Jaylen Nowell

Lore & Background

Nowell was born in Seattle to Lanie and Mike Nowell. His parents met at Clark Atlanta University, where they both played basketball. His father played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association. Nowell attended Garfield High School in Seattle, where he was a standout player. At the University of Washington, he was originally part of a five-player recruiting class considered the best in the Huskies' history. After coach Lorenzo Romar was fired, Nowell was the lone member who remained committed to the school and first-year coach Mike Hopkins. As a freshman, he averaged 16.0 points per game. The following season, he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after leading the Huskies in scoring and helping them win the Pac-12 regular season championship. Following Washington's loss in the 2019 NCAA tournament, Nowell declared for the 2019 NBA draft.

In Their Own Story

The Target Center lights hummed as Nowell dribbled up the court, the roar of the crowd fading into a focused tunnel vision. With seconds left on the clock and the defense collapsing, he drove hard to the right, spun back toward the rim with a defender in his face, and released a contested floater that kissed the glass and dropped through. The arena erupted, a testament to his relentless drive.

Reader's Guide

Nowell was selected with the 43rd overall pick in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2019 NBA draft. He signed with the Timberwolves on August 6, 2019. He made his NBA debut on November 6, 2019. He played for the Timberwolves from 2019 to 2023, then moved to the Stockton Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Capital City Go-Go, New Orleans Pelicans, Shanxi Loongs, and Beşiktaş. He signed with Beşiktaş on July 12, 2026.

Did You Know?

• Nowell was named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2019.
• He scored a career-high 29 points for the Timberwolves on December 27, 2021.
• Nowell's parents both played basketball at Clark Atlanta University.