Jalen William’s mother reveals her early basketball on an army base (exclusive)

During the 12 years that Nicole Williams was active in the US Air Force included her best memories to play basketball on the base with her husband Ron and Sons Jale And Cody.

“We would go to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona with the boys, and we would play on their courts and make a holiday out of it,” recalls Nicole in an interview with People. “Basketball is pretty big on the base, pickup games are a big deal.”

After a day on the basketball court, the Williams family would bow or go the commissioner, says Nicole, describing his sons as both “very competitive” people. Now Cody, 20, for Utah Jazz and Jalen, 24, is playing to compete in their first NBA final with Oklahoma City Thunder.

“When he was growing up, Jale was really the older brother,” recalls Nicole. “He took that role to the heart, and you can see it now, if you ever look at him. He will tell you in any interview or if you ever just see him and ask him, one of his big goals was to be the best example he could be for Cody on and outside the court. How to handle the positive and the negative, how to manage the back of the Should handle the back noise, how to handle the high, how to handle the large parts. A large part of it is to do so.

Nicole’s husband Ron was an active military for 24 years and is recently retired, but the proud parents of two NBA players still have a lot on their record that supports their sons dreams – especially when it comes to their individual needs. “They had two different ways to get to the NBA and they were both difficult,” she recalls.

Cody was overall developed by Jazzen in 2024 two years after his brother was selected by Thunder. “Many would say, ‘Oh, your brother did it. Does it put pressure on you?,'” She reminds. But their family was “prepared” for that story, says Nicole.

“He was prepared for it. We prepared him for it, for the longest time, for several years we prepared him for it,” she tells People. “So he has handled it as a professional.”

“And Cody’s interviews are wonderful, and even when he talks to us he is like: ‘No, I am my own person. Jalen is a phenomenal example, and that’s what helps me. I also know that I am my own person, but I look up to him for advice, but I’m okay.’ ”

Nicole, now a family nurse, moved to Utah temporarily with Cody when he was prepared.

With two sons in different cities reminds Nicole’s commitment Donna KelceMethod of participating in both her sons NFL games before Jason Kelce retired. Nicole even has his own Split-Jersey à la Donna with both jazz and thunderstorms represented.

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“Ron was still working at that time,” she says of Cody’s rookie season. “So about every couple of weeks he would come down to Utah and stay for two or three days so he could see Cody, spend time with us all, and it worked really well in the last season because many times when Cody was at home, the jale was gone.”

When Nicole looks at her sons playing, she is not looking for how fast they can cross over an opponent or defend the edge. Instead, she looks at her boys expressing themselves through the sport they love, and she prevails other moms of basketball stars do the same.

“You will blink and the next thing you know they are older, do what they do, whether it is basketball or not. Just stay in the moment and enjoy the moment, because there are many things missing,” says Nicole.

“When we look at games, these moments for me, yes, Ron and I are very competitive, but these moments for me I say: ‘Oh my gosh, jale, how your lip curved every time you shoot.’ Or, “Oh my gosh, Cody, how you look and your little cheek makes the little pit.” It’s literally my moments that I’m in. ”

Jalen and Oklahoma City Thunder take on Indiana Pacers in Game 1 in the NBA final on Thursday, June 5.