The Oklahoma City Thunder rattled off a historic 2023-24 season, winning 57 games and securing the top spot in the Western Conference. However, things would have been entirely different without the stunning rise of a few young stars.
The Thunder showcased their incredible depth and the number of weapons at each position. Among the ascending stars from a season ago was Jalen Williams, the team’s 23-year-old swingman, vying to take over as his squad’s go-to shotmaker down the stretch of games.
“J-Dub” smashed expectations in 2023, just like the Thunder squad. He’ll need to make a major step up the ladder and firmly seat himself as one of the league’s top rising stars. Is he up for the challenge?
The big question for OKC
Williams was brilliant last season. He netted 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game on efficient shooting splits, especially from the perimeter, where No. 8 converted at an elite 42.7%.
While several factors — including a higher usage and assist rate — led to his breakthrough as a sophomore, his remarkable jump as a 3-point shooter accelerated his production and put him on the radar among the association’s top players. But the question is, can he capitalize on the season he just had in the 2024-25 campaign?