Latest news with #Drexel
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics draft Amari Williams with No. 46 overall pick
The Celtics made their first pick of the second-round in the 2025 NBA Draft a bit later than expected on Thursday night, selecting Amari Williams at No. 46 overall. Boston originally held the No. 32 overall pick but elected to trade away that pick (Noah Penda) to the Orlando Magic in exchange for No. 46, No. 57, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The swap netted Boston three additional second-round picks. Williams is a 7-foot big man from England who played last season with Kentucky after transferring from Drexel. He averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He led the team in assists and also had 10 double-doubles during the season. He was also a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Advertisement Williams is a candidate for a roster spot or a two-way contract at the bottom of Boston's roster. The Celtics currently have 13 players under contract including first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez who was selected at No. 28 overall on Wednesday night. However, several of those players under contract for Boston are on non-guaranteed contracts (JD Davison, Jordan Walsh), creating some potential openings at the bottom of the Celtics roster. The Celtics also remain engaged in exploring trade opportunities across the roster as they retool following Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear so it's possible a 15-man roster opportunity will be available for a second-round pick who plays well in Summer League and during training camp. More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Celtics drafted ‘elite rebounder' Amari Williams
After the Celtics acquired the No. 46 pick in a trade with the Orlando Magic that also included pick 57, they knew who they wanted to draft. Boston selected Amari Williams out of Kentucky in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday night. The 7-foot center averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last season. Williams also had 10 double-doubles. Advertisement 'He's been one of the best passing big men in college for a long time,' vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren said after the conclusion of the draft. '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' wingspan, for what it's worth, is 7-foot-6. Zarren noted that the plan for Williams is for him to be on a two-way contract. The Celtics currently have 13 players under contract for the 2025-26 season, including Hugo González, who Boston drafted in the first round on Wednesday night. While some reports on Williams suggest he needs to work on his perimeter mobility, it's his playmaking instincts that make him a good fit for the Celtics. Advertisement 'Sometimes we play through big guys at the post,' Zarren said, 'with the guys we have had on our roster, and Amari should fit into that pretty well.' More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What can Amari Williams bring to the Boston Celtics?
On Thursday, June 26, the Boston Celtics selected English big man Amari Williams with the 48th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Williams is a five-year collegiate product, having spent four seasons with Drexel before moving to Kentucky for the 2024-25 campaign. Williams' best skill is his playmaking ability, especially on the perimeter or around the elbows. In a post-draft news conference, Celtics Vice President of Basketball Operations, Mike Zarren, detailed what led the Celtics to acquire the big man in the draft process. Zarren noted his rebounding and playmaking as key aspects of his skill set that attracted Boston to the Wildcats product. '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 we play through big guys at the the guys we have had on our roster, and Amari should fit into that pretty well.' As a late second-round pick, Williams will likely spend a significant amount of time with the Maine Celtics in the G League. However, Boston has proven that it's open to giving two-way talent an opportunity to impress if they earn their minutes the hard way. Therefore, Williams should feel motivated to improve his game, and showcase his undoubted offensive skill next season. Nevertheless, there are some concerns surrounding Williams' defense. He has heavy feet and limited hip mobility, which could make him a target for opposing guards and forwards, regardless of whether he's playing drop defense, up-to-touch or switching as part of a switch-everything system. Still, rookies aren't supposed to be the finished product, so hopes will likely remain high over Williams' potential. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website:
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Five things to know about Celtics' second-round draft pick Amari Williams
He was productive at the mid-major and high-major levels Williams came off the bench as a freshman for Drexel, which plays in the mid-major Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), but emerged as one of the league's top players in his sophomore year. Advertisement He won CAA Defensive Player of the Year three consecutive seasons and was a first-team All-CAA selection in his final two years at Drexel, averaging 12.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a senior while leading the Dragons to a second-place finish in the league. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Williams received a major jump in competition with his transfer to Kentucky in a loaded SEC, and he was a key piece for a Wildcats team that reached the Sweet 16. At Kentucky, he became just the second men's player in SEC history — and 25th in NCAA history — to record at least 375 points, 300 rebounds, 100 assists, 40 blocks and 20 steals in a single season. He has a history with Great Britain's junior national teams Advertisement The Nottingham, England, native grew up playing both basketball and soccer before deciding to focus strictly on basketball in his mid-teens. He took part in Great Britain's national program at the Under-16, Under-18, and Under-20 levels, and got onto the radar of college coaches with his performances at global tournaments including the NBA Academy Games and Basketball Without Borders. When he debuts with the Celtics, he will become just the third active NBA player from England. He is an excellent passer One of Williams's top attributes is his playmaking ability. He averaged 3.2 assists per game at Kentucky and was lauded for his ability to find backdoor cutters and use his long reach to pass over the top of defenses. He was tied for the Wildcats' team lead in assists with 115, the most ever tallied by a 7-footer at Kentucky in a single season. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote that 'Williams could be a terrific passing big man in an era when just about every team is playing five-out even with non-shooting bigs.' His offensive game is primarily around the basket Williams is a traditional center on the offensive end, with a game predicated on post touches, finishing around the rim, and crashing the offensive glass. He took only four three pointers last season, and 30 in 141 collegiate games. Williams was efficient around the rim last season, shooting a team-high 56.1 percent from the field and 64 percent on shot attempts at the rim. He also has displayed a consistent ability to get to the line over his college career, averaging above five free throw attempts per game each of the past three seasons (he shot 62.3 percent at the stripe last year). Advertisement His defensive versatility will be critical to NBA success Williams has all the requisite measurables of an NBA big man and racked up numerous defensive accolades in college for his high-end interior defense. But his future with the Celtics will be determined in large part by his ability to translate his defensive game against the talent and screen-heavy play style of the modern NBA. Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor writes that 'he does a great job of playing his angles as a drop coverage defender,' but warns that 'he struggles to recover when he's pulled out to the perimeter. He can't be relied on to switch screens. Asking him to defend a 3-point shooting big would not go well at this stage of his career.' Likewise, Vecenie notes that 'NBA players will turn the corner against him far too easily. The good news is that he has the length to recover in these circumstances. But he needs to become utterly elite with his angles in drop coverage to make this work.' Matty Wasserman can be reached at
CBS News
6 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Celtics draft Amari Williams in second round of NBA Draft
What will the Boston Celtics do next this offseason? What will the Boston Celtics do next this offseason? What will the Boston Celtics do next this offseason? The Boston Celtics selected Kentucky center Amari Williams in the second round -- 46th overall -- of the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday night. The pick gives Boston some young size on the roster, and potential depth in the front court should Luke Kornet depart in free agency. Williams, 24, averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game for the Wildcats last season. He is an extremely gifted passer for a 7-footer and can really get up the floor in a hurry. Kentucky ran its offense through Williams at times during his lone season in Lexington. The Boston Celtics have selected Amari Williams with the No. 46 pick. He will be on a two-way contract next season. British center with an intriguing combination of length (7-foot-6 wingspan), rebounding prowess, shot-blocking timing and feel as a passer. — Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025 Williams grew up in Nottingham, England and played for Great Britain at the under-16, under-18, and under-20 levels. He played his first four collegiate seasons at Drexel, and averaged 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.8 blocks over 105 games for the Dragons. He was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year three times while at Drexel, and was also a two-time member of the All-CAA First-Team. The Celtics also own the 57th pick on Thursday night, after Brad Stevens swung a trade early in the evening. Celtics Draft Night Trade Boston originally owned the 32nd overall pick -- No. 2 in the second round -- but traded it to the Orlando Magic for the 46th and 57th pick, plus second-round selections in 2026 and 2027. Why trade out? NBA insider Shams Charania reported on ESPN's pre-draft coverage that Boston wanted to take St. Joe's power forward Rasheer Fleming with the 32nd pick, but the Phoenix Suns traded up with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 31st pick, where they drafted Fleming. The Celtics now own 10 second round picks through the 2032 NBA Draft thanks to Stevens' moves over the last week. Boston traded veteran guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, with three second-round picks going to Boston in those moves. Those deals also got the Celtics under the NBA's second apron. On Wednesday night, the Celtics drafted 19-year-old swingman Hugo Gonzalez from Spain with the 28th overall selection.
