On the latest edition of JJ Redick's ‘Old Man & The Three' podcast, the former NBA sharpshooter had strong praise for young Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams:
“Jalen Williams is a star. And because of Chet and the season he's having as a rookie, you know he's his second year, but the season he's having as a rookie, and some of this Wemby/Chet buzz, and because of Shai, and truthfully because of some of this off the court stuff with Giddy. Because they are Oklahoma City and they don't get a ton of actual televised games, to me, and I I'm not gonna say he's the most underrated or underappreciated, but to me he's the best player that flies under the radar. This guy does a little bit of everything really f— well.”
Thunder fans certainly know what Williams brings to the team. But as the team is still gaining the national recognition that their play has warranted this season, he will likely make a lot of new fans as the national audience becomes more familiar with his game.
Jalen Williams – Thunder's secret weapon?
Jalen Williams is 2nd on the Thunder in scoring, averaging 19.2 PPG. He’s shooting 44.4% from 3 point range, which puts him 4th in the NBA. He was the 12th overall pick in the 2022 draft, and on almost any other team would be receiving plenty of recognition for playing this well early in his career, but the Thunder have had so many young players making a big impact that he gets overlooked.
But make no mistake, the Thunder wouldn't be leading the NBA Western Conference standings with Williams' contribution.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts in an MVP-level season and rookie Chet Holmgren shows that he's the real deal after missing his entire first season due to a broken bone in his foot, Williams is somewhat flying under the radar.
Earlier this month, Williams spoke on what makes this Thunder team so special.
“It's been a lot of wild swings throughout the whole season. We trust each other to kind of come out of those slumps. Just being physical and competing. When we compete, we're a really good team. Our team is in the right spot. We all trust each other, that’s our biggest thing. Everybody is ready to be the next man up,”
Things are looking bright in Oklahoma City. The Thunder are not only the top team in the Western Conference, but they are the eighth-youngest team in the NBA (third-youngest by usage). Additionally, due to GM Sam Presti's shrewd trades of Paul George and Russell Westbrook, among others, the team has a bevy of future first-round draft picks at their disposal.
With a core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and Williams, the Thunder have three stars set to lead the team into a new era.
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