Oklahoma City Thunder star and NBA champion Jalen Williams is widely regarded as one of the most talented young players in the league today. Coming off his third season, Williams has grown in stature as a player, but he still recalls some lessons from his rookie year that helped him grow.
While speaking with Zach Randolph and Tony Allen on the “Out The Mud” podcast, Williams recalled getting cooked by Kawhi Leonard during a matchup against the Clippers in his rookie year. He said:
“We played the Clippers, we beat the Clippers. Kawhi had a horrible game. I did a good job guarding him. Some juice. But we played them back-to-back. He started the game off 9-of-9 on me. We go back to the huddle, Mark was like – everybody doesn’t know Mark says slick stuff, he was like, ‘He’s busting your a**, Jalen. You need to switch?’ I looked at him and I was like, ‘Yeah.'”
“So Kawhi went 9-for-9 and then with Lou (Dort) on him, Kawhi ended up having 30-something.”
Williams recollected being schooled by Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, too. He emphasized that the experience with Durant was particularly horrible, since the star was talking trash with the fans while scoring on him.
The game Williams was referring to took place against Los Angeles in March 2023. The Clippers went on to record a dominant 127-105 win, with Leonard leading the scoring charge with 32 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals, while shooting 13-of-15 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.
As a rookie, Williams managed to be a contributor. But with 16 points, three rebounds, and four assists on 7-for-12 shooting from the field, the guard was clearly outmatched on both ends of the floor.
At 21, during his rookie season, the OKC guard was simply a talented young player with incredible defensive potential, even finishing second in ROTY voting that year.
Two years later, Williams has become one of the most gifted two-way players in the league. At 6’6″, the star possesses tremendous defensive instincts and a sublime offensive skill set.
Last season, he recorded an average of 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 48.4% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range.
Unfazed in the face of the big moments, the 24-year-old has developed into one of the most reliable co-stars in the NBA, earning praise from NBA legends in the process.
Williams’ performances and heroics in the playoffs were a major reason for the Thunder’s eventual title success. As a vital member of the team’s core and future, the Thunder will look forward to him making a full recovery to contribute to the team’s efforts in the upcoming season as well.
