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Celtics’ Amari Williams during a game against the Indiana Pacers in January 2026
It has been an eventful rookie campaign for Boston Celtics center Amari Williams since being selected 46th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Williams began the season on a two-way contract but has steadily carved out a growing role within the organization.
Much of that development has taken place with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate, where he has flashed legitimate upside while also showing glimpses of impact at the NBA level.
His progress has not gone unnoticed. Boston recently rewarded the 6-foot-11 big man with a two-year, $2.7 million standard NBA contract, a clear sign of belief in his long-term development as a rotation piece.
The promotion has not slowed his momentum.
Boston Celtics Continue to See Growth From Amari Williams
On Monday, Jayson Tatum was assigned to Maine to practice as he ramps up his return from a long-term Achilles injury.
Williams and Hugo Gonzales were also sent down to support the session, giving Tatum quality bodies to work against.
Williams remained with Maine following the practice assignment. While Boston secured a 124-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at the NBA level, the 24-year-old delivered another standout G League performance.
In a 109-103 loss to the Motor City Cruise, he poured in 29 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes.
He shot 10-of-17 from the field, went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, recorded a steal, and added a season-high five blocks.
He also committed six turnovers, a reminder that development is rarely linear.
For a young center adjusting between NBA and G League systems, the occasional growing pains are expected, particularly in a league where pace and structure can differ significantly from the top level.
All-Around Production Highlights Long-Term Upside
Across 22 G League appearances, Williams is averaging 15.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 61.1% from the field.
Over his 12 most recent regular-season games, that production has climbed to 19.1 points per contest, reflecting a stretch of dominant, well-rounded outings that feel more like sustained development than a temporary surge.
“He’s a monster,” Maine head coach Phil Pressey previously said, via CelticsBlog. “He’s a beast. I think he has a high upside.”
The numbers support that optimism. Williams ranks 10th league-wide in total rebounds with 245 and sits 16th in blocks with 40.
Perhaps most notably, his 112 assists lead all G League centers, highlighting a passing ability that separates him from more traditional interior bigs.
On January 1, Williams posted a season-high 33 points alongside 16 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass, in a win over the Capital City Go-Go. He added four assists and a block in that performance.
In December, he recorded two triple-doubles. First, a 10-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist effort on December 7, and then a 12-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist outing to close out the calendar year.
That growth has translated at the NBA level. In late November, Williams helped seal a win over the Detroit Pistons by blocking Cade Cunningham twice and securing a crucial late rebound.
In January, he played the entire second overtime of a double-overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets, setting up a key three-pointer by Payton Pritchard and delivering a game-winning block on Nic Claxton.
For a second-round pick, the trajectory is encouraging. If his current development continues, Williams may soon outgrow his draft position and establish himself as a meaningful part of Boston’s long-term plans.
Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, based in Paris, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA and wider global sport. More about Matt Evans
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