Born on April 14, 2001, Jalen Williams is a basketball small forward/shooting guard signed to the Oklahoma City Thunder roster in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "J-Dub," Williams attended Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona. He was named Chandler Unified School District Player of the Year in his junior high school season. For college, he went to Santa Clara and played for the Santa Clara Broncos. He recorded 1,000 career points during his time in college. He was also a two-time All-WCC.
The Oklahoma City Thunder picked up Williams with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He made his NBA debut on October 19, 2022. In his rookie season, Williams was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He averaged a cool 14.1 points in his rookie NBA season, and an impressive .521 FG% and .356 3PT%.
Williams was selected to play for the United States of America internationally. He was a part of the team that prepared for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup but did not play any games during the tournament.
Jalen Williams Draft
The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Williams with the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, becoming the first Santa Clara player since the legendary Steve Nash to be drafted into the NBA. He debuted in the league on October 19, 2022, against the Houston Rockets. He scored five points in six minutes on the day. His first match will, however, be remembered by him for taking a ghastly hit to the face. He injured himself trying to defend a dunk attempt. Reports suggest he had to undergo surgery to address the fracture.
He was elected to be a part of the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and Williams placed second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting in 2023.
Jalen Williams College
Williams played college basketball in Santa Clara for the Broncos. He played his first game for them on November 5, 2019, against UC Santa Cruz, notching 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists during the game. He averaged 7.7 points in 25.5 minutes during his freshman season, taking part in all 33 games. He was named a First Team All-WCC selection and Second Team NABC All-District in his final season in Santa Clara. He also finished runner-up for the Lou Henson Award.
FAQs
A. Jalen Williams is currently signed to the Oklahoma City Thunder roster of the NBA.
A. Jalen Williams was born in Denver, Colorado, U.S., on April 14, 2001.
A. Jalen Williams went to Santa Clara where he played college basketball for the Santa Clara Broncos.
A. Jalen Williams can play both as a shooting guard and a small forward.
