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Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III yesterday underwent right knee surgery today to reconstruct a torn ligament in his right knee after he sustained a patellar dislocation on November 5th vs. Memphis.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Walt Lowe at Memorial Hermann Surgery Center in Houston, TX.
Williams is expected to make a full recovery for the 2024-25 season.
The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired center Robert Williams III and guard Malcolm Brogdon, Golden State’s 2024 first round pick and a 2029 first round pick in a trade with the Boston Celtics for guard Jrue Holiday, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.
“We are excited to see Jrue in a Celtics uniform. He plays the game with a great competitive character and his impact on and off the court has been felt everywhere throughout his career. We are overjoyed to welcome Jrue, Lauren, and the entire Holiday family to Boston,” said Brad Stevens, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.
Holiday (6’5, 220) has played in 906 career games (825 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks (2020-23), New Orleans Pelicans (2013-20), and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-2013). Holiday owns career averages of 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 33.1 minutes per game, while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from the three-point line. Among all active NBA players, Holiday ranks sixth in total assists (5,868), 11th in steals (1,346), and 18th in points scored (14,876), and also owns the sixth-most rebounds among league guards (3,702).
Last season, Holiday earned his third-consecutive and fifth career NBA All-Defensive team selection after averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists (9th in NBA), and a career-high 5.1 rebounds in 67 games (65 starts). He was also named a 2023 NBA All-Star, marking the second All-Star selection of his career after being selected in 2013, which is the longest gap between All-Star selections in NBA history.
Holiday helped lead the Bucks to the 2021 NBA Championship title by averaging 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists in 23 postseason contests (all starts). Less than a month after winning the 2021 NBA Finals, Holiday won a Gold Medal with Celtics’ guard Jayson Tatum and Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics where he averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Holiday has won the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in three of the last four NBA seasons. The award recognizes him as the best teammate based on selfless play and dedication to his team, as well as leadership on and off the court as a mentor and role model to other players as voted on by his peers.
In his first season with Milwaukee, Holiday won the 2020-21 NBA Sportsmanship award, which honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, and was a finalist for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award.
Jrue and his wife Lauren Holiday won the 2023 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award for their community efforts. The Chatsworth, California native earned Pac-10 All-Freshman Team Honors in his one collegiate season at UCLA before being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 17th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
“It’s been our pleasure to have a front row seat to Rob’s career since he joined us on draft night 2018. He has grown into a wonderful basketball player and teammate. We thank him for his many contributions on and off the court in his five years in Boston and we wish him and his family all of the best as they move on,” said Stevens.
Williams, originally drafted by the Celtics with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, appeared in 209 career games for the franchise where he averaged 7.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game.
“Malcolm had a great season last year culminating in the tremendous honor of receiving the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. We wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward,” said Stevens.
Brogdon averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from three last season for the Celtics en route to winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Via the Boston Herald:
Robert Williams was removed from the Celtics’ injury report on Monday, meaning he’s set to return to the lineup for Tuesday night’s game at the Kings after an eight-game absence due to a left hamstring strain. With 10 games left in the regular season before the playoffs, the final stretch will be critical for Williams as he regains his form and helps get the Celtics’ defense right in preparation for their championship pursuit.
Boston Celtics center Robert Williams, who has not played yet this season, per multiple reports, plans to make his 2022-23 debut this Friday against the Orlando Magic.
The Celtics boast a league-best 22-7 record through Wednesday’s games. They’re being led in scoring by Jayson Tatum at 30.2 PPG, Jaylen Brown at 26.6 PPG, and Malcolm Brogdon at 13.9 PPG.
At 9-20, the Magic have the 3rd worst record in the NBA, but they’re playing well lately and are riding a four-game winning streak.
Boston Celtics center Robert Williams has undergone arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies and address swelling in his left knee.
The surgery was performed by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena at New England Baptist Hospital.
Williams is expected to return to basketball activities in 8-12 weeks.
Celtics center Robert Williams III this morning underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy. The surgery was performed at New England Baptist Hospital by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena, assisted by Dr. Glen Ross.
Williams III is expected to be able to return to play in approximately 4-6 weeks.
Per Boston.com, “the Celtics have six games remaining in the regular season, and currently sit third in the conference with a 47-29 record. Williams has been a vital part of the Celtics’ in-season turnaround, especially on the defensive end. With him in the lineup, Boston has the best starting five in the league.”
The Boston Celtics yesterday signed center/forward Robert Williams to his rookie contract.
Williams, 20, comes to Boston after having been selected 27th overall with the team’s lone draft pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.1 points on 59.1% shooting and 8.7 rebounds in 61 games (40 starts) over two collegiate seasons at Texas A&M University.
As a sophomore in 2017-18, Williams (6-10, 241 lbs.) led the Southeastern Conference in rebounding with 9.2 boards per game. He was also named Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Year after producing a conference-best 78 blocked shots, the second-most by any player in school history.
The Shreveport, LA native burst onto the collegiate scene as a freshman in 2016-17, averaging 11.9 points (55.8% FG), 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots in his first season with the Aggies. He earned Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors, in addition to being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Williams will wear No. 44 for the Celtics.