D. J. Wilson
A versatile forward whose shot-blocking and three-point range took Michigan to the Sweet Sixteen before a global pro career.
Born 1996 (age 30)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 19·Millennials
Biography
D.J. Wilson's basketball journey is a story of late-blooming potential. At the University of Michigan, he spent his first two seasons as a little-used reserve before a growth spurt and dedicated work transformed him into a key starter. His junior year breakout was spectacular: he became a defensive anchor with elite shot-blocking and stretched defenses with a reliable three-point shot, helping to propel the Wolverines on a surprise run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2017. That season made him a first-round NBA draft pick, selected 17th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. While his NBA role fluctuated over four seasons, Wilson carved out a niche as a mobile, modern big man. His subsequent career has taken him across the globe, playing in the NBA G League, briefly in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors, and later for top teams in Spain and China, embodying the life of a skilled basketball journeyman in the international era.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
D. was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When D. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
D.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was a pivotal starter on the 2016-17 Michigan Wolverines team that won the Big Ten tournament and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
- Selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Played four seasons in the NBA for the Bucks, Houston Rockets, and Toronto Raptors.
- Averaged 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in China's CBA for the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the 2023-24 season.
Did You Know?
He grew seven inches during his high school years, transforming his game from guard to forward.
He is an avid chess player and has spoken about how the game helps his basketball IQ.
His father, Donnie Wilson, played college basketball at California State University, Fresno.
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