Jalen Williams is widely recognized for his versatility on the court, where he excels in any role. As he carves out his path in the NBA, he also serves as a guiding example for his younger brother, Cody, who is following in his footsteps in the league.
It only took a couple of seasons for Jalen Williams to turn heads with his unique and versatile skill set, earning the highest of praise from his Kia MVP candidate teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“At 6-foot-4, he’s able to guard all five positions on the basketball court,” said Gilgeous-Alexander when asked to make a case for Williams’ All-Star chances during a postgame press conference. “Like tonight, he guarded a 7-footer. Like, I could never.”
“Mark (Daigneault) called me a renaissance man”, Williams recalls.
Williams and his family give an inside look at his unlikely path to becoming an NBA All-Star in Episode 3 of “Pass The Rock: Season 3.” . The NBA Entertainment original provides fans with all-access coverage into the lives of the game’s youngest stars in their on and off-court endeavors.
Growing up in Arizona with younger brother Cody and sister Jasmine, Williams’ height put him at such a disadvantage.
“For him, it was a much harder path,” said younger brother Cody Williams, a rookie forward for the Utah Jazz. “For whatever reason, he wasn’t recruited as heavily as I was.”
With only three college offers on the table, Williams learned at a young age that he had to rely on his basketball IQ and crafty skill set to succeed. As he grew, his chip-on-the-shoulder mentality stayed, shaping him into the one-of-a-kind player he is now.
For the first time in an organized match, Jalen and Cody faced off against one another on Feb. 21 at the Delta Center in Utah. With mom, dad and sister all watching in the crowd rocking split Thunder/Jazz jerseys, the brothers experienced an unforgettable moment.
“He did everything he’s supposed to as an older brother and he’s given me the best opportunity to be successful,” Cody Williams said.
The Thunder will again enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the West, this time with a refined approach and eyes set on bringing Oklahoma City its first championship.
