The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting a major boost heading into Friday’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns. After opening the season 18-1 and dominating behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the defending NBA champions are set to add a key piece back into the lineup.
According to Shams Charania, Jalen Williams has officially been cleared to play and will make his season debut. The Thunder star underwent wrist surgery during the offseason to repair a torn ligament he played through during last year’s title run, and the team has taken a careful approach to his recovery.
The 24-year-old swingman made his first All-Star team last season with averages of 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 48.4 percent shooting (36.5 percent from three). He was crucial to the Thunder’s first-ever title run but has missed the first 19 games in recovery.
As Williams rejoins the active roster, the Thunder expect to bring him along gradually rather than throwing him into the fire. The plan mirrors how they reintegrated Chet Holmgren last season, easing him back over time after a long absence to ensure peak health heading into the playoffs.
Williams’ return gives Oklahoma City another versatile scorer and defender to plug into an already elite group, strengthening a roster that has stormed through the early part of the schedule. With the NBA’s best record and a plus-16.5 point differential, it has been a historic run for Oklahoma City and it is only just getting started.
With most of their core players being under 30, the Thunder are still young in NBA years, far ahead of where they should be. They will only get better with experience and with every draft pick they continue to add to this already stacked roster.
Despite the early success, Shai is not letting his team lose focus. He knows what follows complacency and is holding all of his teammates accountable. His leadership has the entire group locked in, and the results have been as dominant as you would expect.
As for J-Dub, it is hard to say what we should expect from him out of the gate. He has not played at all this season, and it could take some time to shake off the rust. Fortunately, his teammates are more than capable of picking up the slack until he is back in mid-season form.
As another versatile star on both ends of the court, Williams’ return only makes the Thunder deadlier in a league they were already dominating. He fills every last hole for Oklahoma City, and now that they are fully healthy again, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to pick against them in a seven-game series.
If this is the version of the Thunder the league has to deal with moving forward, the rest of the West is in trouble. Getting Jalen Williams back only strengthens a team that already looks unstoppable, and the timing could not be better. With their core healthy, confident, and locked in, Oklahoma City is positioning itself for another deep postseason run, and the journey is only beginning.
