Utah Jazz Guard Nigel Williams-Goss Speaks To Southern Utah Basketball Team On Virtual Call

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Jazz guard Nigel Williams-Goss spoke to the Southern Utah men’s basketball team via a virtual call during a recent team session for the Thunderbirds.

On Wednesday, June 3, SUU head coach Todd Simon posted a photo featuring his team and the Jazz guard from the call.

“We were fortunate to have Nigel Williams-Goss of the Utah Jazz talk with our team,” Simon tweeted. “His successes and his journey are a testament to his work ethic and perseverance. His activism to make the world a better place is admirable.”

We were fortunate to have Nigel Williams-Goss @NigelWG5 of the @utahjazz talk with our team.

His successes and his journey are a testament to his work ethic and perseverance. His activism to make the world a better place is admirable.#SUU #LifeSkillDevelopment pic.twitter.com/9bS53cQsYo

— Todd Simon (@CoachTsimon) June 3, 2020

Williams-Goss retweeted the T-Birds coach and said, “Thanks for having me coach!!! You guys have a great group.”

Thanks for having me coach!!! You guys have a great group. #FindlayFamily https://t.co/qe6gsXJYTT

— Nigel Williams-Goss (@NigelWG5) June 3, 2020

On May 29, Williams-Goss shared an article his mother wrote on racial injustice entitled “In the face of racial injustice, the time to act and implement change is now.”

The article was published a few days after a black man, George Floyd, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.

https://t.co/JU4OTXLzDa
My mom, who has her PhD in Human Services (and is white) wrote this article today! It addresses the role that white people, and all races, can play in helping change our current social climate. THIS is why my mom is my hero! Plz share and RT

— Nigel Williams-Goss (@NigelWG5) May 29, 2020

Nigel Williams-Goss and Coach Todd Simon

Prior to his college career at Washington and Gonzaga, Williams-Goss played high school basketball at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada.

Coach Simon was an assistant coach at Findlay Prep from 2006-12 and the high school’s head coach from 2012-13.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out and share it coach! We are all in this together.

— Nigel Williams-Goss (@NigelWG5) May 30, 2020

The Jazz guard played under Simon before graduating and attending the University of Washington in 2013.

Nigel Williams-Goss and the Utah Jazz

Williams-Goss was drafted by the Jazz during the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. In July 2019, the guard signed a contract with the Jazz.

We see you @NigelWG5! 👀#UtahJazzSL pic.twitter.com/sgTfmGn8gX

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) July 6, 2017

Southern Utah Basketball

The Thunderbirds men’s basketball team finished the 2019-20 season with a 17-15 record under Coach Simon. SUU went 9-11 in Big Sky Conference play and 9-5 at home.

2019-2020 Highlight Reel#LetEmKnow⚡️ pic.twitter.com/UFhDJBiw05

— SUU Men's Basketball (@SUUBasketball) April 28, 2020

Southern Utah defeated Idaho 75-69 in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament on March 11.

The T-Birds next game of the tourney was scheduled for March 12 against Northern Colorado. The contest was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Recently, Simon and the Thunderbirds were joined during a virtual team session by former NBA player and BYU legend Jimmer Fredette.