Is Jalen Williams Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Thunder vs. Pistons)

Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams has dealt with a bunch of injuries in the 2025-26 season, and he will not play on Wednesday night in a marquee matchup with the Detroit Pistons.

Williams, who suffered a hamstring strain before the All-Star break, is expected to remain out of the lineup for at least another week with the injury. Earlier this month, the Thunder announced that Williams would miss at least two more weeks after aggravating the injury before the break.

Thunder injury update: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain/left ankle sprain) will be both be re-evaluated in approximately one week.

Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) February 19, 2026

An All-NBA selection in the 2024-25 season, Williams has been limited to just 26 games for the Thunder after deadling with a wrist injury to open the season and multiple hamstring issues since the turn of the new year.

When he's been in the lineup, Williams has played well, averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc. His 3-point shooting has dipped a bit this season, but he also hasn't had a regular ramp up to play in the 2025-26 campaign.

The Thunder are playing the second night of a back-to-back against the Pistons on Wednesday, and both Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will remain out of the lineup with injuries. That has caused the betting odds for this game to shift towards the Pistons at home. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Thunder set as 7.5-point road underdogs, even though they're coming off a win over Toronto on Tuesday night.

If the two-week timeline for Williams is correct, his next chance to play would be on March 7 against the Golden State Warriors. The star forward is likely out through OKC's next back-to-back (March 3 and March 4) against the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks.

The Thunder are still the No. 1 seed in the West, but they're hoping that Williams can return and ramp up ahead of the playoffs as they aim to defend their title.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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