Jalen Williams understands his role in the grand scheme of things for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s not a star at the level of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but when you remove his contributions, the Thunder will be in a tough spot. This delicate balance was on full display in the last few months, as Williams remained integral to OKC’s run to the 2025 NBA Finals.
Williams plays with the kind of relentlessness that’s a coach’s dream. Whether he’s figuring into a close fight or playing in a blowout, the 2025 NBA All-Star has been quick to the ball and found a way to contribute by any means necessary.
In three seasons, it’s been great to see Williams’ growth. Not only has he added more to his repertoire, but there’s more polish to his game even in Year Three. The former Santa Clara Bronco has relied on his speed, but the control with which he changes his pace has made him tougher to guard.
As a result, the numbers have generally been there for Williams, but a closer look reveals how there’s been some fluctuations as the Thunder advanced through each stage. His efficiency took a dip against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. The 24-year old not had subpar shooting numbers against the Nuggets (37.5 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from behind the 3-point line), but it certainly didn’t affect the other aspects of his game as he had fewer turnovers against Denver (1.4 per game) as compared to the other series (1.5 and 2.0 turnovers per game against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively). Nuggets series aside, Williams was a dependable scorer who did a little bit of everything.
Of course, the ups and downs could depend on OKC’s playoff matchups, and Williams could find himself facing the same type of defense the Wolves threw at him. The Indiana Pacers have depth in the perimeter thanks to the likes of Tyrese Haliburton, Ben Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and TJ McConnell. Mathurin and Nesmith will most likely be the primary defenders but having faced Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jaden McDaniels should have prepared him for this moment.
Scoring will be crucial against a high-octane offense such as that of the Pacers. Indiana will likely center their defensive strategy on Gilgeous-Alexander so contributions from everyone else, including Williams, are very much welcome.
That being said, which version of Jalen Williams will show up in the 2025 NBA Finals? The two-way version of Williams could be a welcome sight, but given what’s at stake, the one that can consistently take over by any means necessary, may be the one that can bring the Oklahoma City Thunder to the promised land.
