Although many will talk about the controversial moment that preceded it, an exhilarating ending ensued in the Paycom Center as rising talent Jalen Williams clinched a 111-109 victory for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a game-winning shot in the final seconds. He is not allowing the heroics to get to his head, though.

“I shot like trash,” Williams said after the game, according to the Daily Thunder's Brandon Rahbar. “So it’s nice that that’s the shot that went in.”

The 22-year-old forward sealed the W with a difficult jumper from the left side of the court and scored 19 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the field. That is not exactly what one would call a “trash” performance, but Williams' self-critical nature speaks to his relentless desire to attain greatness. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie Chet Holmgren command much attention on the Thunder, J-Dub cannot be ignored.

Williams is the team's X-factor and is on the trajectory to becoming a multi-time All-Star, based on the leap he has taken in his second season. The No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is averaging 18.8 points per game while shooting a remarkably efficient 54.7 percent and 45.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line. His strong mentality helps explain this rapid ascent, and why he was able to stay calm in the clutch Tuesday night.

“Shooters shoot,” Jalen Williams said, per Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire. “It's a shot I work on a lot… My mind is a little more free because it's a tied game so worst case, we go to OT.”

Simply put, this young athlete deserves to be discussed more when looking ahead to the future of the NBA.