Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams found himself ejected from Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics after a reckless and controversial play involving his former teammate, Jayson Tatum. With just over two minutes remaining, Williams barreled into Tatum, knocking him to the ground, and was subsequently tossed from the game.
The incident occurred with Boston leading 114-105 and Tatum making an aggressive drive in transition. As Tatum looked to score, Williams charged at him with his shoulder, appearing to make no attempt at the ball.
Tatum quickly stood up after the collision and made his way to the free-throw line while the officials reviewed the play. After consideration, Williams was assessed a flagrant 2 foul, resulting in an automatic ejection.
The moment raised eyebrows, especially given the history between Williams and Tatum. The two played alongside each other in Boston for four-and-a-half seasons, sharing countless moments on the court as teammates. Following the game, Williams sought to clear the air and emphasized that there were no hard feelings or malicious intent behind his actions.
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“J.T. is one of my closest friends,” Williams told Rob Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “There was no intention of trying to harm him in any way.” He seemed genuinely apologetic, suggesting that the play was more a product of poor judgment than any animosity.
Despite Williams’ explanation, not everyone was convinced. Jaylen Brown, another Celtics star and former teammate of Williams, criticized the incident during postgame interviews, implying that the Hornets forward acted intentionally. “I don’t know what that was about,” Brown said, per Celtics.com’s Marc D’Amico. “I think that spoke for itself. I don’t know if Grant missed J.T., or I don’t know what that was, but that wasn’t a basketball play. Grant knows better than that.” Brown’s comments reflected the frustration of the Celtics, who viewed the play as a dangerous move that had no place in the game.
The sequence involving Williams was not the only contentious moment for the Hornets in the closing minutes.
Soon after Williams’ ejection, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball fouled out after being called for taking away Tatum’s landing space on a three-point attempt. Upon video review, the referees upgraded Ball’s foul to a flagrant 1, adding to Charlotte’s woes.
Not long after, forward Miles Bridges also found himself ejected with 33.2 seconds left in the game after receiving a technical foul for swatting the ball in frustration toward the bench during a stoppage.
The chaotic finish saw the Celtics capitalize on the Hornets’ mounting mistakes. Following Williams’ flagrant 2 foul, Boston went on a 10-4 run, with eight of those points coming from the free-throw line. The series of fouls and ejections clearly worked in the Celtics’ favor as they expanded their lead and ultimately sealed a 124-109 victory.
The game, which had initially been a competitive affair, devolved into a series of whistles and heated moments that favored the Celtics in the end.
For Williams, the ejection marks a low point in his attempt to establish himself as a key player for the Hornets after leaving Boston. Meanwhile, the Celtics continued to prove their resilience, capitalizing on every opportunity presented to them in a tense finish.
Whether Grant Williams’ actions were simply a lapse in judgment or something more intentional, the fallout from the incident will likely spark conversations in the days to come.
One thing is certain—Friday’s game was filled with drama, and the relationship between former teammates was put to the test under the bright lights of competition.
