[ad_1]
BOSTON – On several occasions during the Boston Celtics season, Brad Stevens praised the professionalism of Al Horford and his commitment to the team professionally and his family personally.
So for Stevens, sitting to the left of the great Celtics man Robert Williams at the rookie's inaugural press conference on Friday, Williams' continued admiration for the Horford game was to be a welcome sound.
"Horford, the guy had a great career," Williams said. "Eating well, doing well, doing everything he needs to do in his day-to-day life, so I have the impression that following his steps will give me the keys to success to be in this league. "
Offensively, Williams does not look much like Horford at first glance. Where Horford is an expandable center that hit over 40 percent of his 3-pointers last year, Williams made just 48 percent of his free throws during his second season. Horford is mobile, but certainly not a fast-paced athlete. Williams has great speed and, as Stevens has said, "a big rebound to the game."
But Horford is also a big smuggler, and Williams showed flashes move the ball to Texas A & M.
"He is able to get up quickly, to play over the rim, but also manage the ball and pass the ball, which we really have to do for our strikers, "said Stevens
. Defensively, the similarities – if Williams grows as the Celtics hope – could be striking. Both players are mobile, and both can mix their feet and stay in the lead. The two men can also defend the big ones and block the shots – Williams averaged 4.1 blocks per 40 minutes in college
"There are a number of obvious transferable skills in Robert's game, and there's "He has things that he needs to keep improving., and the first feedback in the last few days that he's been here is that he's excited about it," Stevens said. "I'm going to let him answer even more, but he's been to the gym every day, he's exercising this morning at 6:30 and I think he's excited to start like a lot of our young guys .
After Williams' steep fall at age 27, questions swirled. Among them: Is Williams working hard enough? Perhaps more importantly, does he play hard enough?
"People often question my engine, but I work hard and I know I can work hard," Williams said. "I am a hard worker: to be in this organization, to know the morals of this organization and to know what it takes to be in this league … I am ready to start."
Williams said that he met Horford when he arrived in Boston on Wednesday and both had a good conversation.
"Al does not rush at all," Williams said. "It takes its time, even if some people say that his actions are too slow, they are effective, they work, his game, dribbling, the way he gets off the screens in attack mode, everything is beautiful. "
Did Horford give Williams all he had left?
"Yes," Williams said with a smile. "We will work hard."
That's all the Celtics need to hear.
Source link
