Grant Williams was back playing for the Hornets more than a year after tearing his right ACL. The former C’s wing played 14 minutes in the Hornets’ blowout 150-95 win over the Jazz last Saturday.
Williams finished with nine points and eight rebounds, shooting 3-for-10 on 3-pointers on the night. It was a successful return for Williams after being away from the game for 14 months. The Hornets also beat up the Jazz, making it an easy night for Williams in his return.
“Felt great, honestly,” Williams said, via the Hornets. “The group was very welcoming. It was good flow of a game, especially a game like that where you’re beating a team like the way we were. It was definitely a little nerves and anxious anxiety from the start. But as the game settled in, so did those. Felt good to be back.”
Williams tore his right ACL back in November 2024, ending his season. It was a tough blow considering Williams entered his first full season with his hometown Hornets. It’s taken a minute for Williams to be back on the court, but he was finally able to do so Saturday.
Williams played the first four seasons of his career in Boston from 2019-23 after getting drafted 22nd overall in 2019. He had some bright spots, including a career-best performance against the Bucks in Game 7 of the 2022 East semifinals. Williams scored 21 points to help lead the C’s to the next round of the playoffs.
After his C’s tenure, Williams signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Mavericks in free agency. That move also went down as a sign-and-trade with the Celtics. But Williams’ Dallas tenure was short-lived as he was moved to the Hornets in his first season after signing the deal. But Williams is from the Charlotte area, so he got to return home as part of the deal.