NBA Star Inspires Young Athletes at Lincoln Prep Summer Camp

Jalen Williams, a professional NBA forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder, recently spoke to a group of 5th–8th grade student-athletes at Lincoln Prep’s Summer Basketball Camp. According to Athletic Director Aaron Foshie, Williams spent about 45 minutes chatting, shooting around, taking pictures, and signing autographs. “I had spoken to Jalen in the past about attending our summer basketball camp and talking to our kids, and I was glad he was able to make it out this summer,” shared Foshie.

Before Foshie became the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Lincoln Prep, he was an assistant coach at Perry High School in Gilbert, where Williams was a student. “I met Jalen when he was a 5’10” sophomore in high school, and I was immediately impressed by his ability to process information and make quality basketball decisions despite his youth,” recalled Foshie. “He was unique in the sense that he was not always the quickest, but he was highly skilled and could hurt opponents with his scoring or his ability to make plays for others.”

Foshie coached Williams on the basketball team for three years into his senior year when Jalen grew in skill and height to about 6’3″. Williams ended his high school career averaging more than 25 points per game in his senior year, being named the Chandler Unified School District Player of the Year as a junior, and was awarded the 2017–18 Region Offensive Player of the Year. “During his senior year, we lost in the 6A Final Four to Pinnacle High School star, and ex-Golden State Warrior, Nico Mannion,” recalled Foshie. “There were numerous college coaches that would come to our high school practices to see him, and I would always try to mention that Jalen‘s combination of skill, humility, and competitiveness would help him flourish at the next level.”

photo credit: @shotbyjojo_

At the Lincoln Prep Summer Basketball Camp, the questions for Williams ranged from “Who is the hardest player to guard?” to “Who is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in your mind?” Foshie said his favorite question was, “What advice would you give to kids who are hoping to follow your journey?” To which Williams answered, “As you go through the game of basketball, there are a lot of people who will have opinions on what you should be doing. They will have opinions on your play style, what school you go to, and everything in between. The important thing is to stay locked in on getting better every day, and to commit to one place to do it at. The grass is not always greener on the other side, and it is important to be somewhere where you are wanted, cared for, and pushed to be better both on and off the court. Also, the people you keep around you are very important, and I am thankful to be surrounded by great people who support me each day.”

“Watching Jalen and the Thunder the past two years has been unbelievable. They play with a joy and connectivity that is rarely seen in professional sports nowadays,” shared Foshie. “Watching him with the ball in his hands and the game on the line reminds me of all the times we asked him to come up huge for us at Perry. Win or lose, he was always the same guy, and I always enjoyed competing with him.”

Williams’ younger brother, Cody Williams, was recently selected 10th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. “I remember Cody would come to the games and sit in between his parents and play some sort of video game in the stands. I also had the pleasure of coaching Cody during his freshman year at Perry, where he contributed as a key piece to our varsity team,” remembered Foshie. “I know Jalen and Cody are still extremely close, and I can’t wait for Cody to find his footing in the league in his new environment.”

Lincoln Prep and Great Hearts are extremely grateful to Williams for taking the time to have meaningful conversations with our scholars while sharing inspiration in athletics as well as life. We also thank Coach Foshie for the impact he has made on Williams and the great-hearted athletes he is currently shaping.

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