Forsberg: How ‘Corner Office' Grant Williams became an elite 3-point threat

The Boston Celtics will not have a representative in the NBA’s annual 3-point contest at All-Star weekend. But it says a little something about the progress third-year forward Grant Williams has made that you could make a strong case that he ought to be in Cleveland.

With nearly three-quarters of the 2021-22 season in the rearview mirror, Williams sits second in the NBA while shooting 44.6 percent beyond the arc. Only Miami’s P.J. Tucker (45 percent) slots ahead of him.

Call him "Corner Office" Grant Williams because his shooting numbers are even glitzier from that spot on the floor. Williams is shooting 51 percent (49 of 96) on all corner 3-pointers. Among players with at least 50 corner 3-point attempts, only Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, and Austin Rivers have been more efficient this season.

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Williams has improbably emerged as Boston’s most consistent 3-point threat. Since missing the first 25 3-pointers of his NBA career, Williams has connected on 40.2 percent of his attempts (158 of 393) ever since. Consider this: The Celtics rank seventh in the NBA while shooting 39.5 percent on corner threes, but if you remove Williams, they dip to 37 percent, which would rank 22nd overall. 

All of which leaves us wondering how Williams might fare if given the opportunity to compete in the 3-point contest.

Williams has been far more confident with his shot this season and with good reason. He’s shooting 44.6 percent on 3.3 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers per game. He’s made 43.4 percent of all open (4-6 feet from defender) looks and 48.8 percent of all wide-open (6+ feet from defender). Williams has taken only 11 pull-up 3-pointers but made 54.5 percent of them.

How did we even get to this point -- especially considering Williams shot 29.1 percent at Tennessee and had such a woeful stretch to start his pro career?

"Just most of the work that I put in during the offseason," said Williams. "Credit to the guys that that helped me -- Evan Bradds, Chris Matthews, Brandon Bailey, throughout my years -- [former Celtics assistant] Jay Larranaga even back in my rookie year. Just thankful to have a lot of great people that have pushed me to this point. But a lot of that comes from the hard work and opportunities now.”

When the NBA shut down in March 2020, Williams bunked with former Celtics teammate Kemba Walker at his Charlotte home. With an indoor court at his disposal, Williams spent much of the pandemic honing his outside shot alongside Walker and operated with a different confidence when the season resumed.

"I feel like the confidence really started with the bubble," said Williams. "I still shot it pretty well (during the 2020-21 season), I think it was around 37 percent and most of the year 40 percent then kind of floated down … Confidence came from there and then it was about about taking more of them. 

"So this coming year, guys just said, ‘We're confident in you as a shooter. So don't hesitate when you're out there.’ I feel like I still turn down some looks every now and again, and they get mad at me for it, but just happy that the progression I've made after those first 25.

"I shot it pretty well but it wasn't like that confidence yet so I feel like, after the bubble, having that opportunity in the playoffs and then go into the next two years, I've kind of taken that step.”

Jayson Tatum had been Boston’s 3-point king. But his 3-point percentage plummeted from 39.4 percent over the previous two seasons to 32.9 percent this year. He missed 20 straight 3-pointers at one point this season and playfully pointed that out when detailing why he didn’t try to get back in the 3-point contest this season.

Tatum, who has assisted on a team-high 13 of Williams’ corner 3-pointers this season, has certainly taken notice of his teammate's surge.

"Grant’s shooting the lights out — don’t let him hear that," Tatum joked earlier this season. "No, he’s put in so much work to develop and to be a guy that can guard and space the floor. It’s night and day from when he first came into the league and somebody we can really depend and rely on to knock down open shots and just space the floor."

Asked if Williams had been vocal about his 3-point progress, Tatum deadpanned, "Every day."

Williams' progress is a reminder that growth is not always linear. The Celtics had big expectations for Williams a year ago coming off his bubble success but he struggled after bulking up and trying to play more 5. Williams slimmed back down this past offseason and has thrived with solid footwork and an ability to defend multiple positions.

Williams is showcasing his versatility on both ends. Once routinely denied by bigs when he dabbled around the basket, Williams has blossomed around the rim this year. He’s shooting 75 percent at the rim, up from 62 percent a year ago. Yes, you can call him "Corner Office" because of his 3-point shooting but, as one of our readers suggested, Williams isn’t afraid to meet you in the lobby.

Williams is extension eligible this offseason while set to earn $4.3 million in the final year of his rookie contract. The Celtics could consider trying to lock him up at a reasonable number if they envision him as another core piece in what they’re building, though an expected jump into the luxury tax could force the team to think hard about what they spend on the fringe of the core.

If Williams keeps knocking down threes like he has, then he's vital to a team that remains thin on shooting. And maybe next year he can snag an invite to All-Star weekend to show off his progress on a national stage.