Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Grant Williams has built his NBA career on toughness, defensive versatility, and a willingness to embrace whatever role helps his team succeed. His combination of strength, basketball IQ, and reliable perimeter shooting has made him a valuable contributor on both ends of the floor.

Here is a detailed profile for Grant Williams:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Grant Dean Williams
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born November 30, 1998
  • Hometown: Houston, Texas, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters)
  • Weight: 236 pounds (107 kilograms)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 7 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 14 (US)
  • Jersey Number: 2
  • Position: Power Forward
  • High School: Providence Day School, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • College: University of Tennessee (2016–2019)
  • NBA Draft: Selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1st round, 22nd overall pick, in 2019
  • Teams Played For:
    • Boston Celtics (2019–2023)
    • Dallas Mavericks (2023–2024)
    • Charlotte Hornets (2024–present)
  • Championship Rings: None to date
  • Children: Information not publicly available
  • Siblings: Information not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Grant Williams’ archetype is that of a tough, switchable 3-and-D forward, an undersized frontcourt piece whose value comes from defensive versatility, strength, and low-maintenance offense. Defensively, he is most useful as a physical matchup defender who can hold up against bigger players in the post while still moving well enough to survive on the perimeter, which is a big reason teams have trusted him in switch-heavy schemes. Offensively, his role is built more on complementing stars than creating on his own, with spot-up shooting, quick ball movement, screening, and the occasional smart extra pass doing most of the work. Physically, Williams stands 6-foot-7 and 236 pounds, and that broad, sturdy frame has long been central to how he absorbs contact and plays bigger than traditional measurements might suggest. The overall play style summary is a smart, hard-nosed utility forward who wins through positioning, strength, defensive flexibility, and efficient support offense rather than flashy box-score hunting. (CelticsBlog)

Scouting Report

Grant Williams is the kind of forward whose value becomes clearer the longer you watch because so much of his game is tied to solving problems rather than creating highlights. What stands out to me is how comfortable he is making quick decisions after the catch, whether that’s swinging the ball immediately, slipping a screen into open space or attacking a hard closeout with one or two controlled dribbles instead of forcing a difficult shot. He isn’t going to beat defenders with burst, so he wins with angles, leverage and timing, especially as a screener who understands when to make contact and when to ghost into space to occupy help defenders. Defensively, his strength allows him to absorb drives without surrendering ground, and he’s particularly effective against bigger wings and small-ball centers because he stays balanced through contact instead of chasing blocks. The trade-off is that quicker perimeter creators can drag him into uncomfortable footraces, and teams that repeatedly force him to navigate multiple changes of direction can expose some lateral limitations before help arrives. Even so, he usually understands where the next rotation is coming from, rarely abandons the low man responsibilities, and communicates well enough to keep defensive possessions organized. His offensive ceiling is naturally capped because he isn’t a player who consistently creates separation late in the clock, but that’s never been the point of his game. Put him alongside primary creators who demand defensive attention and his screening, floor spacing and connective passing become far more valuable than raw box-score production suggests. I’ve always thought his role resembles the one P.J. Tucker filled at his best, while sharing some of Boris Diaw’s understated ability to keep possessions flowing through smart reads rather than spectacular plays.

Fun Facts

  • Williams was born in Houston, Texas, and later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended Providence Day School.
  • He played college basketball at the University of Tennessee, earning back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors in 2018 and 2019.
  • In the 2019 NBA Draft, he was selected 22nd overall by the Boston Celtics. After four seasons with the Celtics, he played for the Dallas Mavericks before joining the Charlotte Hornets in 2024.
  • His mother, Teresa Johnson, is an electrical engineer for NASA, and his father, Gilbert, is a jazz artist and former college basketball player.
  • Williams graduated from Tennessee in three years with a degree in business, turning down offers from Ivy League schools Harvard and Yale.

Sources:

CelticsBlog — Burning Questions Week: what would a Grant Williams extension look like?
CelticsBlog — Breaking down future Celtics player extensions with CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith
The Ringer — 2023-24 NBA Preseason Power Rankings
NBA.com — Grant Williams | Forward | Charlotte Hornets
NBA Draft — Grant Williams