Santa Clara Star Jalen Williams Declares for the NBA Draft

The third year is an early enrollee in the draft and has until June 1 to make a final decision

Coming off a groundbreaking season with a 21-12 record and their first postseason berth since 2013, Santa Clara put itself back on the map in the world of college basketball. As the season came to a close, several Broncos had decisions to make about their futures.

PJ Pipes and Josip Vrankic are no longer eligible as National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes, leaving Keshawn Justice and Jalen Williams as Broncos who still have college eligibility and must make decisions on their playing future.

Justice has elected to return to Santa Clara, using his additional COVID-19 year to run it back with the Broncos. For context, the NCAA granted all league athletes an extra year of collegiate eligibility to make up for the time lost due to the effects of the pandemic. As for Jalen Williams, a rising star among scouts and several draft boards including those of the likes of Mike Schmitz and Jonathan Givony, the basketball world is starting to know his name.

Williams has since declared for the NBA Draft, allowing him an opportunity to get chosen and make well-deserved money as a professional. While he still has time to change this decision by the end of May, it is likely that he is going to be drafted and join an NBA team instead of being an undrafted free agent in the G League (NBA development league).

Jalen Williams is the first NBA draft prospect from Santa Clara since Jared Brownridge in 2017. Williams is also expected to be the first player drafted from the university since Steve Nash in 1996, who went 15th overall to the Phoenix Suns. Being from the West Coast Conference (WCC), Williams hasn’t had the national media and tv spotlight that the power six conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 12, Big East) get, so he will have a lot of opportunities to break down the door and start his professional career on the right note.

Williams averaged 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game across the 33-game season, including several clutch performances against the likes of BYU, St. Mary’s and Portland. He is currently projected to be a mid-to-late second round pick according to several NBA Draft analysts, with the possibility to increase his stock l at the NBA combine in Chicago on May 16-22.

At the collegiate level, Williams has proven that he can score from all three levels: evident by his 39% shooting from three and relentless scoring in the paint. On the defensive end, Williams has improved throughout his three years at Santa Clara, having acted as a crucial help defender this season with improved one-on-one defense in key moments.

“I hope, for his sake, [that] he’s a first round draft pick,” Santa Clara assistant coach Ryan Madry said in an interview. “He brings a love for the game every single day. His spirit is contagious and the younger guys have learned a lot while he was here — I love him.”

Santa Clara fed off of his leadership throughout the 2021-22 season, especially during rough spells, like December, when the team battled COVID and injuries just to get on the floor.

Whatever decision Williams makes will certainly be one full of thought and reflection. He could easily return to the Broncos for a final season and attempt to take Santa Clara back to March Madness for the first time since 1996.

Bronco fans have been fortunate to see Williams evolve his game and grow as a person throughout his three seasons at Santa Clara. Jalen became a leader, and the best player, on a Santa Clara squad that gave more talented teams fits all year long. Any NBA team would be lucky to have Jalen Williams — Santa Clara fans are already well-aware of his superstar potential. We are fortunate to cheer for Jalen and will continue to do so as the Santa Clara community wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors and decision-making process, regardless of the outcome.