Jalen Williams Could Have His Best Season Yet Thanks To Thunder Teammates

The OKC wing could see more looks this season with added pressure to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort (5) in the third quarter against San Antonio Spurs during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The star Thunder wing could come back from injury to have his best year yet. 

Jalen Williams' career has been a rollercoaster the past couple of seasons, as he has seen the highest of highs, but then was hit with pretty low lows. He went from an NBA Championship and an All-NBA nod in 2024-25 to only playing 33 games during the regular season last year due to frequent injuries. Williams is now looking to make a full recovery for the upcoming season, and if he does, he could be looking to have his best year yet. 

Now, Williams having the best year of his career is a tall task considering his 24-25 season was spectacular. The OKC star averaged 21.6 points, over 5 rebounds and over 5 assists per game. This gave Williams his first-ever All-Star appearance and got him nominated to the All-NBA Third Team. 

This would be hard to beat for anyone, let alone a player coming off an injury, but Williams could get some help from a star teammate to make it possible. 

Williams shares the court with the best player in the world, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has brought home the Most Valuable Player Award the past two seasons. Receiving this honor twice makes opponents start to treat you a little differently, which was shown during last year’s postseason. 

Gilgeous-Alexander had defensive game plans centered around him, which in turn freed up other Thunder players to get work done. The MVP averaged over eight assists per game in the postseason, the most on the Thunder roster. Now, with more opponents likely to do this next season, the Thunder’s second option in Williams could see his stats thrive. 

Opponents haven’t had to deal with Williams for a year and won’t be ready to stop both of the elite scorers, especially with other stars on the court like Chet Holmgren. The overaggressive play on Gilgeous-Alexander will allow Williams to move freely off the ball and set himself up for big plays throughout the course of the game. 

Hoping a player has his best season yet coming off of injury is a tall task for anyone to live up to. However, Williams has the skill to do so and has been put in a position where he will get more free looks with the star-loaded cast around him. If Williams can remain healthy this season and take advantage of the opportunities he’s given, the Thunder wing could take the league by storm once again.