Jeremy Sochan: Polish Roots, Family and Career
Jeremy Sochan is Polish-American: born in Oklahoma to a Polish mother, raised in England, and a Poland international. His family, career, 2026 NBA title and new team.
In this article
Jeremy Sochan is Polish-American. He was born on 20 May 2003 in Guymon, Oklahoma, to a Polish mother, Aneta Sochan, and an American father, Ryan Williams, and grew up mainly in England. He carries his mother’s surname, holds Polish citizenship and plays for Poland’s national team. Drafted ninth overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2022, he won the 2026 NBA championship with the New York Knicks and in August 2026 signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Quick facts
| Born | 20 May 2003, Guymon, Oklahoma, USA |
| Heritage | Polish (mother) and American (father) |
| Grew up | Southampton and Milton Keynes, England |
| Height / position | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in), forward |
| College | Baylor University (2021–22) |
| NBA draft | 2022, 9th overall, San Antonio Spurs |
| NBA teams | Spurs (2022–26), Knicks (2026), Trail Blazers (from 2026) |
| Honours | NBA champion (2026); Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year (2022) |
| National team | Poland |
Parents and family: a basketball family with Polish roots
Sochan’s parents met through basketball. His mother, Aneta Sochan, is a Polish former player who went to the United States to play college basketball at Panhandle State University in Oklahoma. There she met Ryan Williams, an American who played for the men’s team. Jeremy was born in nearby Guymon. His father died in a car accident in 2017.
The Polish side of the family has deep sporting roots:
- Grandfather: Juliusz Sochan was director of the basketball section at AZS AWF Warsaw, a well-known academic sports club in the capital.
- Great-grandfather: Zygmunt Sochan was a Polish footballer who survived the Nazi German concentration camp at Stutthof during the Second World War.
Growing up in England and Germany
When Jeremy was a small child, the family moved to England, where he grew up in Southampton and Milton Keynes. He learned the game with local clubs, including the Solent Kestrels and MK Trojans, and at Itchen College in Southampton.
As a teenager he moved to the United States to play at La Lumiere School in Indiana, a leading basketball prep school. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the US schedule in 2020, he spent the 2020–21 season in Germany with OrangeAcademy, the development team of Bundesliga club ratiopharm Ulm, playing against adults in Germany’s third division.
College and the NBA
At Baylor University (2021–22), Sochan came off the bench and was named Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds. The San Antonio Spurs then selected him ninth overall in the 2022 NBA draft.
NBA regular-season statistics
| Season | Team | Games | Points per game | Rebounds per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 11.0 | 5.3 |
| 2023–24 | San Antonio Spurs | 74 | 11.6 | 6.4 |
| 2024–25 | San Antonio Spurs | 54 | 11.4 | 6.5 |
| 2025–26 | Spurs / New York Knicks | 44 | 3.8 | — |
In his first three seasons Sochan was a regular in the Spurs’ rotation, known for his defensive versatility and energy. He also drew attention in his rookie year by switching to one-handed free throws, which markedly improved his accuracy from the line.
2026: released by the Spurs, champion with the Knicks
Sochan’s role shrank in 2025–26, and he fell out of the Spurs’ rotation in December. At his request, San Antonio waived him on 11 February 2026, and two days later he signed with the New York Knicks for the rest of the season.
It turned out to be a remarkable move. The Knicks reached the 2026 NBA Finals, where they met Sochan’s former team and beat the Spurs 4–1 to win their first championship since 1973. Sochan became an NBA champion at 23.
In August 2026 he signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, giving him the chance to win a rotation spot in training camp.
Playing for Poland
Sochan chose to represent Poland, his mother’s country, early on:
- 2019: named MVP of the FIBA U16 European Championship Division B playing for Poland.
- Senior debut: played for Poland’s senior team in EuroBasket 2022 qualifying while still a teenager.
- 2025: was expected to be one of Poland’s leaders at EuroBasket 2025, partly hosted in Katowice, but missed the tournament with a calf injury.
He is one of the most prominent Polish players in the NBA, and his games are followed closely in Poland.
Why his story resonates in Poland
Sochan reflects a new kind of Polish identity: a player with a Polish mother, an American father and a British upbringing, who chose to wear the white and red. He is part of a growing group of athletes with international backgrounds who represent Poland. That group includes Cuban-born volleyball star Wilfredo León, part of the reason why Poland is so good at volleyball.
If you have Polish roots yourself, our guide to whether you qualify for Polish citizenship by descent explains how citizenship passes through a Polish parent. For another Pole making headlines abroad, read our profile of OpenAI co-founder Wojciech Zaremba.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Jeremy Sochan (biography, family and statistics).
- Hoops Rumors, Spurs agree to waive Jeremy Sochan (February 2026) and Trail Blazers, Jeremy Sochan complete one-year deal (August 2026).
- ESPN, NBA Finals 2026: the Knicks finally have their New York sports moment.
- ESPN, Prospect Jeremy Sochan to play in Germany due to coronavirus (2020).
- FIBA, Jeremy Sochan to miss EuroBasket with calf injury (2025).
Frequently asked questions
What is Jeremy Sochan's ethnicity and nationality?
Jeremy Sochan is Polish-American. His mother, Aneta Sochan, is Polish and his father, Ryan Williams, was American. He was born in the United States, grew up mainly in England, holds Polish citizenship and plays for Poland's national team.
Who are Jeremy Sochan's parents?
His mother is Aneta Sochan, a Polish former basketball player, and his father was Ryan Williams, an American basketball player. The two met while playing college basketball at Panhandle State University in Oklahoma. Ryan Williams died in a car accident in 2017. Jeremy uses his mother's surname.
Where was Jeremy Sochan born?
He was born on 20 May 2003 in Guymon, Oklahoma, in the United States. His family moved to England when he was a small child, and he grew up in Southampton and Milton Keynes.
Does Jeremy Sochan play for Poland?
Yes. He was MVP of the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship Division B with Poland's youth team and made his senior debut in qualifying for EuroBasket 2022. He missed EuroBasket 2025, which was partly hosted in Poland, because of a calf injury.
What team does Jeremy Sochan play for in 2026?
In August 2026 he signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Earlier in 2026 the San Antonio Spurs released him, and he joined the New York Knicks, with whom he won the 2026 NBA championship.
Did Jeremy Sochan win an NBA championship?
Yes. After joining the New York Knicks in February 2026, he was part of the team that beat the San Antonio Spurs, his former club, 4–1 in the 2026 NBA Finals. It was the Knicks' first title since 1973.
