University of Tennessee Athletics
@Vol_Hoops Q&A: Grant Williams
August 06, 2016 | Men's Basketball
With Grant Williams on campus, Tennessee football no longer has a campus monopoly on high-profile, engineering student-athletes (see: Joshua Dobbs). The multi-talented Williams picked Tennessee over offers from a mix of Ivy League and national basketball powers. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native plans on majoring in mechanical engineering.
As a high school senior this past spring, Williams propelled his Providence Day School team to a North Carolina state championship and an appearance in the DICK’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament. Williams is one of only four players ever to be named The Charlotte Observer's Player of the Year in back-to-back years as a junior and senior, joining Queen City greats Ian Miller, Anthony Morrow and Jason Parker.
He also temporarily traded his basketball sneakers in for dancing shoes, playing a role in Providence’s 2016 production of the musical “Anything Goes.”
A 6-6 forward who will wear No. 2, let’s welcome Grant Williams to Rocky Top:
You’re one of three Tennessee players who hail from the state of North Carolina, joining fellow freshmen Jalen Johnson and Kwe Parker (and though not a native, freshman John Fulkerson also played his high school ball in that state). Were you all familiar with each other?
"It’s amazing because we all either played against each other or with each other. We know what type of player each guy is and we can rely on each other. We’ve all become really close because of that connection."
Your mom works for NASA; has Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs started lobbying you for a job after his football playing days are over?
“I actually talked to Josh a lot because I want to go into mechanical engineering. My mom is amazing, she’s is an electrical engineer for NASA. I was raised that academics come first. My grandparents were teachers; my dad has always emphasized my grades as well. It became my personality. People think that basketball is the only thing that athletes have in mind, but you have to have that passion for what you enjoy for when basketball is over.”
You got to know Rick Barnes during the recruiting process. What’s it like to be on the court with him now?
"I love coach Barnes. He’s an amazing guy who really cares about us, and we know that. We respect him and he respects us. We know that anything we need, we can rely on him like a second father figure for us."
Was there a particular moment that you knew Tennessee was the place you wanted to be?
“A few days before I committed, there was just a spark. Just having coach Barnes… he is one of those guys who cares about you and knows what he’s doing because he’s had so many guys that he’s developed and gotten them where they wanted to be. On the academic side, I knew I could thrive here being able to go into engineering.”
What was it like the first time you saw your nameplate on your Tennessee locker?
"I looked up and it was like ‘I’m here, finally. I’m playing Division I basketball. I’m playing in the SEC.’ It’s humbling.”
Your acting and singing talents came in handy after last basketball season was over, as you made an appearance in your school’s production of “Anything Goes.” What was that experience like?
“That was amazing. I love music, love being around music and I love participating in theater. They had asked me since my ninth grade year to participate since I came from Northwest School of the Arts, so I came in my senior year and agreed to do it. I had a lot going on with basketball and everything else, but I thought it would be fun to have something else on my plate and participate with people that I didn’t usually hang out with. It was probably one of the best experiences I’ve had with the choreography, the music, everything.”
LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry?
“I’m a Charlotte boy, so I have to go with Curry.”
