Jalen Williams: College Basketball Player, Clark Atlanta University

The Ballers Magazine
18 hours ago
7 min read

Jalen Williams started playing basketball around the age of four years old. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Jalen remembers being immersed in the world of sports from a very young age—watching sporting events with his parents and being a multi-sport athlete himself playing football, baseball, and basketball. It was during his time in middle school though that he completely fell in love with basketball. It was a connection that was difficult to describe, and one that ignited a deep love for the game along with a commitment to playing the sport at the highest level. He was all in. Over the next several years, it was this very passion that led Jalen to

Grab Your Print Copies Here

strengthen his skills on the court and expand his basketball IQ. Upon graduating from high school, Jalen embarked on his collegiate career at Clark Atlanta University where he began to foster his legacy both on and off the court. From multiple All-Conference selections to a SIAC Championship to an HBCU All-Star Challenge MVP recognition, Jalen went on to earn several accolades throughout his collegiate career. Beyond the game, he also discovered his interest in philanthropy and community impact—aiming to launch his own foundation to support families affected by sickle cell. Through it all, there are several things that keep Jalen grounded, motivated, and inspired: his faith, dreams of playing basketball at the highest level, commitment to giving back to others, and determination to fostering a strong personal legacy that extends well beyond the court. Truly inspiring!

How did you get started playing basketball?

I got started playing basketball around the age of four, but it wasn’t my first sport. My first sports were football and baseball. I kind of got introduced to basketball late, but other than that, my childhood was very good just growing up in a sports household with my mom and my dad. Middle school was around (the time) when I found out I loved basketball for real and wanted to stick with basketball over the other sports.

Was middle school also the time you discovered you were all-in with basketball then?

Yeah! It was more so in middle school and during my freshman year of high school. In high school, you can only play one sport but I was allowed to play all of them. But then, over time, I was looking at it like: “Basketball is for me.” So I stopped playing football my freshman year of high school and I stopped playing baseball—where I had been on Varsity since I was a freshman—my sophomore year going into my junior year of high school.

Could you share more with us about your journey with basketball early on?

I spent countless hours. You know, my parents spent countless hours ripping and running back and forth for me for basketball—training and AAU games. I put in a lot of time. Basketball is longer than football and baseball. I put in a lot more time focusing on basketball—going to these tournaments and going to these camps—, so that's when I kind of felt like: ”Ok, this is for me. This is what I'm gonna stick with and this is what I'm gonna decide to do. My parents put all their time and sacrificed so much for me to do this.” That's how I knew what I wanted to do.