OKC Thunder Rookie Back to No. 3 on NBA Rookie Ladder
After being selected to the 2023 NBA Rising Star’s squad, Jalen Williams was bumped up to No. 3 on the official NBA Rookie Ladder.
The Rising Stars nomination and subsequent ladder jump, which has taken him to No. 3 for the second time this season, signifies his strong play not just last week, but all season long.
On the year, Williams is now averaging 12.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals. He’s shooting 51 percent overall and 31 percent from beyond the arc on 2.7 attempts per game.
Over the last week, with Thunder starter Lu Dort out with a minor injury, Williams shouldered even more of the offensive load. And it’s payed dividends for his production.
In three games, he’s averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Despite Oklahoma City being 1-2 in that stretch, Williams has had a tremendous impact for the team when on-court. He’s looked like a bona fide star over the last week, and preseason reports of teammates calling him a future All-Star aren’t starting to look far fetched.
The highlight of not just the week but potentially his season was 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting versus the Atlanta Hawks.
Williams and Oklahoma City are back in action on at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night versus the sliding Rockets, in Houston. Dort, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. are all currently listed as out.
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