Brad Stevens Praises Rookie Grant Williams’ Impressive Intelligence

Grant Williams certainly is making his presence felt early in his tenure with the Boston Celtics.

Each rookie has their own learning curve, but Williams is catching on much quicker than the average youngster. The Tennessee product received some high praise from head coach Brad Stevens on Thursday, specifically highlighting his basketball IQ.

“It’s really good,” Stevens said, per MassLive’s John Karalis. “Like any other young player he has a lot to learn about the NBA, the night-in, night-out challenges and all that comes with playing each team. As far as coming in and doing things and picking things up quick, from a strategy standpoint and also from an intuitive standpoint, he’s pretty impressive.

“He has a bright future,” Stevens added. “He’s going to be an NBA player for a long, long time. He’s just really smart.”

Williams and the Celtics begin their preseason slate Sunday at TD Garden when they take on the Charlotte Hornets at 6 p.m. ET.