Ziaire Williams reacts to playing ‘Uncle’ LeBron for the first time

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ziaire Williams shared the court plenty of times with Bronny James at Sierra Canyon High School, but facing his father in the NBA will be an entirely different experience.

Of course, Williams spent his senior year of high school at Sierra Canyon and was teammates with James and Zaire Wade, the sons of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He grew quite close with Bronny and Zaire and even looks to LeBron and Dwyane as uncles.

“Uncle ‘Bron and uncle D-Wade, I talk to them all of the time, especially Dwyane,” Williams said. “He just reached out to me last night just to congratulate me. They have been super supportive. When I first met them, I was almost starstruck but the moment you meet them, you forget who they are just because they are so down to earth and so humbled and laid back.”

Williams, 19, will now go from being teammates with Bronny in high school to facing LeBron in the NBA within a two-year period. The reality of facing such a close family friend hadn’t yet set in as Williams was introduced to the media on Friday.

“That is going to be a crazy night, for real,” Williams said. “That’s crazy. It really just hit me that I’m really going to play LeBron. That’s going to be a fun experience.”

While the experience of facing LeBron will be something in itself, Williams is simply just excited to begin his career with the Grizzlies, a team that he wanted to land with. The organization welcomed him in with open arms and has high expectations for him as the 10th overall pick.

Williams, who was the highest-rated recruit to commit to Stanford, averaged 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists last season. He posted just the second triple-double in program history, recording 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Washington on Jan. 7.

He pointed to the Grizzlies’ youth and coaching staff as some of the reasons why he wanted to join the team. He also believes he can be the big wing player the Grizzlies need on both ends of the floor while playing a key role in the rotation.

“I am super excited to be a Memphis Grizzly,” Williams said. “This is where I wanted to be. I kept that a secret because I didn’t want to mess it up but this is, honestly, really where I wanted to be. Words can’t express just how excited and blessed I am to be part of this organization.”

Williams’ rookie season in the NBA will be filled with plenty of firsts, of course. But the opportunity to play LeBron on the court will likely be among the most memorable experiences for Williams. It should certainly be a fun matchup to watch next season.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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