Two Vietnamese American basketball players are hoping to make their mark in the NBA this year: Johnny Juzang and Jaylin Williams.
Juzang is a former college basketball star. He played for the University of Kentucky during his freshman year. From 2020 to 2022 he played for UCLA. He helped UCLA reach the final four of the NCAA championships in 2021.
The UCLA hero entered the 2022 NBA draft after his junior year but went unselected. After the draft, the Utah Jazz signed Juzang on a two-way contract, according to Sports Illustrated. He will split his time between the Jazz and their G-League affiliate the Salt Lake City Stars.
Williams played college basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Williams during the second round of the 2022 NBA draft as the 34th overall pick. Several sportswriters have said he is the first player of Vietnamese descent in the NBA.
The 20-year-old made his debut for the Thunder on Sunday, October 23, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to ESPN, he played 8 minutes and scored 4 points.
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