Amid the Oklahoma City Thunder's journey to becoming champions, All-Star Jalen Williams heard the narrative surrounding the second-youngest team to ever win the NBA Finals. Williams said the Thunder didn't need veterans to win it all. While new additions such as Alex Caruso, 31, the team's elderly statesman, and Isaiah Hartenstein, 27, were the finishing touches to Oklahoma City's dominant 2024-25 roster, the youngsters steered the ship.
Still, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, and Williams, who earned his first All-Star selection in his third season, drowned out the noise surrounding their lack of playoff experience and proved the naysayers wrong. The Thunder captured its first championship in franchise history. The narrative has changed, and it's giving Williams a new source for motivation as defending champions, he said, per Slam.
“Just seeing what the media thing was. How the tables kind of turned, we're too young to win, and then when we win, it's oh, they were the one-seed all year, they should have won,” Williams said. “I feel like that's a huge motivator because it's like, alright, well, let's do it again, and see what they have to say this time. So, that's been my biggest thing. I think another thing for me with my hand.
“I haven't done anything, and I won't be able to do anything for like another month. Getting close to training camp, it's going to be like, “Alright, let's see how good I can get during the year,” after not being able to use my hand the whole time. So, now, I have a motivator for that.”
"Let's do it again and see what they have to say this time." – Dub
The Thunder aren't resting in the lead. They're ready to run it back. More with Jalen Williams for SLAM 258: https://t.co/HTcR7FIQBC pic.twitter.com/GXAC3nhnYi
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) September 19, 2025
From underdogs to defending champs, the Thunder will be met with every opponent's best effort throughout the upcoming season.
Jalen Williams says Thunder extension breeds a sense of freedom
Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams' five-year, $287 million contract extension was one of three max deals for the champion's core players, including MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. The Thunder invested over $800 million combined into the three, cementing a championship window the front office hopes will yield the NBA's next dynasty.
For Williams, the whopping payday breeds a sense of freedom on the basketball court, as he explained how his secured future with the Thunder is a weight lifted off his shoulders.
“We can play even more free now,” Williams said. “Before, I wouldn't say [I was] playing for a check, but you are trying to play to stay in the league. So, now that that's there, you're kind of playing free, and we know what it takes to win. So, we're going to use that. We have experience that everybody said we needed.”
Coming off a right-hand surgery, Williams and the Thunder begin training camp in late September.
