When Grant Williams walked to the scorer’s table during the Charlotte Hornets’ game against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 10, he felt like he was in a simulation.
“I originally thought, ‘Wow, am I in a 2K simulation?’ ” Williams said. “You go to the scorer’s table, you look at it and you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m about to sub in to an NBA game.’ And you kind of go through that same elation and that same joy you started with in your career.”
It wasn’t just another game for the former Tennessee basketball star. It was his first in more than a calendar year after he tore his ACL in November 2024. Williams was traded to the Hornets from the Dallas Mavericks before the 2024-25 season, but his first season in Charlotte ended prematurely because of the injury.
“It’s been long,” he said. “It’s a long process. It’s grueling. But I’m happy to be back. It showed me a different side to myself, allowed me to be vulnerable with myself, and I think that it challenged me to be a better leader, be a better person and just be a better basketball player and better athlete as well.”
On Jan. 28 at FedExForum, Williams had two points and three rebounds as the Hornets beat the Grizzlies 112-97.
The Hornets (20-28) spent the early part of the season beset by multiple injuries to key contributors, but they started to turn a corner in January and have won four in a row.
“Defensively, we’ve taken a huge step in growth,” Williams said. “Buying in to being a multi-sided basketball team, not just a team that only plays defense when their offense is going well. I give a lot of credit to every single person on this roster.”
Williams starred at Tennessee from 2016 to 2019 and was a first-team All-American in 2019. He has stayed involved with the Vols and donated $1.5 million to the University of Tennessee Foundation in September 2025.
He follows the current team closely but said it is “frustrating me right now.” Tennessee is 14-6 (4-3 SEC) after beating Georgia in overtime on Jan. 28.
“I need them to get back to who they are,” Williams said. “I feel like Nate Ament’s had a great season. The Jaylen Carey injury made me nervous the other night. But just in general, Coach (Rick) Barnes is coaching them hard. I know he’s doing his best. The group just has to continue to trust it, continue to buy in but also continue to compete. I think they’ve lost a lot of tough games, but also a lot of small mistakes that they can control going into the postseason run they’re going to have.”
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at [email protected] or on X @thejonahdylan.
