The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2025 NBA Championship celebration came with an unexpected twist: Jalen Williams, one of the team’s breakout stars, revealed he had his first alcoholic drink moments after the Game 7 victory. And according to Williams, the entire moment was “a blur.”
“Actually just had my first drink, so I’m like working on that,” Williams admitted in a postgame interview, visibly amused but still clearly processing the magnitude of the night.
The Thunder had just secured a historic 103–91 win over the Indiana Pacers to capture the franchise’s first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma City. But if you were expecting wild champagne showers and popping bottles in the locker room like a typical NBA champion, think again.
“That was the most tempered locker room I’ve seen after any championship,” wrote Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
There wasn’t the over-the-top chaos you might associate with a team full of veterans. Instead, there was laughter, awkward beer sipping, and a team of twenty-somethings trying to figure out how to act like champions while still being barely old enough to rent a car.
Williams’ teammate Jaylin Williams, no relation, also sampled beer for the first time—and immediately made a face that went viral online. “Where’s the tequila?” he asked moments later, realizing beer might not be his beverage of choice.
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What makes this story even funnier is how young the Thunder truly are. With an average age of 25.6, they’re the second-youngest team in NBA history to win a title—only the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers were younger.
The core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace has proven they’re not just rising stars, they’re champions.
Jalen Williams, in particular, had a standout postseason. He played 22 games in the Thunder’s run to the title, averaging 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 45.5% from the field.
During the regular season, he averaged nearly identical numbers and was selected to his first NBA All-Star team. At just 23 years old, Williams became the fifth player in NBA Finals history to post 25+ points in three straight Finals games before turning 25.
He wasn’t just along for the ride; he was one of the engines. In Game 7, he combined with Holmgren for 38 crucial points, while Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 29 points and 12 assists. Their dominance, especially in the second half, helped OKC pull away as Indiana faltered, especially with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined.
But despite the dominance, what fans will remember just as much as the box score is the Thunder’s joy and honesty.
A first championship celebration that didn’t look like a Hollywood script, but more like a college graduation party. Some first drinks, bad beer faces, and laughter with lifelong teammates.
The Thunder are champions. The kids are alright. And Jaylin Williams finally knows what a cold beer tastes like.
