Bill Self has a successful track record of getting guys to the NBA. Ultimately, it is what every young star wants in their career and for years Self has been able to consistently produce NBA-ready talent. Self has been able to produce 30+ draft picks and one No. 1 overall pick in Andrew Wiggins in the 2014 NBA Draft. Most recently, the Jayhawks had former 5-star Darryn Peterson land No. 2 overall to the Utah Jazz.
However, it is a rarity for these picks to automatically walk into an NBA team and become a star from day one. Most players have to take the G-League track to develop their game and get familiar with NBA Terminology and organizations.
One of these players is former Jayhawk star Jalen Wilson, who recently signed a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks after a three-year career with the Brooklyn Nets.
Welcome to the 🅰️, Jalen! pic.twitter.com/kim0u8MqOs
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 22, 2026
Wilson embodied what it meant to be a Kansas Jayhawk
After redshirting his freshman season all the way back in the 2019-20 campaign, Wilson was immediately thrust into the spotlight as he would go on to start in 89 of his next 102 games. The 6-foot-6 Wilson finished his career averaging 14.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2 assists, on a 43.4% field goal rate.
Wilson averaged 29.4 minutes per game in Kansas’ 2021-22 NCAA Championship-winning campaign. In the title game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Wilson went for 15 points with 4 rebounds and 2 assists, going 38.5% from the field.
The former 4-star forward’s breakout season came one year later, when he averaged 20.1 points on 43% from the field and 8.3 rebounds. Wilson was nominated to the AP All-American 1st team, as Kansas finished the 2022-23 season with a 28-8 record before losing to Arkansas in a 72-71 thriller in the NCAA Tournament.
Wilson was then selected with the 51st overall pick by the Nets in the 2023 NBA Draft, he was then signed on a two-way deal.
In the NBA 2k25 Summer League in 2024, he was awarded the league’s MVP after averaging 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assist.
In three years with the Atlantic Division side, Wilson averaged 7.4 points on a 40.1% field goal rate, to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 20.2 minutes. His career-high of 21 points came against the Toronto Raptors in the 2023-24 season.
Last season, Wilson went for 6.4 points off a 39.6% field goal rate, along with 2.1 rebounds and nearly 1 assist per game.
Wilson has spent just 11 regular-season games in the G-League with the Long Island Nets. In the 2023-24 regular season, Wilson compiled 209 points, 85 rebounds, 40 assists and 10 steals.
The Hawks recently drafted former Kansas forward Zuby Ejiofor with the No. 23rd overall, who overlapped one season with Wilson. However while Wilson was reaching All-American status, Ejiofor was a freshman trying to carve out a role.
The NBA preseason is set for October 9-11 where Wilson will have his first opportunity to impress.
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