Ex-Husky Jaylen Nowell Returns Home as NBA Conquering Hero

He's one of eight former UW players now in the league.

The loudest ovation heard across Seattle over the weekend was directed at Jaylen Nowell, a native son who is everything his basketball-starved hometown could want him to be.

Honored before Saturday's University of Washington-Oregon State game at Alaska Airlines Arena, Nowell stepped onto the court, accepted his No. 5 jersey neatly tucked inside a picture frame, held it high overhead for everyone to see and took another bow four years after leaving for the NBA.

He is the Huskies' last connection to high-level success, both individually and team-wise, after earning 2019 Pac-12 Player of the Year as a sophomore while leading the UW to a 27-9 season and its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.

Even more admirable is how Nowell has been the conquering hero as a pro basketball player, forced to begin his career in Iowa with a season in the NBA G League, be humbled  and prove himself worthy of playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves. As a competitor, it was just what he needed.

"It really tested my loyalty to the game and it definitely showed, and I was able to pull it out," Nowell said following Saturday's game at Alaska Airlines Arena. "Now I'm one of those guys in the league getting consistent minutes, playing every single night and hopefully I can keep getting better and better — and be one of the best in the league some day."

Nowell was back in the city because it's NBA All-Star weekend and it was his idea to call up the UW and ask if he could attend Saturday's game. In return, the school took it one step further and chose to give him a long overdue moment in front of the fans as well as tickets.

He's on a basketball high these days. Drawing a rare start while the Timberwolves made some trade-deadline changes, Nowell recently scored a career-best 30 points in Minnesota's 143-118 victory at Utah, sinking 11 of 16 shots, including 6-for-9 from 3-point range. 

Normally coming off the bench for his 31-30 team, he averages 11 points per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor. He makes things happen when he gets in the game.

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TAKING A BOW :: Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell received his Husky jersey mounted and framed and a round of applause before Saturday's Washington-Oregon State basketball game. 

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JAZZ SECTION :: Rob Gray/USA TODAY Sports

A tough-minded player for the Timberwolves, Jaylen Nowell drives to the basket while getting bumped hard by Utah's Collin Sexton.

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WHERE'S THE FOUL? :: Troy Taormine/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell lets the officiating crew in Houston know that he didn't end up seated on the floor because of his own doing. 

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REST STOP :: Petre Thomas/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell, center, averages 19.7 minutes per game while normally coming off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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WIND-UP DUNK :: Bruce Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell's midrange jumper is his best shot, but on occasion he'll attack the rim and go for it all as shown in this dunk on Houston's Alperen Sengun.

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PHYSICAL MISMATCH :: Rob Gray/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell finds himself guarded by Utah's 6-foot-11, 270-pound Udoka Azubuike, who is seven inches taller and 70 pounds heavier than him.

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POINT-PRODUCER :: Nick Wosika/USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell, shown against the Wizards, averages 11 points per game this season and 9 an outing over his four-year NBA career so far.

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INNER DRIVE :: Erik Williams/IUSA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Nowell, shown against the Rockets, had to play 25 games in the NBA G League before moving up and has since appeared in 180 NBA contests.

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HOMETOWN HERO / Dan Raley

Jaylen Nowell greeted old coaches and friends, signed autographs and posed for photos with young kids and stood for an interview here. 

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Nowell is one of eight former Huskies who currently play in the NBA, and he's one of two on the Minnesota roster while teaming with forward Jaden McDaniels. They missed each other by a year in Montlake.

"I knew Jaden growing up and it's like playing with a little brother," he said. "We didn't get a chance to play together here, but it's dope to be in the NBA, traveling the world and playing together. We talk about our U-Dub days."

The Huskies haven't been to the NCAA tournament or better than a break-even team since Nowell left and Seattle is now in its 15th year without an NBA franchise after the Sonics unceremoniously were moved to Oklahoma City.

So his hometown will live vicariously through Seattle-produced players such as him, with Nowell battling through an NBA pecking order in order to make it in the league and scrapping for everything he can get and respected for it. He continues to be a success story.

"It was definitely what I needed," Nowell said of his career path. "I was a second-round pick and they had a guy who was the first-round pick and they gave him opportunity. I had to wait it out and get better."

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