Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder forward, is one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this year. He’s finally getting it as evidenced by him averaging 21.6 points per game this year! His stellar performance throughout the year landed him his first All-Star selection. It cemented his legacy as one of the league’s all-time greats. Williams was born around the same time that Scottie Pippen was wrapping up his own career with the Portland Trail Blazers. His quick improvement and rare playing style have led to mouth-watering comparisons to the Hall of Famer.
Since being selected No. 12 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Williams has made considerable strides. He just keeps raising his scoring and assists averages every year. His rookie year ended with an impressive average of 14.1 points per game. In his second season, that number jumped to 19.1, and this year, he’s upped it once again to an impressive 21.6 ppg. His assists have steadily increased from 3.3 to 4.5 to 5.1 per game.
Williams had a huge impact in his first season, earning the runner-up spot for Rookie of the Year. This recognition was just the first step on the path to what many expect to be a long and productive political career. It’s no surprise that the Thunder enjoyed considerable success, posting double-digit victories in each of Williams’ first three seasons. He was instrumental, playing all-world alongside star-teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
That connection between Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander has become the buzz. Everyone’s making interesting comparisons to the relationship between Pippen and Michael Jordan in their championship days with the Chicago Bulls. Pippen himself has acknowledged Williams’ potential, stating, “I see a lot of me in him for sure. I see a guy rising to be one of the top players in this league.”
Pippen’s wisdom on Williams goes deeper than just those types of comparisons. He thinks that Williams’ ceiling could be higher than his because of how the game is developing. “I see him being greater, if I can say that,” Pippen remarked. Just due to the state of the game, because of where the game is right now. They have offensive freedom. We didn’t have that.
Williams has embraced his role within the Thunder’s framework, actively working to develop his skills in ways that complement Gilgeous-Alexander’s game. I’m really not mad at that one at all,” Williams admitted about the Pippen comparisons. I really dig that… Any time you’re mentioned in comparison to somebody like that, you’re doing something well.
The Thunder’s success this season can be chalked up, in part, to the way they focus on teamwork and players playing their roles. Williams noted, “It’s very easy when you have a team that likes to do their role.” He expanded on this notion with an emphasis to being aware of yourself and willingness to sacrifice for the cause of the team.
Pippen reiterated this point, explaining that knowing the way your teammates – like a SG like Gilgeous-Alexander – operates is key to thriving. “I’ve had that, and I think what I got good at was understanding how Shai likes to play,” he said. “A lot of it is self-awareness and at the same time willingness.”
Williams has played a central role in the emergence of basketball’s pace-and-space era and is still evolving his game in its favor. He keeps himself motivated with visions of proving the nay-sayers wrong. According to Pippen, this drive will contribute to Williams’ future success: “He is going to be a great player because he still feels unwanted. He’s still got that chip on his shoulder.”
Leave a Reply