In his first public comments since undergoing surgery on his torn left meniscus earlier this week, Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III detailed his thought process when he realized that there was something wrong with his knee during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves late last month.
“I was hurt … I was so hurt, because I knew something wasn’t right,” Williams III said, via ESPN. “I could tell it was something that was gonna stop me from playing. So I really didn’t even want to find out what it was at one point. Like, at one point, I was sitting on a bench, like the end of the third, and I knew something was wrong, but I was so scared to even stand up.”
That was about all of the looking back that Williams did, though. Now that surgery is behind him, he’s looking ahead — to rehab, and to an eventual return to game action for the Celtics. He was given a 4-6 week timetable following surgery, which means that he could be back out on the court as early as the end of April.
“But, thankfully, this is out the way and we on to rehab now,” Williams III said. “Everything went as well as we wanted it, as well as it could go, and their observation is that I can be back in that time frame. Just gotta take our time, make sure it’s the right plan, make sure I’m healthy. This organization obviously cares about me long term more than anything. So just making sure it’s the right plan and I’m ready to go.”
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When it comes to his rehab, Williams feels like he’s in great hands with Boston’s team doctors. “This is not my first injury that I’ve been through with the Celtics organization, and I can just honestly wholeheartedly say, every time I got to enter their care, the expertise, them zoning in on my rehab has been great and it helped me come back numerous times,” he said. “So I’ve got all the faith in the world in those guys.”
Williams is in the midst of a breakout season, so the sooner he can get back out on the floor, the better for Boston — as long as he’s healthy, obviously. On the season, Williams is averaging 10 points, 9.6 rebounds, and two assists in 29.6 minutes per performance, while also anchoring Boston’s top-ranked defense. The Celtics might be able to win a playoff series without Williams, but they’ll need him in order to make a real run at a title.
