When a prospect hits their second Summer league, the pressure spikes. Ideally, the goal for any rookie is to not appear in their second Summer League.

Despite being as overqualified as a doctor applying for a McDonald’s cashier job, some teams thrust NBA players (Mitchell Robinson) only for them to prove they are wasting their time in the court and could be living it up on the strip.

For some sophomores, their second Summer is a chance to cement themselves in the rotation after sitting as a rookie. This is the situation Boston Celtics’ sophomore big man Robert Williams III found himself in. The 27th overall pick in the 2018 draft, the Texas A&M product tumbled down draft boards, presumably for off-court and manipulation of time and space-related reasons.

Perennially late to meetings and press conferences, off-floor foibles, injuries and a general lack of focus derailed Williams’ rookie season. On the floor, Williams flashed his athletic and passing talent, but he struggled mightily. Unplayable at times, his on-off difference of -5.9 was the worst on the Celtics.

In Vegas, Williams reminded everyone why so many touted him as a lottery talent in an all-time draft. He shined for the dominant Summer Celtics, posting 16.6 points, 18 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.1 blocks and 2.3 steals per 36 minutes. While some of the same issues arose for Williams, his highs were higher than most, if not all of his Summer League compatriots.

It is not wise to throw this word around lightly, but Williams is a total freakshow, physically and athletically. With a 7’6 wingspan and rockets in his shoes, Williams dominated his Summer League peers athletically and is an upper-tier athlete by NBA standards.

Williams’ athletic superiority manifests most clearly in his rim protection, where his tools alone shut Boston’s rim closed. In his rookie season, Williams swatted 5.1 blocks per 36 minutes, which led the NBA among players who appeared in at least 30 games.

This play is a nice microcosm of Williams at his current peak, flashing his two standout skills. On one end, Williams soars to erase the layup with ease. On the other end, he fires a one-handed pass on the money to a wide-open Max Strus:

Williams’ puts his absurd length on display here: Watch how high he gets despite the sluggish knee bend. This is pure, smothering wingspan:

Even as a primary defender in the post, Williams has enough length to get a fingertip on fadeaways:

As a pick and roll defender, Williams’ length and vertical explosion allow him to guard two men at once. He easily thwarts this lob attempt:

Again, Williams knocks this pass out of the air like a dad playing with his toddler on a Little Tikes hoop:

When Williams locks in, his tools pave the way for some special help defense. He digs off of his man in the corner, splaying his long arms out for a steal and pushes in transition himself:

Williams has the makings of a special big man defender when he is engaged. Engagement is the key, as Williams still lapses on the defensive end far too often.

On some plays, Williams looks like a kid picking dandelions on second base. He barely moves here, loafing around in the paint while his man, Brandon Clarke, sets up a “check the wind I’m so wide open” three-ball:

With his tools, Williams should be an awesome defender in drop coverage, with the mobility and length to tread water effectively. His lack of acute awareness and sense of positioning leaves him vulnerable to potent passer and roll men. Williams should slide over to the left earlier here, but he leaves a window for Clarke to roll into and can only offer a feeble swipe at the ball:

Williams’ tendency to jump at everything inflated historic block numbers last season and his discipline is an issue. As a result, his closeouts are often sloppy; Williams flies past the ball here:

While Williams’ most blatant contribution on the floor may be his athleticism, his best and most valuable skill may be his playmaking. As a passer, Williams is fantastic for a big man, with lightning-quick decision making and vision like a hawk.

For a 21-year-old, Williams’ processor is advanced, reading the floor quickly and making smart decisions. The speed with which Williams makes decisions is impressive; less than a second after catching the ball, Williams floats a lob to Grant Williams in the bucket:

This is such a simple play, but one indicative of Williams’ decisiveness with the ball. After catching the pass, he doesn’t hesitate or take a bad shot; Williams flows into a dribble handoff, leading to an eventual score:

From the weak side mid-post, Williams skips an accurate ball to Grant Williams for the triple:

Out of the high post, Williams can act as an offensive hub, running cutters off of him and screeners around him. With deft timing and precision, Williams will locate his teammates voyaging to the rim:

His natural feel for the game as a passer stands out on plays like this, where Williams recovers the loose ball in transition and immediately flips a pass for a wide-open dunk:

Though his handle is raw, Williams can pass on the move, an incredibly rare skill for a big man, let alone ones athletic as he is. Bringing the ball up in transition, Williams whips a one-handed pass for a dunk:

With his freakish athleticism, Williams should add value on the offensive glass, skying for rebounds and putbacks galore:

As for his scoring, Williams derives most of his value from his athletic and physical tools. With pogo sticks for legs, Williams is an awesome lob target:

Plays like this make Williams’ athletic incandescence obvious; he sleepwalks into this reverse slam:

At the rim, Williams’ finishing stats have always stood out, ranking in the 94th percentile around the basket in his rookie season (small sample size). In his final season with the Aggies, he shot a ridiculous 83.2 percent at the rim. Williams is a dunk machine and this buoys his rim efficiency. Over two seasons in college, Williams shot 64.4 percent on non-dunks at the rim, a figure more indicative of his ability at the rim. He does have solid touch as a finisher, capable of finishing hooks and flick shots at the basket:

Occasionally, Williams shows the ability to finish layups at tough angles with craft and touch:

He still struggles to create his own shot in isolation situations:

Williams has the tools and athleticism to suggest he may be a burgeoning defensive monster and a strong playmaker on the offensive end. Williams also is likely a ways away from any meaningful contribution on an NBA floor. Both assertations can be true.

With Al Horford in Philadelphia and Aron Baynes in Phoenix, the door is open for Williams to steal minutes away from Enes Kanter and Vincent Poirier. If he can control his ridiculous physical gifts and passing chops and hone his focus, Williams could blossom into a legitimate rotation piece for the Celtics this season.

The Celtics are turning over a new leaf this season, leaving the locker room turmoil of old in the past and rebuilding their culture. With a strong influx of young talent, Williams is in as good a position as ever to develop as a player and person and to succeed.

If Williams cannot reign in his focus and iron out his defensive game, there’s a chance Williams is not in the NBA for much longer. However, if he can harness his immense talent he flashed at Summer League, the future could be bright for Williams and the young Celtics.