Grant Williams Says Goal Is To Beat Gordon Hayward 1-On-1 Before Camp

Most of the news surrounding the Boston Celtics lately has been about Team Shamrock crushing it for Team USA.

But there are plenty members of the Celtics working back in Boston to get ready for the upcoming season.

Gordon Hayward has led the charge in forming workouts in Boston throughout the summer, and it appears that rookie Grant Williams is making the most of one-on-one time with the Celtics forward — and has made it his goal to beat the veteran 1-on-1 before training camp begins.

“I hate Gordon, but I love him too. Because I’ll be playing with him but when you play against him, I hate him,” Williams told reporters Friday, via NBC Sports Boston. “When you’re in college you don’t realize how talented guys are. How tough shots are made. Guarding Gordon everyday and seeing how he puts into his craft, it makes me very fortunate. I not only get to learn from him, but I get to say ‘Man, how did he make that?’

“He’s beaten me a couple times, and he beat me the one time we played 1-on-1,” he added. “So my whole goal is, by the time I get done in the next month, to say I can guard Gordon and beat him in 1-on-1. That’s the whole mentality right now.”

It’s an encouraging statement on multiple levels for the Celtics. On one hand, it’s great to see Celtics working together as the season nears, and to see veterans meshing well with rookies. Second, Hayward bringing it to the physical Williams is a pretty good sign as the forward comes off his first real full offseason since his devastating ankle injury.

The Celtics reportedly are set to begin training camp on Oct. 1.