Kenrich Williams' Recent Versatile Play Improves OKC Thunder

There are plenty of common factors to be attributed to the recent success of the OKC Thunder. The easy one to call out is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for his consistent scoring or Aaron Wiggins for his emergence as a chunk-scorer. A not so obvious one revolves around forward Kenrich Williams, a five-year Thunder veteran.

Not everything Williams does for the Thunder stands out on the stat sheet, which has been the theme of his NBA career to date. He's averaging only 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 season, behind 49.5% shooting from the field. Recently, Williams has found ways to impact the game for the Thunder outside of scoring the ball.

OKC's last game against the Houston Rockets, which resulted in a 137-128 victory, is a perfect example. Williams finished the night with seven points and seven rebounds, adding two assists to his total. Three of those points came from beyond the arc, not making him a liability from the three-point line, while also doing his diligence on defense.

This streak of good all-around play dates back to before the All-Star break, where Williams scored 11, 14 and nine points in three-straight games. In the first game of that stretch against the New Orleans Pelicans, Williams also recorded four assists. Over the next two, he grabbed three or more rebounds.

That's a perfect description of Williams' versatility and what he can bring to the table on any given night. In a more general sense, the physicality and strength at the forward position that Williams brings is also very important to Oklahoma City's success. Without Williams to man up in the paint, OKC would have minimal bench depth at the forward spot.

OKC is widely respected for having such a deep bench and though Williams doesn't make the biggest statistical impact every night, he's still a player that is vital to that depth. As the playoffs approach, players like Williams will play a bigger role than expected when they enter the game, with the expectation that they will continue to extend a lead, not let it slip away or mark the beginning of a comeback.

Williams has long been a part of the OKC organization because of his versatility and ability to impact the game in small ways. That won't change as long as he continues to do that. Williams knows exactly what's expected of him on a game-to-game basis and his ability to carry out that role consistently makes him vital to the team's success.

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