Former coach proves Mavericks forward Grant Williams is the perfect fit in Dallas

Noah Weber

Sacramento Kings v Dallas Mavericks / Sam Hodde/GettyImages

When the Dallas Mavericks acquired Grant Williams this summer through a sign and trade, no one knew what to expect from him.

He had been an elite role player for the entirety of his career, but no one knew just how good he'd be for Dallas. Would he be a role player, or would he take his game to the next level and be a solidified starter?

After 14 games, Williams has been a great starter for Dallas and has been exactly what they've needed. Williams is averaging 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from downtown.

Former coach proves Mavericks forward Grant Williams is the perfect fit in Dallas

This has been the best season of his career, and the starting power forward spot has been Williams' all season long. He has been a great shooter off the catch and a solid rebounder, but possibly has best fit his been his ability to be a leader on and off the floor.

Ever since training camp, Williams has shown that he is one of the leaders of this team. He showed this right away as he went viral for leading a heated speech after practice, stressing to his teammates that they must always practice hard and can't just coast through the season.

Williams knows what it takes to win in the playoffs, and he has shown that throughout his career.

Williams was even a great leader before he made the NBA, and his former coach spoke about that during media availability after SMU's game against Texas A&M on November 14.

Rob Lanier is SMU's head coach and coached Williams at Tennesee. When asked about Williams, here's what Lanier had to say.

"He's a special human being," Lanier said. "There's no way that anybody can be this consistently nice to people and be a great competitor and he was all of that all of the time."

SMU coach Rob Lanier on Mavs’ Grant Williams (coached him at Tenn.):

“He’s a special human…No one can be this consistently nice to people and be a great competitor and he was all of that all the time…He’s a real winner. He’s the epitome of leadership and consistency.”#MFFL pic.twitter.com/p0IqbLYPF9
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) November 16, 2023

This comment from Lanier shows that Williams is a great person on and off the floor, making him a great fit in Dallas. The Mavericks pride themselves on bringing in players that fit into this mold, and Williams fits perfectly.

"He's a real winner," Lanier said. "He's the epitome of leadership and consistency and I think he'll bring that to the Mavericks."

Since arriving in Dallas, Williams has done just that. He has been excellent on the floor, but just like Lanier said, he has also been a great leader and a great person off the floor. Dallas has needed someone who will speak up, and Williams is never afraid to do that.

For all the latest on Grant Williams and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.