Kenrich Williams Could Play Many Different Roles for OKC Thunder in Playoffs

Oklahoma City has a multitude of players that can make a positive impact on any given night, and that’s part of what makes this team so special.

Sure, this squad has its regular scorers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the leader in the clubhouse for MVP for a reason — Oklahoma City has come to expect 30 points a night from the superstar. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren usually pour in the points from there, with the rest of the scoring spread out. Oklahoma City gets help from different guys off the bench every night — it’s extremely hard to prepare for.

One player who could see an uptick in postseason minutes is Kenrich Williams, the Thunder’s veteran who has been around to see the rebuild through. He has played many different roles for the Thunder during his time in Oklahoma City, from a legit every night starter, to a bench role with a locker room voice.

During last season’s postseason run, Williams was definitely more of a locker room voice rather than an impactful player on the court, but that could change starting on Sunday. A year ago, Williams only played in seven of Oklahoma City’s playoff games, recording an average of 4:34 minutes per game. He has played in 69 games for the Thunder this season at 16:24 minutes a night, he has been a big contributor to Oklahoma City’s bench success.

The big positive about Williams getting minutes on this team is he can wear so many different hats. Williams has experience as the small-ball center, but can also fit in as a wing in most lineups. He has the versatility to guard most wings and forwards, and his ability to switch is huge for the Thunder. He also provides some sneaky creation when necessary.

This season, Williams is averaging 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 48.3% from the floor and 38.6% from 3-point range. Oklahoma City will need a few proven veterans to step up, especially if the lights get too bright. Williams should be able to slide in any role that OKC needs, and his talent can help this Thunder team in a multitude of ways.

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