Oklahoma City Thunder’s rising star Jalen Williams is set to undergo surgery to repair a ligament tear in his right wrist. This decision comes after a remarkable postseason run. He was a huge part of the leadership that helped guide the Thunder to their first championship during the Oklahoma City era. Unsurprisingly, Williams averaged 21.4 ppg over the course of the playoffs, proving himself to be a bona fide force on the court.
During the Thunder’s march to the championship, Williams demonstrated his scoring ability, particularly in Game 5 of the NBA Finals where he delivered a stunning 40-point performance. He fought through a fractured wrist he suffered in the Western Conference semis vs. the Denver Nuggets. Even with the discomfort, he shined in key moments.
Williams had a rough shooting stretch in the semifinals, connecting on just 10-of-43 over three games. His true shooting percentage from deep dropped to 30.4% for the playoffs. This is 7.1 percentage points below his career average of 38.2%. His return for those last two rounds was nothing short of spectacular, as he averaged 23.0 points per game during that span. He shot 45.8% from the floor and 35.7% from beyond the arc.
Adding to his playoff highlights, Williams scored a career-playoff-high of 34 points in a pivotal Game 4 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yet he fought through that pain and discomfort playing his heart out. His wrist was taped like a football player’s for the rest of the season, but his mental terrificitude carried him.
The wrist injury was indeed a struggle, but that’s not the determining factor for me making or missing shots, Williams said, looking back on his worst game ever played under difficult conditions.
General Manager Sam Presti praised Williams’ determination, saying, “Never happened with this guy, not one time. He powered through. He showed incredible mental endurance and security in himself.”
Williams is expected to make a complete recovery. Once he heals, he should be good to start the 2025-26 season on the court. This offseason is a huge chance for him. He now qualifies for an extension of his rookie contract to be signed. The extension would be worth up to $247 million over five years. If performance and achievements exceed certain benchmarks, that total has the potential to swell to an incredible $296 million total with supermax escalators.
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