Former Tennessee great Grant Williams made a triumphant return to Rocky Top this past week during the Vols’ 92-84 win over No. 11 Auburn in the Food City Center.
After being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Charlotte Hornets at the NBA trade deadline, Williams is closer to Knoxville than he has ever been in his five-year NBA career. Williams is also back in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.
As both Tennessee and Auburn were warming up on the court before the game, Williams made his way over to the student section to sign autographs and take pictures with the fans. Williams was flooded by Tennessee fans in the tight space but kept a big smile on for whenever someone would run up with a “selfie” camera in position.
VFL Grant Williams saying hello to the Vols’ student section before the Top 15 matchup against Auburn tonight pic.twitter.com/77ivl0hvyi
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) February 28, 2024
As one user responded to Rocky Top Insider’s video, “greatness is in the house.”
It didn’t take long for Williams to get a full introduction in front of the home fans as the former Vol was recognized during the first timeout of the Vols’ game against Auburn on Wednesday night.
VFL Grant Williams returns to Rocky Top and is recognized during the first timeout of the game. pic.twitter.com/AuCIA7rxor
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) February 29, 2024
More from RTI: Dalton Knecht And Josiah-Jordan James’ Games Complementing Each Other, Tennessee Basketball
While the two weren’t at Tennessee at the same time, Williams also found a moment to chat with Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel.
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In addition to Grant Williams and Josh Heupel, other notable guests during Tennessee’s sold-out contest against Auburn included Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello (wearing a Zakai Zeigler jersey, unsurprisingly), the Tennessee softball team, and VFL Ja’Wuan James with his family.
Tennessee earned one of its best wins of the season in a 92-84 win over Auburn on Wednesday, thus holding on to their top spot in the SEC standings with a critical matchup against Alabama coming up on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. Vols guard Dalton Knecht has put up some ridiculous stats in wild games this season, but perhaps none more important than his 39 points against Auburn. Knecht scored 25 points in the second half and singlehandedly outscored Auburn’s entire team in the final 12 minutes of the game.
Knecht and Williams are widely looked at as the two best players of the Rick Barnes era at Tennessee. It was only fitting that Williams was in the crowd for Knecht’s best performance of the season… so far.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for live coverage of Tennessee’s SEC matchup against Alabama on Saturday night from Tuscaloosa.
