Williams played basketball for Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he played with his future NBA teammate, Isaiah Joe.[2] As a sophomore, he helped his team reach the Class 7A state final.[3] In his junior season, Williams averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game,[4] and was named Arkansas Division I Player of the Year by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.[5] He led his team to the Class 6A state title and was named tournament MVP after recording 20 points and 16 rebounds in the title game.[6] As a senior, Williams averaged 18.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, earning Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year honors and repeating as Arkansas Division I Player of the Year.[7][8] A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Arkansas over an offer from Auburn, among other programs.[9]
College career
As a freshman at Arkansas, Williams averaged 3.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.[10] He became a regular starter in his sophomore season.[11] Williams averaged 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, receiving first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors from the league's coaches. He was a second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and made the All-Defensive Team.[4] Williams led the NCAA Division I with 54 charges drawn and grabbed 364 rebounds, setting a program single-season record. He declared for the NBA draft and opted to forgo his remaining college eligibility.[12]
Professional career
Oklahoma City Thunder (2022–present)
Williams was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft with the 34th overall pick, becoming the first player of Vietnamese descent to be drafted in the NBA.[13][14] Williams joined the Thunder's 2022 NBA Summer League team.[15] In his Summer League debut, Williams scored two points and six rebounds in a 98–77 win against the Utah Jazz in the Salt Lake City Summer League.[16] On July 19, 2022, Williams signed with the Thunder.[17]
In October 2024, Williams suffered a right hamstring strain which left him out of the remainder of preseason.[18] Williams return to active play on December 23rd.[19]
Personal life
Williams grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas. His mother, Linda Williams, was born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam, and moved to the United States in 1975 after the Vietnam War.[20] Williams is the first player of Vietnamese descent to play in the NBA.[20]
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