Williams takes the responsibility to miss the Celtics' first practice

By Mark Murphy

Boston Herald

BRIGHTON – Whatever it is, Robert Williams has made a good impression on his summer league coach, Jay Larranaga.

"He dunks with his elbows, which is a really positive thing," said the Celtics summer league coach before training Tuesday morning. "He was really very good, very focused, he understood very well the strengths we had yesterday in practice, he seems very coachable, it's the beginning of the process for him and for the team of summer league. "

Even though his Day 1 was Day 2 for everyone. But his early tribulations as a Celtic considered, Williams had a very appropriate achievement after showing a minicamp of the summer league a day late.

"Certainly a real wake-up call," said the Celtics rookie before his second training – and the team's third – at the new C training center in Brighton.

Blaming his Texas missed out on Saturday on a communication problem (forcing the 20-year-old to miss Sunday's first day of practice), Williams also blatantly blamed the player himself.

"I went home, did two or three things, then a failed flight, I ran out of communication," he said. "Everything is on me, so let's go ahead and move on."

The Celtics certainly have this hope of a very talented shooter and rebounder who slipped them to the 27th pick of the June 21st draft because of well-documented problems of maturity and motivation.

Its delay could not have been worse in the light of these criticisms, and to hear Williams say it, the organizational message that was sent to him brought out a strong point.

"They discipline you with words more than you may know," he said, adding anticipatory discipline, "Maybe some extra sprints or something like that, I do not know not.

"Fair accountability, what they've emphasized a lot when I got here," Williams said. "Just accountability and just pointing out that it's a job. Things are different at the university so just know what you have and the possibilities are limited."

Even for a first-round pick. Count Brad Stevens among those who have tried to put Williams in the forefront over the past two days.

"I spoke to Coach Stevens when I came back and he obviously explained to me the opportunity, there is not much, certainly a real wake-up call" said Williams.

But as the NBA teams go, the Celtics are also particularly paternalistic, with Danny Ainge, who accompanied Williams in the media scrum of this morning, a general manager known for getting closer to his young players.

"We are trying to provide a structure," Ainge told the Herald yesterday, questioned about his approach to Williams.

Jay Larranaga, the Celtics assistant / summer league coach charged with putting Williams in the foreground, will provide this structure on the field. With Ainge and Stevens talking to Williams about his opportunity and discipline, Larranaga could focus on the basketball portion of the rookie's education.

"I said," Hi Rob, I'm Jay. I will coach the summer league team. . Welcome & # 39; That's what happened, "Larranaga said. We treat all these other things internally. My job is to help him have a summer league as successful as possible.

"Everyone is excited, right?" he said. "Everyone is excited to be on the field and everyone is excited to participate and participate in the competition, and everyone who has seen him play knows that he is also excited about do these things.

Especially after such a disjointed start to his NBA career.

Williams admits that he already has work to do to repair his image.

"People have a bad image of me, I guess you could say," he said. "So, just missing my flight did not help but, as I said, I'm just looking to start my life here."