Who Is Jalen Williams?
Jalen Williams is a versatile guard/forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder, drafted in the first round out of Santa Clara and quickly recognized as one of the NBA’s most promising young wings.[3] His game blends efficient scoring, secondary ball-handling and multipositional defense, allowing him to contribute in a variety of roles for a deep Thunder roster.[2][4]
Williams has become a central part of Oklahoma City’s core alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, giving the team another creator who can attack off the dribble or play off the ball.[2][4] His ability to defend multiple positions and make reads as a passer has raised his profile from intriguing prospect to foundational piece.
Breakout Season and All-Star Impact
In the 2024-25 campaign, Williams delivered a true breakout, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 69 games while earning his first All-Star selection.[2] He paired those numbers with strong shooting percentages and solid defensive play, helping Oklahoma City achieve elite offensive, defensive and net ratings when he was on the floor.[2]
His scoring arsenal expanded to include more on-ball creation, pull-up jumpers and efficient drives, while his passing unlocked better looks for teammates.[2] As a result, defenses could no longer load up solely on Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder’s offense became more unpredictable and harder to guard, with Williams frequently taking over late-game possessions.
2025-26 Return and Current Form
Following a wrist procedure, Williams’ 2025-26 season began with a careful rehab, with the Thunder highlighting the extensive behind-the-scenes work in his return-to-play process.[3][4] Once cleared, he immediately boosted Oklahoma City, with his season debut helping the team extend a long winning streak and maintain a spot near the top of the Western Conference.[4]
Through the early portion of the 2025-26 schedule, Williams has averaged around 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists on efficient shooting, often doing that in under 30 minutes per game as OKC has won comfortably.[1][4][5] Game logs show him regularly stuffing the stat sheet in wins against contenders and conference rivals, underscoring that he has quickly regained midseason form and remains a key driver of the Thunder’s contender status.[1][3][5]