Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams has come a long way from a three-star recruit to an NBA champion who's the heart and soul of the second-youngest team to ever win a title. After undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, Williams revealed he's close to making a full recovery. Then, his face graced the cover of Slam magazine, highlighting a road less traveled that ascended him to stardom.
While reflecting on his journey, Williams revealed how the Thunder — a team with the average age of 25.6 years — became the second-youngest championship team to win the NBA Finals, per Slam's Curtis Rowser III.
“I don’t think you need a bunch of veterans to be successful,” Williams said. “I think they’re definitely useful. But…I learned how to be a professional before I even signed paperwork to be on the Thunder. You go in there, and every single basketball on the ball rack is facing the exact same way; we tuck our shirts in for practice; we’re not wearing jewelry for practice. That stuff was ingrained in me since I’ve been in the organization.
“So we haven’t had to have vets teach us how to do things. We matured faster, because that’s the environment that we’ve been in.”
As a byproduct of his Thunder culture, Williams, who's always focused on what's in front of him rather than looking ahead, shared how his emphatic 40-point performance in Game 5 was the first time he realized he's destined to lead a long career while playing basketball at its highest level.
“The first time I thought that I was going to play in the NBA for a long time was probably Game 5 of the Finals,” Williams said. “I haven’t had a moment in the NBA where I felt that way, up until the 40-ball.”
Thunder's Jalen Williams confirms positive step in injury rehab
Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams wouldn't change his college experience for anything. It's what led to his strong work ethic before emerging as a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Williams also didn't reveal he tore a ligament in his right hand ahead of the Thunder's historic postseason run. After undergoing numerous injections and adapting to a new brace, he managed through the pain to help lead his team to its first championship in franchise history.
When fans noticed he was no longer wearing the brace he'd been rocking all summer, Williams confirmed he's been cleared to play without it on his X, formerly Twitter.
“that seems to be the case,” Williams said.
Ahead of Thunder training camp, the timing of Williams playing without a brace on his shooting hand is ideal.
