Who is the highest paid Vietnamese athlete in the world?

Loves pho, is curious about his homeland Vietnam and has just become one of the highest paid U23 basketball stars in the world. That is the story of Jaylin Williams.

Jaylin Williams with his Vietnamese mother, Linda - Photo: NBA

Desire to return to mother's homeland

Jaylin Michael Williams, born June 29, 2002 in Fort Smith (Arkansas, USA), has Vietnamese blood through her mother, Linda. Linda was born in Saigon and immigrated to the US with her mother (named Nga) in 1975.

When Jaylin’s Vietnamese roots became known, this information immediately attracted the attention of the Vietnamese community both inside and outside the country. Because this was the first time the top basketball world had a player with clear Vietnamese roots.

In many interviews with the media, Jaylin has confided that he is very curious about Vietnam, and will definitely one day return to his mother's homeland.

Jaylin (right) plays better and better - Photo: NBA

Williams grew up in Fort Smith and Springdale, Arkansas, where he was raised in a warm family with a Vietnamese mother and an African-American father.

At Northside High School, Jaylin emerged as a complete center with a record of 18.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.5 blocks per game, winning the title of Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas. He has an extremely impressive appearance, with a height of 2m06, weighing more than 100kg.

In 2020, he decided to play for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, asserting himself by averaging 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in his second season, while also leading the NCAA in charge drawn stats (54).

Thanks to his impressive form, Jaylin decided to continue his professional career, leaving behind the opportunity to attend university with one year left to finish.

Professional first steps and sublimation in the twenties

In 2022, Jaylin was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, 34th overall in the NBA Draft. He became the first Vietnamese-American player to participate and play professionally in the NBA.

In the 2023‑2024 season, Jaylin also achieved the first triple-double in Thunder history in the 2025 season with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, before repeating the second triple-double in the match against Philadelphia.

Jaylin and his parents - Photo: NBA

His playing style is considered by experts to be flexible, specializing in defense but having the ability to support the attack very well. In just the past 2 years, Jaylin has exploded from a young talent to become a top athlete in the NBA.

Jaylin’s image not only appears on the court, but also in the hands of many Vietnamese children who are passionate about basketball. In many Vietnamese families in the US, Jaylin quickly became the idol of the children.

On June 29, 2025, his 23rd birthday, Jaylin signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, making him one of the highest-paid young players in basketball.

In the 2025‑2026 season, he is expected to receive around $7.36 million, and this salary will increase to around $8-8.6 million in the following years.

Jaylin and the 2024-2025 NBA championship trophy - Photo: WHS

American press, especially Sportskeeda , praised Jaylin as the one who paved the way for Vietnamese-American players to enter the NBA.

JoySauce wrote: “Williams, whose mother was born in Vietnam and immigrated after the war, his family is very proud of him. He can even be considered the best Asian-American player in the NBA right now."

Not only Jaylin, his mother - Mrs. Linda also shared many times about her roots. Mrs. Linda said that because she had to take care of her mother who had severe memory loss, she did not have time to visit her homeland.

Linda learned how to cook many Vietnamese dishes from her mother, and sometimes took her son out to eat pho in the Vietnamese community in America. Because of this, Jaylin always kept an active interest in her mother's homeland.

In 2022, at an exchange event organized by the Saigon Heat Club, Jaylin had the opportunity to share his feelings about Vietnam. "Hopefully I will have the opportunity to return to Vietnam to meet, greet and thank everyone in person," he shared.

Jaylin Williams contributed greatly to helping Oklahoma City Thunder win the 2024-2025 NBA championship, becoming the first NBA champion of Vietnamese blood.

Williams was previously the best player in the state of Arkansas, played prominently at the University of Arkansas and was selected 34th in the 2022 NBA Draft. He had multiple triple-doubles and was considered one of the young centers with the best defensive potential in the league.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vdv-mang-dong-mau-viet-nhan-luong-cao-nhat-the-gioi-la-ai-2025063021403425.htm