Jalen Derale Wilson is an accomplished American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Before his professional career, Wilson played college basketball successfully with the Kansas Jayhawks, where he was named a consensus first-team All-American during his junior year.
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- Full name: Jalen Derale Wilson
- Stage name: Jalen Wilson
- Date of birth: November 4, 2000
- Age: 24 years old
- Place of birth: Denton, Texas, USA
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: American professional basketball player
- Height: 1.98 m
- Parents: Lisa Wilson and Derale Wilson
- Siblings: Jace Wilson and Jevin Wilson
- Partner: Janae Bibby
- Children: Unknown
- Relationship: Dating
- Net worth: $850,000
Early life and education
Jalen Derale Wilson was born on November 4, 2000 in Arlington, Texas, United States. He is the son of Lisa Wilson and Derale Wilson, both of whom have basketball backgrounds.
Derale played at Texas Christian University (TCU), while Lisa attended college at Oklahoma City University after initially transferring to Oklahoma State. Jalen has two younger brothers: Jace, a freshman at the University of Texas-San Antonio, and Jevin, currently in sixth grade.
Jalen Wilson graduated from the University of Kansas in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a minor in sports management. His ethnicity is mixed African-American, although his religious beliefs are unknown.
Career
Wilson began his basketball career at John H. Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. As a junior, he averaged impressive stats of 16.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Then, as a senior, he improved his scoring averages to 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists, earning him Class 6A All-State honors.
Wilson was considered a four-star recruit and the 46th best player in the 2019 class by 247Sports. He then went on to play college basketball at the University of Kansas.
However, in his second career game as a freshman, Wilson broke his ankle against UNC Greensboro, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. After undergoing surgery, he was given a medical red shirt.
Despite the setback, Wilson bounced back strongly as a redshirt freshman. On December 8, 2020, he recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds, including a 3-pointer in the final minute, to lead Kansas to a 73-72 upset win over No. 8 Creighton. averaging 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the season, earning a spot on the Big 12 Freshman Team.
Wilson continued his strong play as a sophomore, helping the Kansas Jayhawks win the national championship. He averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game that season. After winning the title, Wilson declared for the 2022 NBA Draft but ultimately withdrew and returned to Kansas for his senior year.
Wilson took his game to the next level during his junior season, being named Big Ten Player of the Year. His dominant play earned him a spot in the 2023 NBA Draft, where the Brooklyn Nets selected him with the 51st overall pick in the second round.
On July 5, 2023, Wilson signed a two-way contract with the Nets. Most recently, on March 1, 2024, the Brooklyn Nets converted Wilson’s two-way contract to a standard multi-year NBA contract, solidifying his position in the league.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @thejalenwilson
Personal life
Jalen Wilson is currently dating Janae Bibby, a volleyball player at Fresno Pacific University. There are no further details about their relationship.
Net worth
Jalen Wilson’s net worth is estimated to be around $850,000. He recently signed a three-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets worth approximately $4.96 million, with $925,000 guaranteed.
His 2024-25 season salary is projected to be $1,891,857,126. His total career earnings to date are approximately $2.74 million.
