• Slug: Sports–NBA Summer League.1890 words.
• 6 photos.

By Joshua Heron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Following some basketball practices in high school, Cody Williams and Ben Egbo had their routine. They would travel to Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles, sit in the soul food restaurant and wait for their order: Two waffles, three pieces of chicken and blue Kool-Aid.

If Lo-Lo’s didn’t satisfy their palate for the day, Popeyes was the other option for the Perry High School graduates. If they weren’t hungry, visiting each other’s house would suffice. The best friends first met in the eighth grade, and as the two developed a stronger bond, Egbo witnessed Williams’ climb with a front-row view.

Williams led the Pumas to a 30-1 record and second straight Class 6A state title in 2023, when he was a senior. He was named a 2023 McDonald’s All-American and became the University of Colorado’s first five-star recruit since 2001. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 11.9 points per game while shooting 55.2% from the field and 41.5% from the perimeter during his lone season at Colorado. The Utah Jazz selected him No. 10 overall in the 2024 draft, joining his brother, Oklahoma City forward Jalen Williams, in the NBA.

After leading the Jazz to a 90-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks Saturday in an NBA 2K25 Summer League matchup with 21 points on 60% shooting, Williams discussed how his Christian faith has kept him steady-minded through a fast-paced journey.

“Keeping God first … talking to him and just keeping my faith is how I’ve been able to stay level-headed. It kind of gives me someone to lean on, to just kind of go to when I’m not making shots, or I’m not playing as much as I want to,” Williams said as he walked through the tunnel at Cox Pavillion Arena in Las Vegas. “That’s the big focus, having a good support system, like my parents and my brother, people I can really go to and lean on for advice. So having that support system of God and family to lean on has been huge for me.”

As he waited for his brother to take the court Saturday, Jalen said he was “for sure” looking forward to facing his brother but relished the moment, calling it one of the few times he would be able to “watch him as a fan.” Jalen has watched his younger brother go from a high school graduate to a Summer League participant in a year.

During his introductory press conference in early July, the 19-year-old called it a “quick turnaround” from the draft to his first NBA practice less than a week later. But “quick” can also describe his rise over the years. Despite the rapid ascension, Williams never changed, according to people who have watched his meteoric leap.

“He’s always just been Cody to me,” Egbo said. “I’ve been there for his very first Division I offer … all the way up to where he is now. He’s always been solid. He has a great foundation. I think that’s just from the family in the house he was raised in and the people he’s been around.

“He’s always just a goofy kid that we’ve always grown up around. He cares a lot about his family … and takes care of them. I just started to see that sophomore and junior year as he started to get on the come up, on the rise. Nothing really changed about him outside of basketball courts.”

Williams’ parents, Ron and Nicole, served in the Air Force, and their military background enabled a parenting style that instilled a spirit of gratitude in their three children.

“I think it’s just the way I was raised, especially coming from a military background, (it’s) just always be thankful for what you have,” Williams said. “I think (humility is) what’s led me to the hard-working and determined person I am right now. So just the way I was raised, that’s why it’s such a big deal to me.”

Williams’ humility encourages his mother.

“For one, it makes me want to be better each and every day,” Nicole said Saturday after the game. “You always want to be an example for your kids and then when you look at your kids doing what they should do, it just inspires you and makes you want to do the same. He’s a good inspiration not just to the little kids and to his teammates but to me as a mom.”

Egbo quickly noticed Williams’ affection for his family. The Jazz rookie helped develop Egbo’s basketball prowess, but Williams’ selfless attitude also influenced Egbo to make sure “you’re taking care of your people.” He added that “surrounding yourself with the right people is definitely something really important I’ve learned in our friendship.”

Williams also takes pride in stepping out of his inner circle. There were times when Williams entered the locker room late during high school. It wasn’t because he was entitled; rather, the opposite.

“I knew what he was doing, which was awesome – signing autographs and taking pictures,” Perry boys basketball coach Sam Duane said. “We’d call him ‘Hollywood’ a little bit, but he always took time for those people.

“He always had time even when he was blowing up as a McDonald’s All-American, ranked No. 1 in his class … he stayed humble. (He) always made time for any little kids that were at our games to take pictures, sign autographs – he never puts himself above anybody else.”

Williams also wishes to reach the young fans in Utah.

“(I’m just going to) interact with them (Jazz fans),” he said. “I’ve already (had) fans coming up to me doing the dance I did on draft night, so anytime I see them, try to get as many pictures and sign as much stuff as I can for the little kids. I’ll always try to make time for them.”

Williams’ devotion to servitude warms his father’s heart.

“As Nicole would tell you, we are here to serve, and that’s how we raised him. Seeing him pay that forward to others is truly amazing. It makes us extremely proud,” Ron said.

To Duane, Williams’ ability to relate to others, young or old, sets him apart.

“Cody, first and foremost, is a high character, truly good person,” Duane said. “He was a tremendous teammate. He was easy to coach (and) fun to coach. He was very well-liked by his teachers, fellow students that didn’t play basketball, (and) even our administration … always stepped in to say hi to him. He was just very well-liked on campus.”

Duane coached the Colorado standout at Perry and cherished his “day-to-day” relationship with Hollywood. Though a soft soul off the court, Duane says the two-time state champion was “all business” on the court. Williams’ active motor kept him up at night, lending his coach to “give him a hard time to go to bed.” Duane, however, knew it was because his star “worked so hard.”

His hard work paid off, and consequently, Egbo and Duane found themselves waiting in a suite at the Barclays Center in late June to hear their friend and former player’s name called.

“When we’re sitting up there, and we’re watching him go across the stage, and we look down on his table and his family, I’m just so happy for him and his family,” Duane said. “I think people don’t understand the commuting and the dedication and the work that Cody put in to make himself. Cody deserves all the credit for getting to where he is. He’s sacrificed things, and it’s just a combination of all the things he’s done.”

An overwhelming sense of anxiety rushed through Egbo at the draft, a testament to the close-knit bond the two have built.

“Right before his name was getting called, when you could feel the buildup, I could feel myself getting nervous,” said Egbo, a rising redshirt sophomore guard at UC Irvine. “Even though I’m sitting down in the stands watching it, it feels like all his hard work paid off, and all the sacrifices him and his family have made are paying off. It’s crazy to see the work that he’s put in over the years because he’s definitely earned everything he’s gotten, no matter what anyone else can say.”

Williams and Egbo have an unbreakable bond. Now, the rookie hopes to build a similar rapport in Utah with a young group consisting of rookies Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski, in addition to second-year pros Keyonte George and Walker Kessler.

“I think the biggest thing with having a young roster is the locker room is going to be really close,” Williams said in his introductory presser. “You guys can kind of bond and connect and really learn with each other as you go out through the season, go out through these next years.

“A lot of them I know, Keyonte (and Kessler and Kyle) from AAU, played against Isaiah in the Pac-12, so already having those connections allows you to make a really close locker room, and then that obviously translates to the court. I think not only are we going to be really good and also learn a lot together, but it’s going to be fun playing basketball with this group of guys.”

Heading into his third year with the Thunder, Jalen understands the importance of operating within a close-knit team as Oklahoma exceeded expectations last season, earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and forcing a Game 7 with the conference champion Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.

He believes his brother’s family-first mindset will benefit him and his new team.

“I think the best teams are the ones that can get the closest in a short amount of time, so when you have guys like that that are family oriented, I think it helps out a lot,” Jalen said. “I think the environment he’s in (with the) Jazz, (they are) a good organization, they’re family oriented. It’ll help him grow. He’ll be comfortable (and) it makes people around him comfortable.”

More than a year after Williams, Egbo and Duane lifted a high school championship trophy, Williams eventually hopes to do the same in Utah with George, Kessler and coach Will Hardy at the helm.

As for the relationships he has built in the greater Phoenix area, it won’t be too difficult to maintain as Cody isn’t going too far, with his new home being just 670 miles up the I-15, or as Duane called it, an “easy trip.”

Williams’ parents live in Chandler, but Nicole said “it didn’t matter” where Cody landed because they “were going to be wherever he was anyway.” As both smiled, Ron acknowledged that he would “rather an hour flight versus a four, five-hour flight” but echoed his wife’s comments to close his remarks.

“We are going to support him and be there wherever he is,” he said.

Williams’ loved ones won’t have to travel all the time. Duane’s elation elevated when he remembered that the Jazz travel to play the Phoenix Suns four times in a season because of their Western Conference affiliation.

For Egbo, this means more trips to Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles with his best friend.

“Most definitely,” Williams said when asked if he’s going to Lo-Lo’s with Egbo when he’s in town to face the Suns. “First night I get there, I’m hitting up Lo-Lo’s. I’m going to have the reservation (set) and everything. It’s going to be good eats.”

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