Jalen Williams is embracing the noise. Fresh off the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first NBA championship in franchise history, the 24-year-old All-Star forward says the outside narratives are giving him and his team plenty of fuel as they gear up for a title defense.
Speaking to SLAM, Williams admitted that the way the media flipped the Thunder’s story, first too young to win, then dismissed as simply doing what was expected, has lit a fire under him.
“Honestly, for me, just seeing what the media kind of thing was, how the tables kind of turned to like, we’re too young to win. And then when we win, it’s like, oh, they were the one seed all year, they should have won.”
“I feel like that is, for at least me, a huge motivator. Cause it’s like, all right, well, let’s do it again and see what they have to say this time. So that’s been my biggest thing. I think another thing for me with my hand, like I haven’t been able to do anything and I won’t be able to do anything for like another month.’
“And close to training camp, it’s going to be like, all right, let’s see how good I can get during the year after not being able to use my hand the whole time. So now I have a motivator for that. And I don’t know, I think money for our team is more like, we can play even more free now.”
“Because like before you’re kind of like, I wouldn’t say playing for a check, but you are trying to play to like stay in the league. So now that that’s there, like you’re kind of playing free and we know what it takes to win. So we’re going to use that.”
“We have experience that everybody said we needed. So that’s kind of our motivation going into this year.”
The Thunder’s rise wasn’t just rapid, it was historic. With an average age just under 25, they became the second-youngest team in NBA history to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy. Critics said they lacked veteran experience, yet Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-level play, Chet Holmgren’s defensive dominance, and Williams’ breakout All-Star season pushed OKC past every obstacle.
Veteran additions like Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein certainly helped stabilize the roster, but the heart of the team remained their youth. Now, with expectations flipped from upstarts to favorites, Williams believes the Thunder are hungrier than ever.
Williams is also dealing with his own hurdle heading into the season. After hand surgery, he’s been sidelined from basketball activities for much of the offseason. But instead of viewing it as a setback, he sees it as another reason to push himself.
There’s also a new sense of security within the locker room. Williams recently signed a five-year, $287 million extension, part of a staggering $800 million commitment the Thunder made to lock in him, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Holmgren. That level of investment doesn’t just show belief from the front office, it’s lifted pressure off the players themselves.
As defending champions, the Thunder will have a target on their backs every night. But Williams isn’t running from the challenge. If anything, he’s daring doubters to keep moving the goalposts.
For OKC, the climb hasn’t ended. It’s just begun.
