Jalen Williams Returns Home as Perry High Retires His Jersey: A Night of Pride, Legacy, and Little Caesars
GILBERT, Ariz. - On a night that blended nostalgia, gratitude, and a touch of sibling rivalry, Perry High School officially retired Jalen Williams’ No. 11 jersey - the first in school history - honoring the NBA champion and hometown hero in front of a sold-out crowd that came ready to celebrate one of their own.
The gym was packed, the energy was electric, and nearly everyone was rocking custom “JDub” shirts handed out at the door. This wasn’t just a ceremony - it was a homecoming, a full-circle moment for a player who went from sneaking into the Perry weight room to lighting up the NBA Finals.
“(Williams) represents the very best of Perry High School,” said athletic director Jennifer Burks. “His journey from the Dan Serrano Gymnasium to the highest levels of professional basketball serves as an inspiration to our current and future Pumas.”
Williams, back in Arizona for the Thunder’s matchup with the Suns, didn’t come alone. Several of his Oklahoma City teammates - including Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, and former Arizona State standout Lu Dort - showed up in support. The Perry student section erupted when the reigning NBA champs walked into the gym, a moment that spoke volumes about the bond this Thunder team shares.
“It’s special,” Williams said. “Nobody asks them to do that.
That’s just kind of the team we have. They want to support.”
And support they did, standing alongside Williams as he watched his high school jersey unveiled on the wall. It was an emotional moment made even more meaningful by the presence of his parents, Ronald and Nicole Williams - both U.S. Air Force veterans - who stood proudly beside their son.
“My mom was going to school while she was working,” Williams said. “Med school is not easy.
And then my dad having to carry the load and work and still take me to practice. … We ate a lot of Little Caesars.
They know how much they sacrificed.”
That mix of humility and humor is classic JDub. Even as he stood in the spotlight, he made sure the people who helped him get there got their shine too.
And while the jersey retirement was about basketball, Williams’ memories of Perry go beyond the hardwood. He recalled sneaking into the weight room, bench press battles with teammates, and even getting kicked out of the library. “I remember all of that stuff before I remember basketball,” he said with a smile.
Former Perry coach Sam Duane Jr. - who led the program to four straight state titles before stepping down last March - was on hand to celebrate his former player. He’s seen the full arc of Williams’ journey, from a 5-foot-11 sophomore with red sneakers to a Santa Clara standout to an NBA All-Star and champion.
“From that 5-11 sophomore carrying those red shoes around the court to Santa Clara to an NBA All-Star to a world champion with the Thunder, it’s been a pleasure to watch you,” Duane said.
Williams didn’t have the traditional blue-chip path. He grew to 6-foot-3 by the time he left Perry but was lightly recruited, holding just three Division I offers before landing at Santa Clara.
There, he blossomed into a versatile scorer with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and averaged 18 points per game in his final season. He was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award, honoring the nation’s top mid-major player.
Santa Clara retired his No. 24 jersey in December - now hanging in the Leavey Center alongside Suns legend Steve Nash - but Tuesday night was different. This was home.
Since being selected 12th overall by the Thunder in 2022, Williams has carved out a reputation as one of the league’s most dynamic young wings. He averaged 23.6 points per game in the 2025 NBA Finals, including a 40-point outburst in Game 5, helping lead OKC to its first title since 1979.
“You could see that he was going to grow,” Duane said. “He played with a tremendous confidence, which he does now.
Jalen has always believed in himself and I think that’s allowed him to continue to work. And his work ethic is off the charts.”
That work ethic runs in the family. Williams gave a nod to his younger brother, Cody - a 2024 lottery pick now with the Utah Jazz - who also played at Perry and won two state titles. The sibling rivalry is alive and well, but it’s all love.
“I got an NBA ring, so we’re about even right now,” Jalen joked. “But he used to bring it up all the time and now I got a jersey retired before him … so we’re good.”
Still, Jalen believes Cody’s jersey will be up there soon too. And when that day comes, it’ll be another chapter in what’s becoming a proud Arizona basketball pipeline - one that Jalen insists has always been underrated.
“If you look back, I was playing against Marvin Bagley and Alex Barcello, Dan Kiper, Saben Lee … Nico Mannion,” Williams said. “(Arizona has) always had the talent here, it’s just blowing up even more.”
That talent pipeline is alive and well at Perry, too. University of Arizona forward Koa Peat - the most decorated Puma since the Williams brothers - has four straight state titles under his belt and could one day see his own jersey raised to the rafters.
But for now, No. 11 belongs to Jalen Williams. And if you’re thinking of picking that number at Perry anytime soon?
“Don’t try to pick No. 11.”