the second round, but both these guys have been very successful where they’ve been,” Boston vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren said. “We’ve been watching both of these guys for a long time.
“They had long college careers and have been very, very successful players everywhere they’ve been. So we’ll see how they do at the next level, but they’re just really, really successful, winning college players.”
The Celtics liked a lot about the 7-foot Williams, who transferred to UK to play for coach Mark Pope last season.
“Amari, he’s been one of the best passing big men in college for a long time,” Zarren said. “He’s an elite rebounder. He’s a great guy. He had a wonderful career at Drexel and then stepped it up another level at Kentucky.
‘When you meet him, you’ll see he’s got just an enormous, enormous wingspan. And as you’ll see on the court, if you haven’t seen already, he’s got incredible vision. And those things are just key abilities in the modern NBA.”
Williams played “point center” for Kentucky and initiated the offense often because of UK’s backcourt injuries. That versatility could make him more valuable in the NBA.
“Your big guys have to be able to do all sorts of things. Sometimes we play through big guys at the post, with the guys we have had on our roster, and Amari should fit into that pretty well,” Zarren said.
Williams was just the second player in SEC history to have 375-plus points, 300-plus rebounds, 100-plus assists, 40-plus blocks and 20-plus steals in a single season.
One Response
Wait until they see how soft he is around the basket. I can’t even count how many times he had a easy dunk but instead or dunking with relative ease he would do some circus finger roll and miss from 2 feet from the basket. I guarantee he did this at least 2 or 3 times every game. He would come down and make the worst play you’ve ever seen and make everyone say who the heck is this guy. Then on the same play he would steal the ball run a fast break and find the open man or do a amazing dunk. Its like he had to mess up before he made a play. Being a great passer is what got him drafted. This is what college kids need to realize even Oweh. If he improves on his passing and averages another assist or 2 a game while retaining the same scoring average he’s a first round pick. His 3 point mechanics and passing the ball is what kept him from being a first round pick this year.