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Williams' achieves mark that Shaq couldn't reach in storied career

Former Razorbacks' ascent to stardom with Thunder sees him surpass mark that several NBA greats never reached
Jacob Davis|
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) celebrates after scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) celebrates after scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Arkansas RazorbacksOklahoma City Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — Thunder forward Jaylin Williams has put on a show of late and is quickly becoming one of the top Razorback players in the NBA.

Shaquille O'Neal never posted a triple-double, Dirk Nowitzki never recorded it and fellow teammate Shai Gilgeous Alexander has yet to produce one either given his extra five seasons in the league.

When Williams starts, he is adding a different dimension to the Thunder's frontcourt with three consecutive triple-doubles.

Oklahoma City's backup forward is playing his best basketball at the right time as his team gears up for the playoffs with a 15-game lead in the Western Conference standings

The 6-foot-8, 250 pound forward's production and efficiency increase this year has been evident while missing 31 games due to various injuries.

Williams has posted career-high numbers making 44% from the field and 40% from three on 153 attempts despite his supporting role.

Not only has he become a force as a stretch forward, his court awareness is at an all-time high since the calendar flipped to March.

Williams is a solid passer for a big man contributing 120 assists this season which adds up to 6% of the team's total made field goals this season, the highest mark of his three year career.

As the playoffs draw near, Williams stellar play could earn him more of an extensive role for the Thunder if he continues to develop into a versatile two-way player.

During this stretch, the Thunder are 16-3 overall and continue to maximize its its offensive strengths along with Williams play.

Coach Mark Daigneault has been at the helm of Oklahoma City's organization since 2020 as the front office stood beside him during the franchise's rise to relevancy.

That decision has paid off as the team is soon to be crowned western conference regular season champs for the second straight year and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs which begin April 19.

Daigneault has built a close relationship with Williams dating back to when he was drafted to Oklahoma City in 2022.

“He came into training camp as a rookie and was firing away,” Daigneault said in March. “I've said this before but when a guy comes in and is shooting it with that type of confidence, you just kind of take note. He didn't shoot it great.

"DJ White, who's the Blue GM now, was a video assistant at the time. I remember watching practice film early, and I was like, ‘Can J-Will shoot?' because I didn't know."

Thanks to support from the Thunders' front office, Williams' dug in and continued to bolster his professional resume.

When an average playing career lasts just under five seasons, Oklahoma City's thriving big man has finally adapted with what appears to be a long tenure ahead of him.

“But [Williams] was firing it up like he could," Daigneault said. "And has stuck with it. He's a great developmental story for us. He's a great leader for this team. Can't say enough about him."

Williams became a pro prospect midway through his sophomore season in 2021-22 when he strung together several double-double performances in SEC play.

He posted 10 points, 11 rebound in an 86-81 loss at Texas A&M but it led to bigger things for the Fort Smith native.

After Arkansas loss to the Aggies, Williams emergence pushed his team to an 18-5 record over its final 23 games, including 16 double-double efforts.

He posted that stat line in each of the Razorbacks four NCAA Tournament games in 2022 with a 19 point, 10 rebound effort against Duke to close his college career.

He is mostly known for his ability to defend without fouling, forcing turnovers and absorbing charges in the paint. The latter amount didn't start during his rookie year in the NBA when he forced teams into 46 charges, more than 19 other franchises.

Even with menacing defense, his sophomore season saw Williams take a grand total of 54 charges which ranked No. 1 overall among all Division I basketball players. He finished No. 2 in the SEC for double-doubles and top 20 nationally in defensive rebounds.

While he was ultimately chosen five spots into the second round, Williams' career is now on the rise. Arkansas fans get to enjoy the fruits of his labor as his stock is higher than ever with a squad built for an NBA championship run set to begin next week.

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.

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