Jalen Williams, a standout player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is poised to make his season debut against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. It’ll be the first time Williams has played in about a year, having undergone surgery on his right wrist last July. He had a procedure to remove one of the screws on October 31. The Thunder certainly did that as they stumbled to a 4-15 start without him in the lineup. Now, they are chomping at the bit to use his prodigious talents a third time.
Last season, Williams emerged as one of the NBA’s top talents, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. His incredible play catapulted him to the close-to-elite level where only 12 other players have gone. His 1,479 points were an NBA-high, and he was one of only four players to post 1,400/300/300/100 in points/rebounds/assists/steals for the season. The other three players to accomplish this feat were Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and James Harden.
While Williams naturally dominated box score metrics as a scorer, he thrived in more holistic defensive metrics. He controlled the pace of the NBA by forcing the fewest points allowed per direct isolation. As per GeniusIQ, he surprisingly even placed top five for points given up per straight line drive. This flair to affect both sides of the court played a vital step to his breakout 2022-23 campaign.
Along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams was a key centerpiece of one of the NBA’s best backcourts in the 2025 playoffs. The duo racked up an astonishing 1180 total points combined. That scoring duo now ranks as the fourth-highest scoring duo in a single postseason in NBA history. Their chemistry on the court has made them both an electric duo and a tough matchup in the league this season.
Williams had quite the breakout season last year. Sadly, his disqualification from postseason honors this year will cost him additional accolades and the opportunity for a $287 million super max contract kicker. He’s under contract for five more years at $239 million. His importance to the team’s future success can be seen in this contract.
As Williams prepares to take the court against the Suns, fans and teammates alike are hopeful that his return will reinvigorate the Thunder’s season. His contributions will be crucial as the team aims to build on last year’s successes and navigate through the rest of the current campaign.
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