Chime Community Spotlight: Grant Williams has done it all since joining Mavericks

Grant Williams has been blessed with a lot of God-given athletic skills. And they have been used smartly to earn a lot of money playing in the NBA.

And yet, the Mavericks’ forward understands that not everything can be measured in dollars and cents. Sometimes, it takes something a little more personal.

That’s why Williams has made such an extraordinary effort to stay involved in the community – wherever it may be – helping those who cheer him on the court, especially those who don’t necessarily have the physical gifts to someday be a professional athlete.

“I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in and I try to remember what it was like when I was disadvantaged,” Williams said. “But also, just the smile you can put on someone’s face by showing up. It’s easy to commit financially and, at times, feel like you’re doing enough.

“But this world isn’t perfect. So as much as I can, I try to say ‘yes’ to everything out there because I understand the importance of being available, being someone who truly cares and wants everyone around them to grow and be successful.”

Time. If we all have a commodity that’s more important than money or material things, it’s time.

Williams gets it. That’s why he is the January honoree of the Chime Community Spotlight for his generous contributions time and, yes, financial resources, too, since joining the Mavericks last summer.

The Chime Community Spotlight distinction is given throughout the season to a Mavericks’ player who uses his resources and influence to impact the lives of others.

And Williams certainly has done that, and more.

The five-year veteran out of Tennessee wasn’t with the Mavericks more than a few weeks before he made appearances at the summer Mavs Academy hoop camps at various locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. That was the start of a concerted effort by Williams to become a vested part of the community.

Williams has since logged 18 community appearances – all since arriving in Dallas in July. Six of those have come in January. He has provided help to organizations throughout the Metroplex with $20,000 worth of tickets purchased for youth.

And his passion runs deep for all kids. Williams joined Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and the community-relations team for a special back-to-school extravaganza at Adelle Turner Elementary. The Mavericks adopted the school in 2021 as part of the Mavs Take Action! Plan.

“It’s so important to me to give back, especially when kids are involved,” Williams said. “Just talking to them and taking time to be there may not seem like a big thing. But it’s important.”

The list of other initiatives that Williams has been involved in is long. Here’s just a few:

• The Mavs and Day Owl donated 2,500 backpacks to youth impacted by child abuse in the foster care system throughout North Texas. Williams helped deliver and unload the backpacks and also donated nearly $5,000 worth of essential goods to the kids.
• He partnered with the NASCAR Hall of Fame as another part of his outreach to foster care children to take a group to the facility to inspire and entertain them.
• He took part in the Cookies With Santa celebration for kids from Vogel Alcove, decorated cookies and Christmas trees and took part in a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas by Santa Claus himself.
• He was part of the holiday cheer brought to patients and staff at Children’s Health Dallas, delivering blankets, toys and Mavs’ goodies, donated by ShiftKey and Tiff’s Treats, to those not able to enjoy the holidays outside of the hospital.
• Williams spent more than an hour after the Jan. 5 home game against Portland to visit with a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters, talking extensively about mentoring. “I love anything in regard to mentorship,” Williams said. “It’s one of my biggest passions and it’s something that’s actually very vital because it allows not only the youth in the next generation to know the struggles we went through, but also to be inspired to persevere.”
• On Jan. 12, Williams helped dedicate the renovation of the Cedar Crest Community Center, bringing families and friends together and new hope to that part of the Dallas community. “For me, it’s never about credit (giving back),” he said. “It’s more about seeing the impact that it has on people’s lives.”
• He’s also been heavily involved in the Mavs Reading Challenge presented by Whataburger. On Jan. 23, he read two books to elementary schoolkids in January. It was at that event that Williams introduced what he calls “the money game.” Two lucky – and attentive – students won $100 each by being able to answer a question about one of the books Williams read.

Williams explained the back story of what he calls “the money game.”

“When I was a kid, we always had speakers come to camps and the (former NBA players) Jamario Moons, the Chris Boshes,” Williams said. “But we’d have a banker, a lawyer, somebody with a different career, and they’d come and speak. That’s why I started the money game.

“I understand the importance of the task at hand. We were there to encourage reading comprehension. So people that paid attention and used their imagination, that’s what I wanted to highlight.”

All of Williams’ work with the Mavericks and in the Dallas area comes after four seasons doing many of the same outreach projects in Boston when he was with the Celtics, plus his numerous local community endeavors in and near Charlotte, where he grew up.

While with the Celtics, Williams was named a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award in 2023.

In Boston, he volunteered to be part of a number of the Celtics’ social justice initiatives, specifically those for criminal justice reform.

One of his initiatives in North Carolina was a free basketball camp at West Charlotte High School, where his older brother led that team to a state championship.

At that event last summer, Williams said: “We always have to remember where we came from.”

He expanded on that thought recently at one of his many community events.

“I look back at all the free basketball camps I was able to be part of,” Williams said. “I think back to the North Carolina program for Math, Science and Engineering. I remember volunteering for Special Olympics and seeing the benefit and the grace of that. And I remember being on the other end, receiving backpacks and clothes.”

Sometimes, what goes around really does come around.

The Grant Williams Family Foundation offers various opportunities for kids. The Live to Learn mentoring program is all about providing kids with mentors in areas that they are interested in, and not just in sports.

“We want it to run efficiently while also understanding that the program is making an impact and kids can come back and say that it truly made an impact on their lives,” Williams said.

The Mavericks’ community relations team, along with jersey patch sponsor Chime, are pleased to recognize Williams for his community outreach this season. To learn more about Chime,  visit www.chime.com.

X: @ESefko