KINGSTON, Mass. – The road to recovery for Robert Williams, both physical and image-wise, is very much a work in progress.
The good news for Celtics fans is that both are trending in the right direction these days.
Williams, who said he has yet to be cleared for 5-on-5 work, has been rehabilitating his right knee and is hopeful he’ll be ready to go when training camp starts on Sept. 25.
“I’m still taking it day by day,” Williams said as the featured Celtics player participating in the Arbella Insurance Home Court Makeover for the Cuozzo family. “These people (Celtics) have a lot of time, a lot of money invested in you. They don’t want to mess up what they got going. I’m thankful for the trainers and coaches.”
Williams has grown especially fond of head coach Brad Stevens, who has been a lot more hands-on than Williams anticipated.
“He’s one of the most hands-on coaches I ever worked with,” Williams said. “He actually did conditioning with me on the bike (Wednesday).”
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Stevens acknowledged recently how pleased he has been with the progress being made by Williams.
“He’s been really, really active in the offseason since the rookie transition program; he’s basically been in Boston,” Stevens said. “I’m really encouraged by what I’ve seen thus far.”
And the Celtics have also been pleased by what they have not seen of late from Williams, who committed a number of early gaffes shortly after the Celtics selected him with the 27th overall pick in last June’s NBA draft.
The 6-foot-10 center overslept and was late to his introductory conference call. He followed that up by losing his wallet – twice. And that doesn’t even factor in him missing the team’s first summer league practice because he missed a flight, or how he was limited most of the summer league slate of games after a knee-to-knee collision irritated his tendinitis.
But the transgressions and mistakes of his early days in Boston seemed to be a distant memory to the dozens of kids and family members at the Cuozzo family’s home which received the basketball court makeover.
Williams has embraced the notion that with a clean slate, he will have no problem not repeating the mistakes he has made in the past.
“I have a chance to prove to everyone that I am trustworthy, I am an accountable guy,” Williams said. “They’re not here screaming, ‘Where’s your wallet?' That’s important.”
So is Williams doing his part to not only strengthen his body, but also develop the kind of mental toughness he’ll need to play in the NBA.
While he has not worked out with any of his teammates, a number of them have come around the team’s practice facility, offering him words of encouragement and advice on what lies ahead for him as an NBA rookie.
“Just a lot of encouragement,” said Williams, who added, “just let me know it may be a slow process back but they got my back.”
One of the stronger messages that Williams has learned more by the example being set than anything that has been said, is the need to be consistent in everything you do.
“Every morning I’m going in at 8, 8:30,” Williams said. “Al (Horford) and (Aron) Baynes, they’re in at 6 a.m. Their workout day has ended. See that repetition every day ... I learned a lot from them already.”