Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is on the verge of playing his first All-Star Game. Upon arriving to All-Star Weekend, Williams revealed his mother’s emotional reaction after practice. With the first half of the Thunder’s regular season in the rearview mirror, Jalen’s taking in the moment.

Hours before tip-off, Williams held his All-Star uniform for the first time, per Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza.

“This is crazy,” Williams says. “I’ve been seeing them all over [the place], but these are definitely different. I’ve been seeing them in the locker room, but these are fire.”

Williams will be playing for Kenny’s Young Stars. He joins Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards, New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, and fellow first-time All-Stars Cleveland Cavs’ Evan Mobley, Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro, and Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. The NBA All-Star Game debuts a new four-team format on Sunday.

Jalen Williams reveals mom’s emotional response to first All-Star

Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) of the Oklahoma City Thunder talks to media members during the NBA All Star-Practice at Oakland Arena
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Thunder forward Jalen Williams’ first All-Star selection is a testament to his hard work consistently improving his game. In only his third NBA season, Williams helped lead the Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference standings. However, being named an All-Star didn’t start to hit Jalen until he arrived in San Francisco.

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The emotional response from Williams’ mother is when things started to feel different for the 23-year-old star, per the Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi.

“Just sharing this experience with them is dope. I actually haven’t even seen Shai yet, but just seeing my coaches is cool,” Williams said. “Obviously, they get to have their families here. It kind of just brings you down to earth a little bit because everybody’s going through this really cool experience; a lot of us are doing it for the first time. So, it’s been really cool to go through this with my team, people that I’m in the trenches with every day.”

Before then, Williams admitted that the honor of making his first All-Star Game hadn’t completely sunk in. However, upon his arrival, that feeling began to change.

“It’s starting to a little bit,” Williams replied. “My mom got a little teary-eyed yesterday. So, that made it [sink in] a little more. I think practice made it a little more real. It’s starting to hit me now that we’re not playing.”

Williams and Kenny’s Young Stars will compete against Chuck’s Global Stars, featuring Williams’ teammate and fellow All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.