Stanford basketball alum finding a home with the Brooklyn Nets

Maybe being traded was good for Williams' career

Oct 30, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Former NBA player Vince Carter talks with Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) during warm ups prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Sometimes, a fresh start is all you need. Before the season began, Stanford basketball legend Ziaire Williams was sent from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Brooklyn Nets in a cost-cutting measure, with the former first round pick not fully living up to the expectations bestowed upon him when he entered the league. But Williams’ arrival in the New York City borough has lit a fire that has helped him revitalize his career and become a star for the Nets through the early part of this season.

Starting the season off lower in the rotation, the last couple of games have seen Williams become a more integral part of the depth chart, playing a season-high 24 minutes against his former team on Oct. 30. In that game, Williams scored 17 points while recording three assists and a rebound. He also had a career high in steals with four, while also going 6-for-10 shooting. This comes a game after posting a season high 18 points in 22 minutes in a 144-139 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. 

Averaging 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists, Williams is currently posting career highs in all stat categories, surpassing his previous highs of 8.2 points, 1.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds from last season through the early parts of this year.

Drafted 10th overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021, Williams’ rights were immediately sent to Memphis, where he played his first three seasons as a reserve off the bench. Struggling to find consistency with his jump shot, which in turn led to under 50% shooting from the field, Williams was traded to the Nets with a second round pick, in exchange for forward Mamadi Diakite and the draft rights to Yugoslavian overseas player, Nemanja Dangubić.

At Stanford for one season, in 2020-21, Williams came in as a five-star recruit, and chose to play for the Cardinal over offers from schools such as Arizona, USC, North Carolina and UCLA. Spending his first three years of high school at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Williams transferred to Sierra Canyon for his senior year, teaming up with players such BJ Boston, Bronny James and Zaire Wade. The highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with Stanford in the modern era, Williams instantly became a core part of the lineup, finishing his lone college season having averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists before forgoing his remaining eligibility to turn pro.

With the Nets in the midst of a rebuild, this season will be more about development and building a contending team for the future. For a young guy like Williams, it will be vitally important that he seizes every opportunity that comes his way so that he can keep improving and develop into a bonafide NBA star.