The NBA Summer League is back in action, and with it, we get to watch former Cats and recent college basketball players make their case for NBA roster spots.

In his first Summer League game of 2026, former Wildcat Amari Williams, a key piece in head coach Mark Pope’s first season at the helm, pleaded his case with authority.

Williams, drafted No. 46 overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, orchestrated the Boston Celtics to an 83-80 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors, lighting up the stat sheet with a game-high 23 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, good for a double-double and some change.

The seven-foot forward shot 7-9 (77.8%) from the field and 5-8 (62.5%) from the free-throw line, drawing attention to his soft touch and offensive abilities. When Williams was on the court, the Celtics’ level of play elevated, as he posted a plus-nine plus-minus, the second best on the Celtics behind former Houston Cougar Milos Uzan, who put up a plus-minus of plus-17.

Williams signed a two-way contract with Boston in August of 2025, but on July 2, he inked a new one-year, two-way contract, and his 2026 Summer League run is off to a terrific start in an effort to get called up to the main squad.

Last season, as a rookie, Williams played the bulk of his ball in the NBA G-League with the Maine Celtics, where he made 28 appearances. Over those 28 games, Williams averaged 15.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 blocks through an average of 29.5 minutes per game.

Williams got called up to Boston more times than one would expect, seeing the court 22 times while making two starts. With the main squad, Williams averaged 1.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.5 blocks through an average of 6.6 minutes per game.

Obviously, there are more playable factors than just what happens in the Summer League, but if Williams continues to show his skillset and improve, the first-ever British-born player in Celtics history could make a serious case as to why he deserves a chance at suiting up more consistently in TD Garden.

Boston’s next Summer League game is on Sunday, July 12, when they battle the Charlotte Hornets. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET and can be viewed on ESPN2.

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