Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams has earned a lot of credibility for his contributions to the team’s success in the NBA Finals. While playing with a torn ligament on his shooting hand, Williams put up some tremendous performances to ensure a win for his team. In a recent post, however, while paying tribute to Kobe Bryant, Williams became the subject of mockery on social media.
In the offseason, the 24-year-old guard has taken the time to recuperate from this injury and return to full strength. But these efforts haven’t prevented him from working on his game.
In a recent photo posted by the Thunder guard, he can be seen at a practice facility, working on his free-throw shooting with his non-dominant hand. While impressive, the image closely resembles another iconic photo.
— therealjalenwilliams (@jdubwttp) July 24, 2025
With an injury on the same hand as Kobe Bryant, Williams attempted to pay homage to one of his idols by recreating the shot. While the guard’s intentions may have been earnest, the subsequent response from NBA fans on social media has not been as kind.
With several fans going off on the young star for posting the image, we take a look at some of their reactions on X.
“Be yourself, brodie,” said one fan.
“Wallahi, he’s so goofy,” added another in response.
‘Trash ass, lmfao. Get serious, man,” complained a third.
One fan addressed Bryant’s impact on the game and said, “OKC boys all Kobe fan boys, and all try to replicate the greats of old, but the aura doesn’t hit the same.”
“Shai carried you, bro,” claimed another.
A fan also pointed out, “Lmao, imagine if Jayson Tatum did this,” addressing the kind of public scrutiny the Celtics star faces for paying homage to the legend.
“Bro is not ready lmao he finna get the Tatum treatment from everyone,” added another, reiterating the sentiment of the previous fan.
One fan made a keen observation and said, “Lower the bottoms, pls. Kobe has them sitting on his shoes.”
Another came to Williams’s defense and said, “Keep crying about it, you guys.”
“NBA has no aura anymore because it’s a bunch of privileged hoopers and guys doing their best Kobe impression – no individuals,” claimed another.
Although the OKC guard is being bashed on social media for his actions, what he did with the team last season was truly special. After taking a huge step in developing into a star-caliber player, Williams embraced the role of the secondary option and rose to the occasion.
With an iconic 40-point performance in the Finals, while suffering from an injury, the 24-year-old put everything on the line to help secure the title. In doing so, he even earned himself a massive contract extension, securing his place as a part of OKC’s core.
Coming off a historic season for the franchise, OKC is primed to remain one of the best teams in the NBA next season. Having done a tremendous job of constructing their roster, the Thunder have embraced the dynasty path and are poised to be competitive for years to come.
