Williston welcomed a fifteen-year-old basketball player from China this ’24-’25 academic year: freshman Will Zhou.
Will’s stellar performances this season came later in the season, credit to his work ethic, in games against Salisbury School—where he scored three 3-point shots—and another game, also with two important three pointers extending a Williston lead against St. Paul’s School in the first round of the NEPSAC A playoffs.
Will is a student from Fuxin, Liaoning Province, China, and was introduced to the Joe Tsai scholarship thorough a Chinese teammate, who currently is a junior at Erie Prep (PA). The Joe Tsai scholarship is given to around ten young teenagers—boys and girls basketball players—to attend prep schools and basketball academies around the United States, with a selection process through a “training camp,” Will Zhou said.
Will began playing basketball at six years old with his grandfather. He recognizes he has a passion for the game because of his grandfather, who helped him develop a sense that basketball was “a lot of fun.” His grandfather was an accomplished basketball player during his time. A point came in Will’s life where he decided he wanted to pursue basketball more full-time, and he had a conversation with his dad, resulting in his interest for the Joe Tsai basketball scholarship to turn into a reality. Will wanted to play more organized basketball, bringing him to Williston.
This is Will’s second stop, after playing in the Montverde Academy (FL) basketball system as an eighth grader. Zhou’s work ethic is second to none, but Will Zhou wants: “to do more” and regarding his workouts, there are two main types: “one for ball handling, attacking off screens, and finishing…another [is to] shoot five-hundred threes…to practice running shots.” Will separates out of season and in-season workouts, opting to only practice for one hour a day in season in addition to his team practice responsibilities. In the near future, he sees himself playing Division I NCAA basketball yet does not have a dream school. Will recognizes it is “impossible…really hard for a Chinese player [to play in college].”
One of Will’s basketball goals is to acquire the defensive skills of senior Ricardo Nieves—playing for the Tufts Jumbos in the NESCAC conference next fall. This will increase Will’s impact as a player, with an accomplished three-point shot already in Will’s arsenal.
Winston Karlin experiences the signature Will Zhou workout weekly. Winston was quick to comment on Will Zhou’s intensity, and “insane work ethic…he has been told by [Coach] Farmer he has to get out of the gym he trains so much…insane drills…rarely gets frustrated [during the workouts], but when he does, he gets right back to work…understands what he needs to work on…analyzes other players and creates drills based on their skills…great basketball player.” High praise from Winston, manager of the Williston Basketball team, whose energy is quite the spectacle itself.
Since its founding in 2018—as a part of the new Joe Tsai Foundation—The Joe Tsai basketball scholarship uplifts lives, just as the Alibaba Corporation co-founder and chairman’s life became invigorated in his days at prep school. Tsai graduated from The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ in 1982, according to Bloomberg. A member of the lacrosse and football teams during his time at Lawrenceville, Tsai never took to the court until purchasing the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
Tsai was an undergraduate from Yale, graduating in 1986, then went on to Yale Law School, receiving his degree in 1990, then passed the bar in 1991. Meeting Jack Ma, current CEO of Alibaba—an online Chinese marketplace similar to Amazon,during his first job as a member of Sullivan & Cromwell, the two became Chinese tech moguls by founding Alibaba in 1999. Tsai’s current net worth measured to be a staggering 8.5 billion, says Bloomberg, helping the uber-successful Chinese billionaire engage in philanthropic pursuits, his Joe Tsai basketball scholarship one of many.
Ricardo acknowledged it was invigorating that Will Zhou wants to acquire his defensive skill.
“It’s inspiring that he chose me…I hope he exceeds his expectations as a basketball player.” Ricardo had some uplifting thoughts to say about Will Zhou, chiefly that Will is a “gym rat….never not in the gym, always getting extra reps.”
A friend of Coach Ben Farmer’s helped him connect with the Joe Tsai Foundation, and ultimately lead to Will’s spot on the team.
“After a long process, we were fortunate that [Will Zhou] and his family chose Williston.” Farmer is hopeful for Will’s future. “My aspirations for Will are that he continues to enjoy his experience here at Williston as a student, athlete, and a young man. The game means so much to him and he works so hard at it that I just would like to be there to support him in anyway…both on and off the court, so he can reach his dreams.”
