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Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams' affinity for Kobe Bryant is no secret. He grew up a fan of the late Lakers legend and was excited about playing in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, now the Crypto.com Center.
After winning the NBA championship, Williams walked into the Thunder's parade donning a shirt emblazoned with Kobe's image.
Jalen Williams rocking this Kobe Bryant shirt for the Thunder's championship parade 🐍
(via @okcthunder) pic.twitter.com/52grWpBP7F
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 24, 2025
On Sunday, the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 103-91 to win the NBA title. It was a moment that brought Williams to tears, due to his journey from college to the pros as well as seeing his mother in the stands with tears in her eyes.
Williams went to Santa Clara University where he was a two-time All-West Coast Conference honoree and achieved 1,000 career points.
He was drafted by the Thunder in 2022. In the Finals, Williams averaged 23.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
He scored 40 points in the pivotal Game 5 which put the Thunder up 3-2 in the series.
In various ways, Williams embodies the resolve and determination that made his favorite player into a player of mythic stature.
Jalen Williams carries some Kobe Bryant in him
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It's fitting for Williams to done a Kobe shirt due to some similar characteristics.
Beginning with, Williams wears the No.8 in honor of Bryant. He had previously wore No. 24 in high school and college.
Beyond that, Williams spoke of his desire to emulate the famed “Mamba Mentality” that Bryant exuded. A emphasized mental toughness and a tireless quest for excellence.
“Yeah, just like the mentality,” he said to ESPN's Malika Andrews. “Obviously, I don't think I play anything like Kobe. I kind of threw that out when I was younger. But the more I get in these positions the more I understand like the way that he was, and I think that's what makes it fun to like be in these situations.”
In addition, he sees similarities in Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bryant.
“I feel like if you're really paying attention to basketball and watch the way he plays, it's a lot of similarities, Williams said. “It's cool that he can pick certain aspects of his game, kind of mimic that a little bit, and add his own touch to it. That shows the kind of player that he is, to be able to steal bits and pieces from his favorite players and be able to put it into a game and work on it. There's a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into him being able to do that.”
Furthermore, Williams surpassed Bryant by being the quickest player to score 40 points in an NBA Finals game. Williams scored 40 in 35 minutes, Bryant scored 40 in 37 minutes.
