The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be a problem for many years to come.

The reigning NBA champions entered last season as the youngest team in the NBA and are only going to get better from here on out. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s MVP and Finals MVP, is still only 27 years old and just inked a four-year, $285 million extension that runs until the ‘30-’31 campaign. Chet Holmgren also just came to terms on a rookie max extension with the team that keeps him under contract with the team until 2031 as well.

The Thunder then secured the third member of their Big Three, signing Jalen Williams the following day to a five-year rookie max extension that reportedly could reach up to $287 million. Williams emerged as Oklahoma City’s second-best player during their title run and he is only going to get better from here on out.

The 24-year-old is as versatile as it gets, playing literally all five positions for the Thunder throughout the ‘24-’25 season. He averaged career-highs across the board during the regular season–21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks–and it is difficult to believe that this past year was just his third in the NBA.

The mix of scoring, playmaking, and defensive versatility that Williams brings to the table as a 6’6, 220-pound swingman is perfect for the positionless direction the NBA is moving toward. He is arguably already a top-20 player in the league today and by the time his career is all said and done, his name could very well be up there with Scottie Pippen and Larry Bird as the greatest do-it-all forwards of all time.

In Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Williams led Oklahoma City to a grueling 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers with a masterful performance. He put up a playoff career-high 40 points on 56% shooting, three three-pointers, six rebounds, four assists, and a steal, highlighted by a couple of timely shots in the fourth quarter that kept the Pacers at bay. 

Williams is the type of player who would instantly improve any of the league’s other 29 teams. The Thunder’s decision to lock him up—along with Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren—was a no-brainer.

This is clearly just the beginning for this team, and barring any injuries, more championships should be on the way to Oklahoma City. Williams might not draw headlines and attention the way that Gilgeous-Alexander does, but his contribution to this team’s success is just as crucial. 

With its young core locked in and Williams just scratching the surface, Oklahoma City isn’t simply built to defend a title—it’s built to start a dynasty.