Trevion Williams is a force — a physical, strong, old-school center that flourishes down low. At the same time, while at Purdue, Williams spent season after season trying to slim down and lose weight. On the court, he sometimes tried to be more than what he actually was, and it didn’t help the Boilermakers.
Now, Williams is joining the Boston Celtics Summer League team to see if he can carve out a role in the NBA after going undrafted in Thursday. Celtics fans should get acquainted with the former Purdue big man, because he’s certainly going to bring something to the table in Vegas. Here’s everything fans should know about the latest player to join the Celtics summer league squad:
As a junior in college, Williams did it all. He ranked second nationally in usage rate and led the Boilermakers in assists — as a center. He put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways.
He was Purdue’s main guy. Everything the Boilermakers ran, Williams was a focal point in the design. He was a First Team All-Big Ten selection. He averaged 15.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
Williams decided to return to Purdue for his senior year, despite his value being at an all-time high following his impressive junior campaign. What happened next? Well, Purdue showcased the future fifth-overall pick in Jaden Ivey and gave the 7’ 4” Zach Edey a bigger role. Therefore, Williams was pushed to the backburner.
As a senior, Williams was relegated to the bench, only playing 20.1 minutes a game. His numbers dropped to 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. On the bright side, Williams did average 3.0 assists in more of a point-center role. He also won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award and made Third Team All-Big Ten.
So, yes. Williams is in fact a four-year college player who came off the bench during his senior season. But, Williams’ situation is a lot more complex than that.
Let’s start with the intangibles. Williams is 21. Williams is 6-foot-10. Williams has a 7-foot-3 wingspan. As I mentioned earlier, Williams has worked on his weight, going from 325 in Year One to 265 in Year Four. It’s all there. We’re looking at a 6-foot-10 point-center with a 7-foot-3 wingspan that weighs 265. That’s potentially lethal for opposing teams.
What does Williams bring to the Boston Celtics?
First, he is an amazing passer. The Celtics Summer League ague team can certainly run the offense through him via the high-post. From there, Williams utilizes his excellent vision and touch to find shooters after bullying his way inside. Scoring-wise, Williams catches everything that’s thrown his way, and he can finish through contact near the basket.
Williams has to be defended from anywhere on the court due to his elite passing ability, but he’s not a threat from deep, or even in the mid-range. In terms of more concerns, Williams is a liability on defense, both in drop coverage and in switching coverage. Here’s to hoping that the defensive-minded Ime Udoka and defensive-minded Celtics can help Williams improve that part of his game.
Williams is valuable, but there’s work to be done. He’s far from finished, and he’s definity a work-in-progress for the Celtics. But, Williams possesses one thing that Celtics fans will love: work ethic. If that holds up — and his game continues to improve as a result — Celtics fans may be looking at an undrafted steal.
