Robert Williams absent from Boston Celtics' first summer league practice



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Boston Celtics first-round pick Robert Williams, who had already had an introductory conference call the day after the NBA draft, missed a flight to Boston and was not present for the beginning of the summer league on Sunday. 19659002] Concerns about Williams' work ethic contributed to his removal from the lottery and to Boston at No. 27 in last month's draft. The Celtics introduced the 20-year-old fat man at a press conference Friday morning, but he did not return to town in time for Sunday afternoon training.

"We were expecting him to be there, but obviously he missed his flight," said badistant coach of the Celtics, Jay Larranaga, who will guide the summer team to Las Vegas. "We are excited for him to arrive here [Monday] and get started."

"I think everyone is disappointed, you want everything to start well on the first day, but we're going to handle that internally and go forward."

Williams, who rejected an offer to be at the draft in Brooklyn to meet with family and friends The next morning at Buffalo Wild Wings, in his native Louisiana, he confessed to having waited for a conference call the next morning, but an hour later, he was affected by poor sound quality

Williams arrived in Boston last week. Stevens, who reminded the athletic striker that to reach his potential he should work hard, Williams also discussed with All-Star striker Al Horford and later noted that he planned to use the great experienced man as a guide

. At Friday's press conference, Williams mentioned hard work at least seven times during a six-minute introductory session with Boston reporters

but his absence Sunday was not the same. did not deter Williams from engaging in the work. "I think every rookie coming into the NBA is really a race to maturity, and some people are more advanced than Jayson Tatum," said Larranaga. Tatum practiced with the summer leaguers on Sunday. Tatum will not participate in the summer league, but Stevens asks him to join the younger Celtics players before heading west.

"Many guys have work to catch up with," added Larranaga. "So, Robert, as I said, when he gets here [Monday] we'll start working with him and I'm excited to meet him."

Stevens told ESPN earlier this week that Williams was to be "I think he has a chance to be a good player." As I told him during our meeting, there are many guys who have a chance to be a good player. Stevens told ESPN: "It all depends on how you accept these opportunities, and he can not have better examples than the guys in that locker room to follow. And he will devote a lot of time and energy to it. "

Stevens noted later," I think the speed is important and, you know, if it's the last time, then it's good for Alas, there were only a few days left before Williams is late again, and he's going to have to work to gain the confidence of the organization early in his career in the NBA.

"People are questioning my engine a lot, but I'm working hard and I know I can work hard, I'm a hard worker, the simple fact of being in this organization, to know the morals of this organization and know what it takes to be in this league, certainly to me [excited] I'm ready to start. "

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