OKC THUNDER

Why Arkansas' Jaylin Williams got 'chill bumps' after OKC Thunder selection in NBA Draft

Jaylin Williams sat at the end of the table along with the other three Thunder draftees with the biggest smile on his face. 

Also sitting in attendance at the Clara Luper Center in downtown Oklahoma City on Saturday afternoon was his immediate family.

Williams wasn’t at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night. Instead, he held a watch party in his hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Initially, he planned for an event of 90 people, but it soon grew to nearly 200 as everyone in attendance eagerly watched as the Thunder selected Williams with the 34th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Williams had his reasons for skipping the NBA Draft and hosting his own event at home

“Honestly, just family,” Williams said at the Thunder's introductory press conference. “My family is all super close. Everybody showed out.

"We have family that’s two or three hours away, friends that I’ve known my whole life that I didn’t think was going to be there. Coaches from years before, they all showed up so just having it there and having everybody that I care about there, was so important.”

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Jaylin Williams is all smiles at the Grizzly Arena in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as he embraces his mom, Linda Williams (left) and his dad, Mike Williams (right), after he was selected 34th overall by the Thunder in the NBA Draft on June 23.

Williams had a lot of support from his hometown on Thursday night and it's for a good reason. He’s been the hype of the town for a long time.

Williams first earned the attention of others when he was age 4. He played with the older kids because he was already one of the biggest. And the initial interest only grew as time passed and Williams continued to excel in basketball. 

In high school, Williams won a state championship and was named the Arkansas 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year. And in college, Williams averaged 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists, helping the Razorbacks reach the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament and was named to the All-SEC first-team. 

“Once he got around ninth grade,” said Michael Williams, his father and trainer. “I said, ‘Son, you can actually make a career of this if you take it serious.’ So, seeing everything come around to see it all work out, knowing that we’re close.

"It’s just a three-hour drive (from Arkansas to Oklahoma City). It’s great, I’m actually getting chill bumps in my arm thinking about it now.”

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Thunder draft pick Jaylin Williams has a lot of support from his hometown of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Jaylin, a 6-foot-10 forward, proved to be one of the best rebounders in the country this past season. With his 7-foot-1 wingspan, Williams ranked sixth in the NCAA (second, SEC) in defensive rebounds as he totaled 8.3 a game. He placed 19th (second, SEC) in overall rebounds with 9.8. 

"In his very first game that he played when he was 4 years old," Michael said. "I had an AAU coach come up to me and said, 'I've never seen a kid rebound the way that he rebounds.' And that was at 4."

Williams said rebounding is something every team needs, and he wants to be the guy that provides energy and effort for the Thunder.

"Being able to be that guy that provides things not a lot of other players are willing to do, I'm hoping to do that. I'm willing to do that and I'm ready to do that."

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The effort that Williams has played with over his prep and college careers is what many have appreciated along the way. So, it wasn't a surprise for how many wanted to be a part of his draft night on Thursday.

"He's a guy that makes teams function, and he has big-time passion to play and he's physical," Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. "And those things are important for teams and people are going to enjoy playing with him because of the things he brings to the table."

Hosting his own event came with just one hiccup on Thursday night. When Santa Clara's Jalen Wiliams' name was called as the Thunder's 12th pick, the crowd inside Northside High School gymnasium erupted, thinking it was their Williams that they had all come to support.

"I was like, 'No that's not me,'" Jaylin Williams said with a big smile. "It was just a funny thing and it's cool honestly. It's going to make a lot of memories of course."

James D. Jackson covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for James? He can be reached at jjackson@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @JamesDJackson15. Support James' work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

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