Here is the full letter from Ziaire Williams about his decision to leave Stanford for the NBA.
After much thought and consideration, I have decided to take the next step in my basketball career and enter my name in the NBA Draft.
It’s always been a dream and a goal for me to play at the next level. I felt if I worked as hard as I possibly could, eventually God would make clear His plan for me and I should trust in that plan. With some reflection, discussion, and prayer, I feel like the time is right.
I came to Stanford, a prestigious academic school, with the understanding that life is bigger than basketball. I came here to achieve in all aspects of life and to put myself in the best position on and off the court.
My year at Stanford wasn’t what I expected. I never had a class in person and we had a season that kept us on the road. During that time, I experienced two deaths in my family, my uncle and great uncle, each of whom I was very close to. It was important for me to attend their funerals – faith and family are the two cornerstones of my life. When I lost them, I felt like I lost a piece of myself. It was hard on all of us, but my parents stayed strong and kept me strong.
The time away from the team and the time in quarantine once I returned were tough, but without a doubt, the adversity helped me become a better man. I feel like I’ve grown as a basketball player, as a student, as an individual, and as a Black young man.
As Coach Haase says, “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” I may not truly understand how this year has shaped me, but I know it has.
I want to thank the coaches for giving me the opportunity to come to the best university in the world. I know the connections, the network, and the relationships I’ve built will go a long way. I appreciate everything they have done for me, and I know they have the program on the verge of something special.
I want to thank Cardinal Nation as well. Even though we couldn’t play in front of fans, I felt their support. Thank you for believing in us.
And I want to thank my teammates. They helped me persevere through the ups and downs and the good and bad. They all had nothing but unconditional love and support for me.
For about four months straight, we were all we had. We lived in the same dorms together, went to practice together, had online classes together, lived in the hotels together, spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We went through so much, not knowing when we were going to be able to go home.
I really feel like they’re my brothers now. I know I’ll have a connection and a friendship with those guys forever. It may sound like the end, but it’s really just the beginning.
I still have intentions of coming back and earning my degree. I promised my mom that I would and I’ll stay true to my word. That’s just another reason why I feel that Stanford is not just in my past, but in my present and future.
After much thought and consideration, I have decided to take the next step in my basketball career and enter my name in the NBA Draft.
It’s always been a dream and a goal for me to play at the next level. I felt if I worked as hard as I possibly could, eventually God would make clear His plan for me and I should trust in that plan. With some reflection, discussion, and prayer, I feel like the time is right.
I came to Stanford, a prestigious academic school, with the understanding that life is bigger than basketball. I came here to achieve in all aspects of life and to put myself in the best position on and off the court.
My year at Stanford wasn’t what I expected. I never had a class in person and we had a season that kept us on the road. During that time, I experienced two deaths in my family, my uncle and great uncle, each of whom I was very close to. It was important for me to attend their funerals – faith and family are the two cornerstones of my life. When I lost them, I felt like I lost a piece of myself. It was hard on all of us, but my parents stayed strong and kept me strong.
The time away from the team and the time in quarantine once I returned were tough, but without a doubt, the adversity helped me become a better man. I feel like I’ve grown as a basketball player, as a student, as an individual, and as a Black young man.
As Coach Haase says, “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” I may not truly understand how this year has shaped me, but I know it has.
I want to thank the coaches for giving me the opportunity to come to the best university in the world. I know the connections, the network, and the relationships I’ve built will go a long way. I appreciate everything they have done for me, and I know they have the program on the verge of something special.
I want to thank Cardinal Nation as well. Even though we couldn’t play in front of fans, I felt their support. Thank you for believing in us.
And I want to thank my teammates. They helped me persevere through the ups and downs and the good and bad. They all had nothing but unconditional love and support for me.
For about four months straight, we were all we had. We lived in the same dorms together, went to practice together, had online classes together, lived in the hotels together, spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We went through so much, not knowing when we were going to be able to go home.
I really feel like they’re my brothers now. I know I’ll have a connection and a friendship with those guys forever. It may sound like the end, but it’s really just the beginning.
I still have intentions of coming back and earning my degree. I promised my mom that I would and I’ll stay true to my word. That’s just another reason why I feel that Stanford is not just in my past, but in my present and future.
