Originally published by LakersNation.com
One of the more intriguing players the Los Angeles Lakers added this summer was wing Ziaire Williams. The five-year veteran fits the bill as the type of 3-and-D wing the Lakers covet around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and he still has plenty of room to grow at just 25 years old.
Williams’ development over the past two years has gone under the radar as he played for the Brooklyn Nets, but now that he has joined the Lakers he feels he is a perfect fit around the team’s star backcourt.
“Yeah, absolutely, man. That was it,” Williams said at Lakers Media Day about fitting next to Doncic and Reaves. “You said it right there. Just being versatile on both ends and being able to guard the best player and just just provide just that extra lifeline of of energy. Picking up full. Just the little things that I do to contribute to winning. And that’s what we talked about in the meetings in free agency and stuff and I’m glad I made the right choice, man. I’m super happy to be here.”
But most important for Williams is winning. The Nets won just 46 games combined over the past two seasons while the Lakers notched 50 wins in each of the past two years. And contributing to winning in any way he can is what the wing intends to do.
“Yeah, man, like I said, I play to win, right?,” Williams added. That’s what my dad taught me when I was little is just, to be a competitor and you do whatever it takes to win no matter what your stats are. And that’s what I’m looking forward to the most here is, we have a standard of winning a NBA championship and you know that’s the standard we’re going to hold ourselves to all season. And I’m fully on board with that man. I just want to contribute to winning as much as I can and especially being back home to to win in front of my family and friends it it would mean the world to me.”
It is indeed a return home for Williams who was born in Lancaster and attended Sierra Canyon High School where he was a teammate of Bronny James. And now being able to put on the purple and gold is a dream come true.
“Yeah, it’s it’s a blessing, man, coming back full circle. I remember being six years old in a YMCA Junior Lakers jersey in Lancaster, California. And you know just growing up and seeing the LA culture, watching the the championship parades on the street. It’s purple and gold everywhere, man. My family bleeds purple and gold, so just to be able to throw the jersey on and be able to play on the on the biggest stage of the world is is is a blessing for sure.”
The Lakers fanbase is unlike any other in basketball and Williams understands that as much as anyone, and is ready to do anything he can to bring those fans to their feet every night.
Ziaire Williams’ family happy he joined Lakers
Williams isn’t the only person excited to be a member of the Lakers as his family is very happy he is back home with the purple and gold.
“Oh, they were excited man,” Williams said. “They support me no matter what team I’m on, but the fact I’m back home and they get to see their son a lot more than they did in the past, they’re they’re definitely happy.”
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One of the more intriguing players the Los Angeles Lakers added this summer was wing Ziaire Williams. The five-year veteran fits the bill as the type of 3-and-D wing the Lakers covet around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and he still has plenty of room to grow at just 25 years old.
Williams’ development over the past two years has gone under the radar as he played for the Brooklyn Nets, but now that he has joined the Lakers he feels he is a perfect fit around the team’s star backcourt.
“Yeah, absolutely, man. That was it,” Williams said at Lakers Media Day about fitting next to Doncic and Reaves. “You said it right there. Just being versatile on both ends and being able to guard the best player and just just provide just that extra lifeline of of energy. Picking up full. Just the little things that I do to contribute to winning. And that’s what we talked about in the meetings in free agency and stuff and I’m glad I made the right choice, man. I’m super happy to be here.”
But most important for Williams is winning. The Nets won just 46 games combined over the past two seasons while the Lakers notched 50 wins in each of the past two years. And contributing to winning in any way he can is what the wing intends to do.
“Yeah, man, like I said, I play to win, right?,” Williams added. That’s what my dad taught me when I was little is just, to be a competitor and you do whatever it takes to win no matter what your stats are. And that’s what I’m looking forward to the most here is, we have a standard of winning a NBA championship and you know that’s the standard we’re going to hold ourselves to all season. And I’m fully on board with that man. I just want to contribute to winning as much as I can and especially being back home to to win in front of my family and friends it it would mean the world to me.”
It is indeed a return home for Williams who was born in Lancaster and attended Sierra Canyon High School where he was a teammate of Bronny James. And now being able to put on the purple and gold is a dream come true.
“Yeah, it’s it’s a blessing, man, coming back full circle. I remember being six years old in a YMCA Junior Lakers jersey in Lancaster, California. And you know just growing up and seeing the LA culture, watching the the championship parades on the street. It’s purple and gold everywhere, man. My family bleeds purple and gold, so just to be able to throw the jersey on and be able to play on the on the biggest stage of the world is is is a blessing for sure.”
The Lakers fanbase is unlike any other in basketball and Williams understands that as much as anyone, and is ready to do anything he can to bring those fans to their feet every night.
Ziaire Williams’ family happy he joined Lakers
Williams isn’t the only person excited to be a member of the Lakers as his family is very happy he is back home with the purple and gold.
“Oh, they were excited man,” Williams said. “They support me no matter what team I’m on, but the fact I’m back home and they get to see their son a lot more than they did in the past, they’re they’re definitely happy.”
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.