FORT SMITH -- Jaylin Williams' work ethic was on full display an hour after he had been selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 34th pick in Thursday night's NBA Draft.
The draft watch party hosted by Williams at the Fort Smith Northside High School Arena was over and most of the estimated 200 family members and friends in attendance were on their way home.
Williams, an All-SEC forward at the University of Arkansas last season and former Northside standout, took off his light gray coat and white dress shirt.
Then the 6-10 Williams, down to his white T-shirt and gray pants and shoes, grabbed a plastic bag and began cleaning paper plates, soda cans and water bottles off the tables that filled the arena's court and putting them in the trash.
Williams smiled when asked what he was doing on clean-up duty rather than going out and celebrating his new status as an NBA player.
"Stay humble," he said. "Stay humble."
Northside Coach Eric Burnett said it was in keeping with Williams' high character for him to help with cleaning up after the party.
"That's Jaylin right there," Burnett said. "What you witnessed, that's the way he thinks. Instead of going out and doing all that, he wanted to make sure that everything was good with cleaning up before he left.
"He's not looking at it like, 'I'm about to be a millionaire now. I don't have to do anything.' He's a humble young man."
Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman wasn't surprised when he heard what Williams had done.
"Jaylin's a guy that for two years, even as a freshman, was a leader for us in huddles," Musselman said. "A leader for us on the bench. A leader for us at all times.
"Sometimes leading by example and often times leading with his voice."
Williams was among four players drafted by Oklahoma City in the first 34 picks along with Gonzaga 7-0 forward Chet Holmgren (No. 2), Santa Clara 6-6 guard Jaylen Williams (No. 12) and UCLA 6-8 forward Peyton Watson (No. 30).
The new draft picks will join a young nucleus for the Thunder led by point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 23, who averaged 24.5 points and 5.9 assists last season.
"They have a lot of young guys, a lot of talent," Williams said. "I'm ready to work, I'm ready to play. I'm ready to do whatever the team needs me to do."
Oklahoma City, which made 10 playoff appearances in an 11-year stretch before finishing 20-62 and 24-58 the previous two seasons, is looking to emerge from its rebuild.
"Jaylin's going to play on a young team that's in its development stages," said Musselman, a former NBA head coach with Golden State and Sacramento. "A team that's growing, and he'll be able to grow with the roster."
Among the first-round picks Thursday night whom Williams played against last season were Duke's Paolo Banchero (No. 1 by Orlando), Gonzaga's Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith (No. 3 by Houston), Duke's Mark Williams (No. 15 by Charlotte), LSU's Tari Eason (No. 17 by Houston) and Auburn's Walker Kessler (No. 22 by Memphis).
"I think it helped a lot, showing that I can compete with what is considered top talent going into the draft," Williams said. "They're all really good players and we played good games against each other."
Oklahoma City was the first team Williams worked out with when he entered his name into the draft in April. Among the last teams he worked out for was the Phoenix Suns, who didn't have a pick but might have acquired one through a trade.
Suns General Manager James Jones made a point to praise Williams when he met with reporters after the draft.
"Oh man, he's an extremely versatile, dynamic big guy," Jones said. "He has great hands, great instincts and can play at the top of the key with the ball.
"He's a playmaker at the big position, which is a commodity for most teams in today's NBA. In the modern game you need bigs that can make reads and be playmakers, and he was that in college, and I think he'll do that well in the NBA."
Williams said he wants to bring the same "dog" mentality to Oklahoma City that he had at Northside and Arkansas.
"I want to bring that energy," Williams said. "I've become the player that dives on the ground for the ball or puts my body on the line to take a charge or is the loudest talker maybe in just a shoot-around. Do all the little stuff."
Don't forget Williams also is the player who cleans up after his own NBA Draft watch party.
Jaylin Williams (left) watches the NBA Draft alongside his father, Michael Williams, during Thursday night’s event in Fort Smith. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)