Former Celtics Champ Calls Out Grant Williams Flagrant Foul

The ex-Boston power forward was ejected late on Friday.

Nov 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (2) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Former Boston Celtics bench guard Eddie House, a critical part of the club's 2008 title team, has weighed in on ex-Celtics power forward Grant Williams' flagrant 2 foul on All-NBA Boston power forward Jayson Tatum during their first of two back-to-back meetings between Boston and Williams' Charlotte Hornets last night. In that 124-109 Celtics victory, Williams shoved Tatum and sent the 6-foot-10 superstar careening to the ground. The force of Williams' shove sent him to the floor, too.

After the game, another Celtics All-Star former teammate of Williams', swingman Jaylen Brown, called out the moment.

Read More: Jaylen Brown Has Harsh Words for Grant Williams After Flagrant Foul

House, for his part, barely views what happened as a basketball play.

"That play right there was not a basketball play"

Eddie House speaks out about Grant Williams' hard foul on Jayson Tatum 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/WCfHu0Gxra

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) November 2, 2024

"I was told this when I was a youngster — that every brother ain't a brother. And just because we might be cool, there is something right there... I mean that's not even a play on the ball. That's something that's built up in him. That play right there was not a basketball play, and it could've actually [done] something crazy to Jayson Tatum. Thank god that it wasn't one of those [instances]," House said.

After an ice-cold shooting performance in the 2023 playoffs for Boston, Williams signed a four-year, $54 million sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He was so disappointing there, too, however, that he was flipped to Charlotte at the February 2024 trade deadline. Both of his former teams would go on to meet in last season's NBA Finals, with the Celtics prevailing over the Mavericks in five games.

"We know that that was not a basketball play. And just like Jaylen said, he knows better than that. He does — or maybe he don't! Maybe he just [thinks], 'This is what I'm about to do, and it don't matter.' It's certain ways of setting tones, in the game, to be physical, and it's certain ways to be borderline dirty... and that right there, that was right along the line of being dirty," House added. "That's something that I think that nobody should condone."

The Celtics and Hornets will face off again on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET. Fans on both sides will be watching Williams with baited breath.

Williams, a bench player on a 2-3 Hornets team that'll be happy to make the postseason, scored just six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the floor in his 30:24 of action, while grabbing seven rebounds, passing for three assists and swiping a steal.

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