Johnathan Williams facts for kids
Williams in 2020
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| No. 13 – Chiba Jets | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Power forward | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 22, 1995 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| High school | Southwind (Memphis, Tennessee) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 228 lb (103 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2018 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2018–present | |||||||||||||||||||
| League | B.League | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | →South Bay Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Maccabi Rishon LeZion | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Washington Wizards | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | →Capital City Go-Go | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Galatasaray | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Niners Chemnitz | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Dolomiti Energia Trento | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Fighting Eagles Nagoya | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Toyama Grouses | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Veltex Shizuoka | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Chiba Jets | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Johnathan Lee Williams III (born May 22, 1995) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Chiba Jets in Japan's B.League. Johnathan is known for his skills as a Power forward. He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Missouri Tigers.
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High School Basketball Star
Johnathan Williams went to Southwind High School in Memphis, Tennessee. He played basketball there for four years. His team had an amazing record of 88 wins and only 17 losses.
He was a starter on the basketball team from his very first year. As a freshman, he averaged 10.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. His team finished second in the state tournament.
In his sophomore year, Johnathan averaged 17.3 points and 11.5 rebounds. He also blocked 3 shots per game. His team placed third at the state tournament. As a junior, he continued to shine, helping his team reach the state quarterfinals.
Johnathan finished his high school career with a bang. He averaged 18.9 points and 9.5 rebounds. He led Southwind to a 34-6 record and a state championship! He earned all-state honors three times.
Choosing a College
After high school, many colleges wanted Johnathan to play for them. He visited Georgetown, Missouri, Tennessee, Michigan State, and George Mason. In November 2012, Johnathan decided to commit to the Missouri Tigers.
College Basketball Journey
Johnathan Williams played college basketball for two different teams. First, he played for the Missouri Tigers. Later, he transferred to the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Freshman Year at Missouri
As a freshman at Missouri, Johnathan helped his team reach the NIT tournament. They finished the season with 23 wins and 13 losses. He started every game, showing how important he was to the team.
He averaged 5.8 points and led the team in rebounds (6.5 per game) and blocks (1.6 per game). His 227 total rebounds were among the best in the SEC conference. He also had the second-most blocks ever by a freshman at Missouri.
In one game against UCLA, he scored 10 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. This showed his ability to get both points and rebounds. He also set a career high with 5 blocks in a game against Texas A&M.
Sophomore Year at Missouri
In his second year, Johnathan was expected to take on a bigger role. Many key players had left the team. However, he faced a challenge when he tore a meniscus in his right knee.
Even with the injury, Johnathan led Missouri in scoring (11.9 points), rebounding (7.1 rebounds), and blocks (0.6 per game). Despite his efforts, the team had a tough season. They finished with a 9-23 record.
He had some great games, including 18 points and 11 rebounds against Southeast Missouri State. He also scored a career-high 27 points against Mississippi State.
Transferring to Gonzaga
After his sophomore year, Johnathan decided to transfer from Missouri. His father felt that Johnathan needed a change to develop more. He also wanted his knee to heal properly.
Missouri limited where Johnathan could transfer. He visited Gonzaga, Georgetown, and SMU. In the end, he chose to transfer to Gonzaga. He had to sit out the 2015-16 season due to transfer rules. This gave him time to get stronger and work on his skills.
Senior Year at Gonzaga
When Johnathan returned to play for Gonzaga, he was a senior. He became a key player for the team. He led Gonzaga in scoring with 13.4 points per game. He also led the team in rebounding with 8.5 rebounds per game.
His strong performance earned him a spot on the All-West Coast Conference team. He was also recognized as an AP All-America honorable mention.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Johnathan Williams began his professional basketball career. He has played for several teams in the NBA and other leagues around the world.
Los Angeles Lakers (2018–2019)
Johnathan was not chosen in the 2018 NBA draft. However, the Los Angeles Lakers signed him for their Summer League team. He later signed a contract with the Lakers in July 2018.
He played for the Lakers and also for their G League team, the South Bay Lakers. On March 9, 2019, Johnathan scored a career-high 18 points against the Boston Celtics. He also grabbed 10 rebounds in that game. For the Lakers, he averaged 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. In the G League, he averaged 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds.
Maccabi Rishon LeZion (2019)
In July 2019, Johnathan signed with Maccabi Rishon LeZion in Israel. He played 18 games for the team. He averaged 11.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. In one game, he scored a career-high 19 points and had 11 rebounds. He left the team in December 2019 to explore offers from NBA teams.
Washington Wizards (2019–2020)
Johnathan signed with the Washington Wizards in December 2019. He played in 6 games for them. He later signed a two-way contract with the Wizards. This meant he could play for both the Wizards and their G League team, the Capital City Go-Go. In the G League, he averaged 13.1 points and 9.6 rebounds.
Playing Overseas
Since 2020, Johnathan has played for several teams outside the United States:
- Galatasaray (2020–2021): He played for Galatasaray in Turkey.
- Niners Chemnitz (2021): He then moved to Niners Chemnitz in Germany.
- Aquila Basket Trento (2021–2022): He played for Dolomiti Energia Trento in Italy.
- Fighting Eagles Nagoya (2022–2023): Johnathan signed with Fighting Eagles Nagoya in Japan.
- Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters (2023–2024): He played for the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters in the Philippines. He won the PBA Best Import of the Conference award during this time.
- Toyama Grouses (2024): He returned to Japan to play for Toyama Grouses.
- Veltex Shizuoka (2024): He had a short contract with Veltex Shizuoka in Japan.
- Chiba Jets (2024–present): Currently, Johnathan plays for the Chiba Jets in Japan.
National Team Success
Johnathan Williams has also represented the United States in international competitions.
- In 2011, he helped the USA win a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship. He averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds.
- In 2012, he won another gold medal at the FIBA U17 World Championship. He averaged 7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Personal Life
Johnathan Williams is the son of Johnny Williams and Barbara Williams.
See also
In Spanish: Johnathan Williams para niños
