“I saw it” - College hoops fans rejoice as former Kansas star Jalen Wilson bags lucrative contract with Brooklyn Nets
Despite having been with the Brooklyn Nets for less than a year, Jalen Wilson has already made himself a key contributor to their roster. In recognition of this, the NBA franchise converted the former Kansas Jayhawks player to a standard three-year NBA contract on Friday.
The second-round pick has been a welcome surprise for the Nets, who have seen Wilson being an excellent role player with standout defensive work.
The Nets published a short video to their Instagram account that shows Jalen Wilson and his parents reacting to the news. Some fans pointed out that having the backing of a loving family is key to success in the NBA:
Jalen Wilson's 2023-24 season so far
At the moment, the Nets forward is averaging 5.0 points, 1.1 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game. His 46.8% field goal percentage makes him a valuable three-and-D wing, which is one of the hardest types of players to get in the NBA. Not only has Brooklyn gotten one, they found Jalen Wilson as a bargain in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn seems to be happy with Wilson, having said earlier in the year that:
"His energy, we needed it. I felt it out there on the floor. I thought he had a great pace about him whether it was going after a rebound, whether it was shooting the open three, whether it was trying to defend with physicality. He checked all those boxes.He's a guy that has worked his entire life to get to this position.He's been counted out, a four-year guy that has really paid his dues, and he continues to pay his due"
The Nets turned these words into action, signing the player for the long term.