Former Kentucky center Amari Williams has signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics, the club announced on Friday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a two-way contract allows players to simultaneously be rostered on an NBA team and also its G League affiliate. Each NBA team is limited to three players on two-way contracts.
Williams is the fifth Wildcat from last season to sign an NBA deal, joining Koby Brea (two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns), Lamont Butler (two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks), Andrew Carr (Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trailblazers), and Jaxson Robinson (Exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers). Ansley Almonor also signed with Salon Vilpas, a pro basketball club in Finland's top league.
Williams was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and subsequently had his draft rights traded to the Celtics.
He is the 10th Wildcat all-time to be drafted by the Celtics, joining James Young (2014), Ron Mercer (1997), Antoine Walker (1996), Thad Jaracz (1968), Sid Cohen (1960), Frank Ramsey, Cliff Hagan and Lou Tsioropoulos (1953), and Dale Barnstable (1950).
Williams was the second Wildcat off the board in the 2025 NBA Draft, following Brea, who went 41st overall to the Golden State Warriors but was traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Since 2010, no school has produced more total NBA Draft picks (51) than Kentucky. Since the NBA went to a two-round draft in 1989, the Wildcats now have the most players drafted overall with 67, 48 of which have come in the first round.
UK has also had at least one player selected in 18 consecutive NBA Drafts, the longest active streak of any school. Prior to 2025, Kentucky had a first round pick in 15 straight drafts, the longest streak in the common era. The Cats have also produced multiple draft picks in 16 consecutive drafts.
Williams, who received an invitation to the G League Elite Camp, did a little bit of everything for Kentucky, averaging 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks while starting all 36 games for the Wildcats this season.
Williams, along with Cliff Hagan (1951-52) and Antoine Walker (1995-96), became just the third player in school history to record 300+ rebounds and 100+ assists in the same season. His 115 assists this season are the most ever by any Kentucky player 6-foot-9 or taller.
The fifth-year senior also recorded just the fourth triple-double in school history with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 98-84 loss at No. 25 Ole Miss on Feb. 4, joining Chris Mills (1988), De'Aaron Fox vs. Arizona State (2016), and Isaiah Briscoe (2016).
"Amari Williams did it all for us this season as a point-center," UK head coach Mark Pope said. "He has taken an untraditional path to the NBA, coming from Nottingham, England, to setting records at Drexel before setting records as a Kentucky Wildcat. I could not be prouder of Amari and am looking forward to seeing what he does next."