KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — ON Thursday, former Tennessee men's basketball star Grant Williams will play in his first-ever NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors.
Many Vols fans are passionately rooting him on to become an NBA champion. Of course, so are his former coaches and teammates.
Former Vols forward John Fulkerson said he couldn't be prouder of Williams. The two met in high school and then were roommates at the University of Tennessee.
"It's amazing," Fulkerson said. "We were just talking about it here earlier today with some of the coaches at Tennessee about the kind of person he is, the kind of player he is and how far his game has taken him and how much hard work he's put in to get where he is. You can see it."
Fulkerson said it has been impressive to watch Williams be a back-to-the-basket type of player with the Vols and how he is now a spot-up shooter from three-point range in the NBA.
"It speaks volumes to the work he has put in," he said.
Fulkerson went and watched Williams and the Celtics in their first NBA Playoffs series against the Brooklyn Nets. They got to reminisce on old times with the Vols at the game and Fulkerson said it was great to relive those memories.
He plans on going to see Williams play in the Finals too.
"I can say I'm proud of him, but I think that's a complete understatement," he said. "I can't wait to see him on the biggest stage of basketball and see the man he has become and the player he has become as well."
Fulkerson said the 2018-2019 Tennessee men's basketball team is in a group text chain. They all texted Grant congratulations after he advanced to the NBA Finals with the Celtics.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is on Thursday at 9 p.m.
