SAN FRANCISCO — Jaylen Wells hasn’t had much time to reflect on his journey from Sonoma State to the Memphis Grizzlies, but he hasn’t forgotten how the small Bay Area college has shaped his career.
When Wells was selected to play in the NBA Rising Stars tournament, he couldn’t be more proud to represent Sonoma State, where he played two years before transferring to Washington State. The 6-foot-8 forward has been vocal in his support for Seawolves athletes and coaches after the school announced last month that it was going to cut the athletics department entirely this summer.
“This means everything,” Wells said. “It’s a full-circle moment being so close to Sonoma State, being around family and being so close to home.
“… My agent was telling me that a year and a half ago, I was playing against Cal Poly Pomona, and no offense to them, but now I’m playing against Luka Dončić. It kind of puts everything in perspective.”
Wells paid homage to the Seawolves by wearing a custom pair of blue Sonoma State sneakers during Friday’s Rising Stars tournament at Chase Center. Wells can do it again Sunday night during the NBA All-Star tournament after his Team C won the Rising Stars event. Wells and his squad, which includes the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis, will play Shaq’s OGs, who are led by Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, James Harden and Jaylen Brown.
Wells, who scored 10 points in Team C’s opening win, was a standout for the Seawolves where he won the California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year after averaging 22.4 points per game in 2022-2023. He then helped Washington State reach the NCAA Tournament in his lone season in Pullman.
The Folsom product was drafted by Memphis in the second round of last year’s NBA Draft. Known for his defense and ability to score in bunches, Wells is a key contributor for the Grizzlies as he averages 11.2 points per game.
Since Sonoma State announced its intentions to cut all athletic programs due to major budget trouble, Wells is aiming to shine a light on the issue in hopes of helping save the sports at his alma mater.
“I don’t know exactly what I can do to help at the moment, but I was just trying to bring awareness to it,” Wells told the Memphis Commercial Appeal last month. “Hopefully news outlets pick it up, and things like that. I wouldn’t have this platform today without them. So I just want to do anything I can to help.”
Wells’ star Memphis teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. have shown support for Sonoma State on social media.
“It sucks,” Wells said to the Commercial Appeal. “I definitely wanted to go back there and just give back to help the gym, facilities, later in my career. So hopefully we can figure something out.”
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