The Boston Celtics have been busy in the 2026 offseason thus far. The Jaylen Brown trade for Paul George, the Robinson signing, and the Conley addition have grabbed the attention. But Brad Stevens made clear that building out depth is the priority of this offseason, and that means the quieter moves carry weight too.
The roster around Jayson Tatum is taking shape quickly, and the Celtics are not done filling it out.
On Thursday, the team announced another signing, bringing back a young center whose development has quietly turned heads inside the organization.
Big Man Returns on Two-Way Deal
The Celtics announced the signing Amari Williams to a two-way contract, keeping the 24-year-old big man in the fold for the 2026-27 season. Williams was Boston’s second-round pick at No. 46 overall in the 2025 draft and spent last season splitting time between the parent club and the Maine Celtics in the G League.
He is the first British-born player in Celtics history. Williams grew up in Nottingham, England, and spent four college seasons at Drexel before transferring to Kentucky for his final year. The path to the NBA was unconventional. He has made the most of every step.
GettyAmari Williams of the Boston Celtics.
A Physical Transformation
According to reports, Williams has grown from roughly 6-foot-11 to around 7-foot-2 over the past year. Team staffers noticed him towering over teammates in practice and were astonished when they confirmed the growth spurt.
For a center who already showed flashes of defensive versatility and rim protection, that kind of physical change alters the ceiling entirely. Williams was already long and active around the basket. At 7-foot-2, the tools he displayed in the G League take on a different dimension.
The Celtics have not publicly commented on the growth, but the visual difference has been impossible to miss. Williams was already an intriguing project. He is now an intriguing project with the frame of a true NBA center.
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 2: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks is guarded by Amari Williams #77 and Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics in the second quarter of a game at TD Garden on December 2, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
What Williams Showed Last Season for the Celtics
Williams saw action in 22 games at the NBA level last season, drawing two starts and averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds across 6.6 minutes a night.
Williams posted 15.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game with Maine across 28 contests, adding 4.9 assists and 1.8 blocks in nearly 30 minutes a night. He recorded 11 double-doubles over the course of the season. His best individual performance came in January against Capital City, when he erupted for 33 points and 16 rebounds.
The assist numbers stand out for a player his size. Nearly five per game suggests a level of passing ability and court vision that most young centers do not possess. Combined with the rim protection and rebounding, Williams profiles as the kind of modern big man teams are looking for.
He has been named to the Celtics’ Summer League roster alongside Hugo Gonzalez, first-round pick Chris Cenac, and fellow young big Dillon Mitchell. The opportunity to continue developing in competitive settings is exactly what a player at this stage needs.
Final Word for the Celtics
Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza are all ahead of Williams on the center depth chart right now. The two-way contract reflects where he is in his development.
But the tools are real. The G League production was real. And if the reported growth spurt holds, the Celtics may have a player whose physical profile has changed faster than anyone expected.
Stevens has talked all offseason about building depth and developing young talent. Williams is exactly that kind of investment. A second-round pick who earned a standard contract in his first year, grew three inches, and is now back in the building ready to keep working.
The ceiling is still being written.
Celtics Make 7-Foot-2 Center Decision Amid Blockbuster Offseason