During Game 1 of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans, veteran center Jonas Valanciunas yelled in forward Jalen Williams’ face. So, Williams barked at Valanciunas in response. Williams is known to bark from time to time. It’s now a part of OKC culture. Then, during Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s walk-off postgame interview following the Thunder’s 102-87 win against the Denver Nuggets in their season opener, J-Dub, alongside teammates Jaylin Williams, Chet Holmgren, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, and Isaiah Joe, initiated Alex Caruso to the team.
Caruso finished scoreless (0-for-2) with six rebounds and four assists in 19 minutes but let out his first Thunder bark during a walk-off interview with TNT’s Jared Greenberg.
Greenberg was wrapping up his interview when Jaylin set the stage for Caruso’s team initiation. He made sure the interview wouldn’t end before Alex let out his bark. Jalen and his teammate of the same last name are known for starting the team’s trend in 2022. J-Dub has done it during postgame interviews, toward fans at the Paycom Center, and during games, such as he did in Game 1 of Oklahoma City’s opening-round series in the playoffs.
J-Will is recovering from a sprained left ankle that forced him to miss the entire preseason. There is no word of whether he’ll be close to making his season debut soon. However, it’ll be interesting to see if Isaiah Hartenstein undergoes the same initiation when he eventually makes his Thunder debut.
Hartenstein suffered a small, non-displaced fracture in his left foot in a preseason game against the Nuggets earlier this month. He’s expected to be reevaluated in four to five weeks. OKC signed free-agent center Alex Reese to a non-guaranteed deal for depth at the center position.
Chet Holmgren makes Thunder history in season opener
Before Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso's initiation, power forward Chet Holmgren made Thunder history in Thursday’s season opener against the Denver Nuggets. After turning in 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and two steals, he became the first player in franchise history ever to do so. Before Thursday’s 102-87 win, spoiling the Nuggets’ 2024-25 home opener, no one from OKC had ever finished a game with 25+ points, 14+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 4+ blocks, and 2+ steals in a single game.
Holmgren treated himself to Wing Stop’s lemon pepper wings to celebrate Thursday’s win and kept them close during his postgame press conference.
“I just really enjoy my lemon peppers,” Holmgren told reporters when asked if he had inked an endorsement deal with the popular franchise.
Next up for the Thunder are the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
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