Jalen Williams Describes Just How Loud Thunder Fans Can Get During NBA Finals

Game 5 star had high praise for his hometown fans.
A fan holds up a cutout of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center.
A fan holds up a cutout of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Jalen Wiliams had the biggest game of his young career in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, scoring 40 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 3-2 series lead. The Paycom Center was once again rocking as Williams & Co. moved within a victory of the franchise's first championship since moving to the city. It would be just fine for Thunder fans if that was the last home game the building hosts this year because it would mean OKC would have wrapped things up in Game 6 in Indianapolis. But if there is a Game 7, the biggest lock in sports is that one of the most engaged fanbases in all of sports will create a unique atmosphere.

Williams spoke about just how loud and intimidating it can get in his home gym.

"It feels like the court is shaking," he said. "It gives us that boost we need. It's just so loud here, it's like deafening."

Wiliams added that it can be difficult to hear his teammates from a few feet away even if they are shouting.

Throw all of that together and it adds up to a legitimate homecourt advantage, something that's becoming increasingly rare in the NBA. Of course, having a team with the talent and cohesion that the Thunder display on the court probably has something to do with how hard it is to win there.


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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.