technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. alias => "boston\/\/celtics\/why-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins"
  3. nid => "828421"
  4. title => "Why Robert Williams is all-in on 'Time Lord' nickname (despite its origins)"
  5. is_chrome_page => false
  6. article_body => "<p>If you've ever been a really cool nickname that's also slightly degrading, you know how Robert Williams feels.<\/p>\n<p>The Celtics rookie is becoming a cult favorite in Boston thanks his awesome new moniker: the \"Time Lord.\" There's one issue, though: The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/celtics\/index.ssf\/2018\/10\/boston_celtics_robert_williams_5.html\" target=\"_blank\">&nbsp;inspiration for the nickname<\/a>&nbsp;comes in part from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/robert-williams-concerning-start-celtics\" target=\"_blank\">back-to-back incidents<\/a> in which Williams overslept his introductory press conference and was absent from his first practice after missing a flight to Boston.<\/p>\n<p>Whenever Williams hears \"Time Lord\" -- and he's heard it plenty -- he's reminded of those missteps. But the 21-year-old doesn't seem to mind.<\/p>\n<p>\"I'm embracing it, man,\" Williams told NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg and&nbsp;A. Sherrod Blakely on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/celtics-talk-podcast-rookie-robert-williams-learning-mistakes-and-time-lord-nickname\" target=\"_blank\">latest edition of the \"Celtics Talk\" podcast<\/a>. \"I don't see a problem with it.\"<\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/celtics-talk\/episodes\/9a30fb41-e405-452a-b0fd-df1216a576d7\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p>Part of the reason why? An early sit-down with head coach Brad Stevens, who helped set the rookie straight.<\/p>\n<p>\"This isn\u2019t college, this isn\u2019t second chances,\" Williams said of Stevens' message to him.&nbsp;\"There\u2019s a million people out there that can jump, you feel me? So, that just kind of turned my whole mindset around about the situation.\"<\/p>\n<p>After atoning for his errors and regaining Stevens' trust, the Texas A&amp;M product is signing off on&nbsp;\"Time Lord\" -- even if he's not&nbsp;<em>totally&nbsp;<\/em>sure where it came from.<\/p>\n<p>\"I don\u2019t even want to get into that,\" he added. \"But yeah, I embrace it. Definitely.<\/p>\n<p>\"You\u2019ve got to be able to joke about your mistakes. I feel like once I learned from that and moved on from that I can joke about it. And if you can\u2019t joke with yourself, there\u2019s no getting better.\"<\/p>\n<p><em><a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb76e2c06579?site_id%3DDig_RSN_Bos%26creative_id%3Dnbcsbos1075%26cp_4%3Dwww.nbcsports.com%26cp_1%3Dwashington%26cp_2%3Dmyteams-nbc-sports%26cp_3%3Dnbcsbos1075&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1543668268892000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF8YAXJ9AdC_KFyb4m4X2qri9LZlA\" href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb76e2c06579?site_id=Dig_RSN_Bos&amp;creative_id=nbcsbos1075&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsbos1075\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><div class=\"field-item even\" style=\"max-width: 753px; width: 100%;\">\r\n <h3 class=\"media-card__title\" style=\"width:100%; max-width:753px;\">NBC SPORTS BOSTON SCHEDULE<\/h3>\r\n <div class=\"stanzacal\" data-width=\"100%\" data-height=\"250px\"><\/div>\r\n <script src=\"https:\/\/dff2h0hbfv6w4.cloudfront.net\/scripts\/embed-stanzacal-v1.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script>\r\n <\/div><\/em><\/p>\n"
  7. author => "Darren Hartwell"
  8. mps => {"author":"Darren Hartwell","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
  9. published => "1543587780"
  10. created => "1543590091"
  11. changed => "1543590616"
  12. status => "1"
  13. hero_image_credit => "USA TODAY Sports"
  14. tags => [{"tid":"11141","name":"Celtics Talk Podcast","url":"tags\/celtics-talk-podcast"},{"tid":"1186","name":"NBA","url":"tags\/nba"},{"tid":"32461","name":"Robert Williams","url":"tags\/robert-williams"},{"tid":"7421","name":"Boston Celtics","url":"tags\/boston-celtics"}]
  15. section => "Celtics"
  16. team => "Boston Celtics"
  17. image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2018\/11\/30\/pierce_sacrafice1128181543463562049_7000k_1920x1080_1383368259785.jpg","alt":"pierce_sacrafice1128181543463562049_7000k_1920x1080_1383368259785.jpg","title":"Paul Pierce gives his key to the Celtics reaching their potential"}
  18. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/video\/paul-pierce-gives-his-key-celtics-reaching-their-potential"
  19. is_mediaid => true
  20. mediaid => "kOS0VLDDUb69"
  21. video_autoplay => true
  22. video_automute => false
  23. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  24. player_id => "boston_article"
  25. chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
  26. sponsor => ""
  27. region => "boston"
  28. fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=318214485357680&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fwhy-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins&display=popup"
  29. tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Why%20Robert%20Williams%20is%20all-in%20on%20%27Time%20Lord%27%20nickname%20%28despite%20its%20origins%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fwhy-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fwhy-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins"
  30. mailto => "mailto:?subject=Why%20Robert%20Williams%20is%20all-in%20on%20%27Time%20Lord%27%20nickname%20%28despite%20its%20origins%29&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fwhy-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins"
  31. tags_hide => []
  32. type => "article"
  33. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/boston\/celtics\/why-robert-williams-all-time-lord-nickname-despite-its-origins.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2018\/11\/30\/pierce_sacrafice1128181543463562049_7000k_1920x1080_1383368259785.jpg"]}
  34. orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2018\/11\/28\/pierce_sacrafice1128181543463562049_7000k_1920x1080_1383368259785.jpg","alt":"pierce_sacrafice1128181543463562049_7000k_1920x1080_1383368259785.jpg","title":"Paul Pierce gives his key to the Celtics reaching their potential"}
  35. article_type => "article"
Celtics

Celtics

If you've ever been a really cool nickname that's also slightly degrading, you know how Robert Williams feels.

The Celtics rookie is becoming a cult favorite in Boston thanks his awesome new moniker: the "Time Lord." There's one issue, though: The inspiration for the nickname comes in part from back-to-back incidents in which Williams overslept his introductory press conference and was absent from his first practice after missing a flight to Boston.

Whenever Williams hears "Time Lord" -- and he's heard it plenty -- he's reminded of those missteps. But the 21-year-old doesn't seem to mind.

"I'm embracing it, man," Williams told NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg and A. Sherrod Blakely on the latest edition of the "Celtics Talk" podcast. "I don't see a problem with it."

Part of the reason why? An early sit-down with head coach Brad Stevens, who helped set the rookie straight.

"This isn’t college, this isn’t second chances," Williams said of Stevens' message to him. "There’s a million people out there that can jump, you feel me? So, that just kind of turned my whole mindset around about the situation."

After atoning for his errors and regaining Stevens' trust, the Texas A&M product is signing off on "Time Lord" -- even if he's not totally sure where it came from.

 

"I don’t even want to get into that," he added. "But yeah, I embrace it. Definitely.

"You’ve got to be able to joke about your mistakes. I feel like once I learned from that and moved on from that I can joke about it. And if you can’t joke with yourself, there’s no getting better."

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.

 

NBC SPORTS BOSTON SCHEDULE