Thursday marked a memorable milestone for Boston Celtics two-way big man Amari Williams, who made his senior international debut for Great Britain.
The 24-year-old featured in Great Britain’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifiers matchup against Switzerland in Fribourg, making an immediate contribution in his first appearance at the senior level.
Williams finished with eight points, seven rebounds, and two assists across 18 minutes as Team GB cruised to a dominant 110-75 victory.
The Celtics sophomore shot 4-of-7 from the field, grabbed two offensive rebounds, and recorded a plus-eight plus-minus rating in the comfortable win.
Boston Celtics Big Man Makes Long-Awaited International Return
Williams’ appearance marked his first involvement with the Great Britain setup in seven years, having last represented his country at the youth level.
The Nottingham-born forward-center previously featured for Great Britain at the under-16, under-18, and under-20 levels before embarking on a lengthy spell away from the international stage.
After impressing during training camp, Williams earned a place on the final senior roster just one day before the matchup with Switzerland.
“Making my Great Britain senior debut means a lot to me,” Williams said prior to making his debut. “Just cause it’s been a long time coming and it’s something that I’ve always looked forward to.”
“I was just excited, especially since I haven’t done it since seven years ago and the guys on the team, the same way I have never played with them for the past however long in my life. So to be able to regroup with those group of guys and just be able to play on home soil was something I couldn’t shy away from.”
Former Celtics G League forward Tosan Evbuomwan also celebrated his Great Britain senior debut alongside Williams and produced one of the standout performances of the night.
Evbuomwan scored 21 points, the second-highest total on the team, in just 25 minutes. He also contributed three rebounds, two assists, and one steal while shooting 6-of-10 from the field and connecting once from beyond the arc.
Joshua Uduje led Great Britain with 24 points.
Williams and Evbuomwan both started alongside Uduje, St. John’s guard Quinn Ellis, and Carl Wheatle as Great Britain opened its international window in emphatic fashion.
Williams Continues Building Momentum Ahead of Celtics Training Camp
The international stage now provides Williams with another valuable opportunity to develop as he prepares for only his second season of professional basketball.
Boston selected the British big man with the No. 46 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, initially signing him to a two-way contract and allowing him to split his rookie campaign between the Celtics and their G League affiliate in Maine.
Williams quickly showed enough promise to earn greater commitment from the organization.
In February, Boston converted his deal into a two-year, $2.7 million standard NBA contract following several encouraging opportunities at the highest level.
His contractual situation shifted again this offseason. The Celtics declined Williams’ team option before bringing him back on a new two-way deal, keeping the 6-foot-11 center firmly within their developmental system.
Much of his progress during his rookie season came in Maine, where Williams established himself as one of the more productive big men in the G League.
Across 28 appearances, he averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks while shooting an efficient 59.6% from the field.
His first taste of senior international basketball now adds another layer of experience ahead of Celtics training camp.
After seven years away from the Great Britain setup, Williams has returned as an NBA player and immediately contributed to a convincing victory. Another strong performance to close the window would only add to the momentum he has built over the past year.
Williams and Great Britain will now return home to face Slovakia in Newcastle on Sunday, August 30, rounding out the international window before his attention eventually turns back toward his second season in Boston.
Celtics Two-Way Standout Shines in Long-Awaited International Debut