Grant Williams Ejection for Foul Jayson Tatum Example of Doing Too Much..
CHARLOTTE — Jaylen Brown firmly labeled the hit as intentional, while Derrick White expressed surprise, noting that the entire Celtics team felt similarly. Jayson Tatum, who scored 32 points in 36 minutes on Friday, didn’t speak to the media after taking the blow. He quickly got back on his feet and walked to the free throw line amidst the chaos.
In contrast, Grant Williams, who acknowledged committing a flagrant two foul on Tatum in the fourth quarter, described the incident as an accident while attempting to play the ball. He referred to Tatum as one of his best friends and explained Brown’s heated reaction as a defense of his teammate, confidently predicting that they would all be fine afterward. Speaking to NBC Sports Boston as he left the arena, he half-jokingly mentioned that his former teammates might skip a planned dinner at his house.
“We talked last night because I was going to invite them over,” Williams said during Friday’s shootaround. “But I told them I had a date night with my girl, which takes priority. I’ll talk to J.T. after the game and stuff. I try not to bother them before games, and I don’t think they try to bother me. After we play, we’ll chat a lot. We might hang out tonight since we have a back-to-back, which is a unique situation. They won’t stay over on Saturday, so maybe after tonight’s game we’ll catch up, and then on Saturday, we’ll just dap up and go our separate ways.”
The incident placed the Celtics in a tricky situation, requiring them to support a teammate against a former one who had become an influential and sometimes annoying figure during his time with the team from 2019 to 2023. Tatum and Williams appeared close, even as Tatum rolled his eyes at Williams’ self-appointed Batman nickname. Brown also deemed his head-butting incident with Jimmy Butler during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals unnecessary. Like former coach Ime Udoka, Brown emphasized that Williams can be a valuable asset to the team when he focuses on his specific, crucial role.
Desiring to move beyond his previous role marked the beginning of the end of Grant Williams’ time with Boston last summer. Although the Celtics were keen to re-sign him, they couldn’t reach an agreement before the rookie scale deadline, reportedly offering a four-year contract worth around $50 million. After a tumultuous season where he often struggled to create his own shot and faced several DNP-CDs from coach Joe Mazzulla, Williams left the Celtics for Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal valued at $54 million. The Mavericks later traded him to the Hornets midway through his first season there, where he eventually reached the Finals against his former team.
“I think it’s part of life,” Williams told CLNS Media/CelticsBlog late last season. “You go through things and they happen for a reason. Reflecting on what I could or couldn’t control, you can’t operate that way. You have to focus on the future and how to prevent similar situations or come back even stronger.”
Back in his hometown of Charlotte, Williams found his footing, often playing center and shooting 37.3% from three-point range under coach Steve Clifford. After Charles Lee took over as head coach in June, Williams helped lead the Hornets to the NBA Finals alongside Brandon Miller and Mark Williams, making an appearance in the postgame locker room celebration. Throughout the series, he expressed joy for his former teammates’ success, appreciating Boston’s achievements even though his departure played a role in their journey.
Now, he’s started the season shooting 45.8% from beyond the arc and hit a game-winning three on opening night against Houston. His leadership and style may resonate more with the younger Charlotte team, though his on-court demeanor—complaining to officials, shouting at teammates, and making hard fouls—contrasts with his off-court persona. Williams is known for giving reporters more time than most players, dedicating extensive hours to community initiatives, and being a strong advocate for the WNBA. His peers have even elected him as a vice president of the NBPA.
Something seems to shift in the heat of the game, to the point where Williams didn’t fully grasp what he had done wrong on Friday. White pointed out that Williams is too big to be committing hard fouls. In that moment, whether intentional or not, Williams found himself in familiar territory: facing consequences for overextending himself.
“It’s something we’ll learn and grow from,” Lee said. “We need those guys on the court. I don’t want them putting themselves in positions where they could hurt themselves or their teammates. I believe that some of the passion he plays with has been beneficial for us in many situations this year. During practice, he brings great energy and enthusiasm because he’s so passionate and fearless. He takes on various matchups, and I don’t want him to lose that. I just want him to channel it in a way that keeps him on the court.”
