Robert Williams III on rehabbing after knee surgery: ‘It’s tough, but I’m here for it’
The Celtics big man is expected to miss 8-12 weeks.
Robert Williams III spoke with reporters at Celtics Media Day on Monday about his recent knee surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined for 8-12 weeks.
He said that he had some recurring issues with the knee that led to him getting the surgery.
“It took a toll on me mentally,” Williams III said, according to Yahoo Sports. “I wanted to be there but, man, all I could focus on is rehab now, man, just getting back on the court.”
Williams III, who selected to the second-team for the NBA All-Defensive Team last year, said he isn’t letting the rehab process dampen his spirits.
“Mentally, it’s one of my better days,” Williams III said. “Just realizing the trust I have in this team with my rehab process and the processes I’ve been through with them a couple times. Feeling good today, seeing all the guys together and stuff. It’s a battle, it’s tough, but I’m here for it. I’m ready to get back out there.”
He said he doesn’t regret playing during with the knee issues during the Celtics’ playoff run, which culminated in an NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.
“We all know I was battling through injuries through the end of last season. That’s just what it is,” Williams III said in a Youtube video posted by CLNS Media. “I made a decision as a man to keep playing. That’s my decision, regardless of the recurring injuries, whenever they did happen, I bought into that decision. I feel like that’s the biggest thing to just me being there mentally, get myself ready, get myself back and put my 100 percent rehab in is all I can focus on, all I can talk about.”
Celtics forward Al Horford said that he along with Grant Williams, and even Jayson Tatum at times, will have to step up and do more while Williams is out.
“We all just have to do more until he gets back and hope that once he’s back, he’s healthy, he’s good to go and he’s such a big part of what we do,” Horford said. He just makes everything so much easier for us. This is just a challenge that we’re facing and we just have to find a way to overcome it
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