Nets’ Ziaire Williams thriving after being benched for final two games of 2025
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After being benched (DNP-Coach’s Decision) for the final two games of 2025, Nets forward Ziaire Williams has returned to post perhaps his best three-game stretch of the season, putting up 13.7 points per game, on 57.1 percent shooting from the floor, hitting 7 of 13 3s and 10 of 11 free throws, while averaging three steals and one block.
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“I’m just staying ready, just being the hardest worker out there, doing what I do best on the defensive end, causing havoc, getting deflections and shooting when I’m open,” Williams said following Tuesday’s practice. “Whether you start or come off the bench, play 30 minutes, 10 minutes, it’s all the same game at the end of the day.
“Just trusting my work. I was playing my hardest. Give it all I got. That’s pretty much it.”
In Williams’ first season in Brooklyn a year ago, the 10th overall pick in 2021 was never a healthy scratch, appearing in 63 games, while posting career highs in points (10.0), rebounds (4.6), steals (1.0) and 3-point percentage (34.1).
But after signing a two-year, $12.5 million extension, the 24-year-old forward took a step back, and has seen a dip in his numbers — 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 40.9 field goal percentage — along with his defensive consistency.
Injuries helped Williams rejoin the rotation Jan. 1, when he finished with 14 points and five steals against the Rockets. The coach’s decision has been easy since then.
“He’s just a great positive energy to have around,” Jordi Fernández said. “He shows up and works every day with a smile on his face. He competes at a high level. He’s about the right things. He’s very young. He’s improved in many things and he gives us that intensity defensively to change games. All those things mean a lot to us as a group. This is the Ziaire that we want, that we need, that we want him to sustain and we want him to get better.”
Nic Claxton will be available for Wednesday’s home game against the Magic after missing back-to-back games for personal reasons.
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