Donovan Williams (basketball)
{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Donovan Williams
| image = Donovan Williams.jpg
| caption =
| position = Shooting guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lb = 190
| league =
| team = Free agent
| number =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|9|6}}
| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| high_school = Elkins (Missouri City, Texas)
| college =
| draft_year = 2022
| career_start = 2022
| career_end =
| years1 = 2022–2023
| team1 = Long Island Nets
| years2 = {{nbay|2022|end}}
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks
| years3 = 2023
| team3 = →College Park Skyhawks
| years4 = 2023–2024
| team4 = Santa Cruz Warriors
| years5 = 2024
| team5 = Scarborough Shooting Stars
| years6 = 2024–2025
| team6 = Westchester Knicks
| years7 = 2025
| team7 = Shanghai Sharks
| highlights =
}}
Donovan Kennedy Williams (born September 6, 2001) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels.
Early life and high school career
Williams grew up in Houston, Texas and attended Elkins High School. He entered college as a four-star prospect and was ranked No. 61 overall in the country by Rivals. His team won back-to-back district championships and he was named the district MVP. He was also a two-time first team all-district selection and two-time all-state team member. He averaged 18.2 points per contest while leading Elkins to a 31–8 record and a trip to the Class 6A regional semifinals as a senior. He averaged 13.2 points per game while helping Elkins to a 29–12 mark and a trip to the Class 5A state quarterfinals as a junior.{{cite web|url=https://unlvrebels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/donovan-williams/14540|title=Donovan Williams|website=unlvrebels.com|access-date=June 1, 2019|date=June 1, 2019}}
College career
Williams started his college career at the University of Texas, and appeared in 26 games, making one start, averaged 11.0 minutes played per contest, averaged 3.3 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. He tallied a career-high 13 points twice during his freshman year and was named to the 2020 Academic All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Rookie Team. He later suffered a left knee injury at Texas Tech and missed the remainder of the season. During his sophomore year, he appeared in 15 games, averaging 10.1 minutes per contest. He scored 3.3 points per game with 1.1 rebounds per game and scored a season-high 11 points vs. Oklahoma. Selected to the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.{{cite web|url=https://texassports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/donovan-williams/10348|title=Donovan Williams|website=texassports.com|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=June 1, 2021}} Williams transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for his junior year. On June 1, 2022, Williams declared for the 2022 NBA draft.{{cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2022/jun/01/draft-decision-looms-for-unlvs-donovan-williams/|website=lasvegassun.com|title=UNLV star Donovan Williams to decide whether to try luck in NBA draft|date=June 1, 2022|access-date=June 1, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2022/jun/01/donovan-williams-leaving-unlv-for-nba-draft/|title=Donovan Williams leaving UNLV for NBA draft|website=lasvegassun.com|date=June 1, 2022|access-date=June 1, 2022}}
Professional career
=Long Island Nets (2022–2023)=
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, on October 19, 2022, Williams signed a contract with the Long Island Nets.{{cite web|title=2022–23 NBA G League Transactions|url=https://gleague.nba.com/22-23-nba-g-league-transactions|website=NBA.com|access-date=October 19, 2022}}{{cite web|title=Donovan Williams, UNLV wing, says he's signed with Brooklyn|url=https://www.netsdaily.com/2022/9/5/23337738/donovan-williams-unlv-wing-says-hes-signed-by-brooklyn|website=NetsDaily.com|date=September 5, 2022|access-date=September 5, 2022}}
=Atlanta Hawks (2023)=
On January 17, 2023, Williams signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks, splitting time with their NBA G League affiliate, College Park Skyhawks.{{cite web|title=Hawks Sign Guard Donovan Williams to Two-Way Contract|url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-sign-guard-donovan-williams-to-two-way-contract|website=NBA.com|date=January 17, 2023|access-date=January 17, 2023}}
Williams made his NBA debut on April 4, 2023, in a 123–105 win over the Chicago Bulls, recording one rebound. On June 26, he was waived.{{cite web|title=Donovan Williams: Let go by Atlanta|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/donovan-williams-let-go-by-atlanta/#:~:text=The%20Hawks%20waived%20Williams%20on,1.0%20rebounds%20in%202.0%20minutes.|website=CBSSports.com|date=June 26, 2023|access-date=June 26, 2023}}
=Santa Cruz Warriors (2023–2024)=
On September 28, 2023, Williams signed with the Golden State Warriors,{{cite web|title=Warriors Sign Six Players to Contracts|url=https://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-sign-six-players-to-contracts-20230928|website=NBA.com|date=September 28, 2023|access-date=September 28, 2023}} but was waived on October 16.{{cite web|title=Warriors Waive Kendric Davis, Javan Johnson & Donovan Williams|url=https://www.nba.com/warriors/news/kendric-davis-javan-johnson-donovan-williams-waived-20231016|website=NBA.com|date=October 16, 2023|access-date=October 16, 2023}} On October 30, he joined the Santa Cruz Warriors.{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz Warriors Announce 2023 Training Camp Roster|url=https://santacruz.gleague.nba.com/news/santa-cruz-warriors-announce-2023-training-camp-roster|website=NBA.com|date=October 30, 2023|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
=Scarborough Shooting Stars (2024)=
On May 14, 2024, Williams signed with the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.{{cite web|title=Scarborough Shooting Stars Sign Donovan Williams|url=https://www.cebl.ca/scarborough-shooting-stars-sign-donovan-williams|website=CEBL.ca|date=May 14, 2024|access-date=May 14, 2024}}
=Westchester Knicks (2024–2025)=
On October 28, 2024, Williams joined the Westchester Knicks.{{cite web|title=Westchester Knicks Announce 2024-25 NBA G League Training Camp Roster|url=https://westchester.gleague.nba.com/news/westchester-knicks-announce-2024-25-nba-g-league-training-camp-roster|website=NBA.com|date=October 28, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}
=Shanghai Sharks (2025)=
On February 21, 2025, Williams joined the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).{{cite web |title=官宣 {{!}} 欢迎多诺万·威廉姆斯加盟上海久事男篮 |url=https://weibo.com/1713437511/Pflbh39Qr |website=微博 |access-date=February 21, 2025 |date=February 21, 2025}}
Career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
=NBA=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2022}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta
| 2 || 0 || 2.1 || .400 || .000 || {{sort|-|–}} || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 2 || 0 || 2.1 || .400 || .000 || {{sort|-|–}} || 1.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
{{S-end}}
=College=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20
| style="text-align:left;"| Texas
| 26 || 1 || 11.0 || .368 || .244 || .706 || 1.0 || .3 || .5 || .2 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21
| style="text-align:left;"| Texas
| 15 || 0 || 10.3 || .304 || .174 || .846 || 1.1 || .3 || .3 || .2 || 3.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22
| style="text-align:left;"| UNLV
| 27 || 13 || 22.1 || .488 || .436 || .638 || 3.3 || 1.1 || .7 || .4 || 12.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 68 || 14 || 15.3 || .435 || .338 || .667 || 2.0 || .6 || .5 || .3 || 7.0
{{S-end}}
Personal life
Williams' sister, Kelsey, played in the WNBA.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://texassports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/donovan-williams/10348 Texas Longhorns bio]
- [https://unlvrebels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/donovan-williams/14540 UNLV Runnin' Rebels bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Donovan}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Canada
Category:American expatriate basketball people in China
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Atlanta Hawks players
Category:Basketball players from Houston
Category:College Park Skyhawks players
Category:Long Island Nets players
Category:Santa Cruz Warriors players
Category:Scarborough Shooting Stars players
Category:Shanghai Sharks players
Category:Texas Longhorns men's basketball players
Category:Undrafted NBA players