Biography

Chantz Makai Williams was born in Jacksonville, Florida at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Chantz started playing basketball at the age of four years old. At five, he began playing T-ball. During his time playing baseball, there was an indicator he was not a normal child. It was decided he was too tall to hit the ball off the tee, so the coach had to pitch the ball to him, which he loved. Chantz entered public school at Mandarin Oaks Elementary at the age of six. While at Mandarin Oaks Chantz participated in various community education programs such as karate and Chinese. Chantz first introduction to football was flag football for I-9 sports, where he was the youngest and tallest kid on the team, he started basketball the same year at the YMCA. At eight years old Chantz begins playing tackle football for the Mandarin Football League (MFL) – an unlimited weight team because he was too big to play pop-warner. Because of his height, Chantz’ mother began to ask around about AAU basketball. She talked to a coach who had started an AAU organization and they accepted him into the Jacksonville Nets organization where he would play for three years (4th, 5th, and 6th grade). Chantz began to love the game during this time. While playing with the Jacksonville Nets during 4th grade, he and his team finished with an exciting year. They placed 7th in the DIV II Nationals in Charlotte, NC. During his 6th grade year playing with the Nets, Chantz was selected to the USSSA 6th Grade Division 1 All-American Team. He was also invited to take part in the Under Armor "Best of the Best" Middle School Grind Session. Chantz has since switched to the Heart and Hustle (HAH) AAU basketball organization. In 2015 HAH qualified to attend DIV I nationals and placed 11th out of 65 teams. As a result of his outstanding year, he was chosen to take part in the 2015 CP3 National Middle School Combine. While playing AAU basketball, Chantz continued to play football, this time for another unlimited team introduced to him by his godfather. This team, the Oakleaf Black Knights or “HITSQUAD” as they were known would go on to produce three city championships and two national championships (NYFC and UYFL). Chantz started at Defensive End every game of those three years and spent time sparingly at tight end. During the UYFL national championship game, Chantz was named the defensive MVP. Chantz was invited to and played in the hotbed All-American youth football game. In 2014/2015 school year, Chantz played basketball for a school for the first time at Oakleaf Junior High starting at power forward/center. He was recognized as All-Conference for Middle School Boys Basketball. After the basketball season was over Chantz then he tried out for the track and field team and competed in the high jump, 100M, and 200M. Chantz at Oakleaf Junior High where he started as defensive end In the 2015/2016 school year, the team would finish with an undefeated season (8-0) and win the NEFAC Championship. Chantz was named defensive player of the year. In basketball the same year Chantz and his school's team at Oakleaf Junior went on to win the NEFAC championship and finished with an undefeated season (14-0). Chantz is then participated in track and field team in the 100m, 200m, and High jump and shot put coming in second behind a teammate in the Florida state championship for the shot put. In the classroom, Chantz has maintained a 3.5 GPA in his honors classes. in 2016 as a freshman at Oakleaf high School, Chantz made varsity basketball as a starter and has broken the school's record for rebounds and blocked shots in a game. In football as a key backup at defensive end, he broke the school record for a freshman in sacks in a game and year. He plans to continue to play all three sports for as long as possible.