With Millions In NBA Earnings And A Rookie Contract Extension Underway, Jalen Williams Says He’s Retired His Parents
NBA player Jalen Williams is paying it forward to his parents.
Williams was drafted into the league in 2022 by the Oklahoma City Thunder as a 12th overall pick, notes ESPN. He was signed to a four-year rookie contract valued at $20.3 million, data from Spotrac reveals. That milestone felt like a natural next step as Williams had long believed the league was within reach due to affirmations instilled in him by his parents, according to Andscape.
“I would say my parents were big on if I wanted to get to the NBA, I could,” Williams recalled to the outlet. “From when I was young, I knew what I wanted to do, so I always had a good support system in regard to that. There was never a time that I didn’t think I could.”
NBA Championship
Fast forward to 2025, and Williams has already secured the league’s most coveted honor as the team won the 2025 NBA Championship during Game 7 on June 22, 2025, at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, NBC mentions. Williams was instrumental in the team’s stretch in the finals against the Indiana Pacers, per ESPN, scoring 291 points in the first five games when combined with his teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2025 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Williams also scored 40 points in Game 5, a career high, according to the NBA.
Retiring His Parents
Williams’ winning streak does not stop there. He has reportedly agreed to a rookie contract extension that could reach $287 million for a five-year period, ESPN states. Williams’ financial positioning over the years in the league has allowed him to retire his parents as well.
“It’s surreal,” Williams explained to TMZ. “I know everybody kind of uses that term, but it’s wild because it happened really fast, like within the span of three years, my life is completely different. But yeah, I mean, it’s cool. I’ve been fortunate enough to retire my parents.”
