Jaylin Williams Isn't Satisfied With The Evolution Of His Game

The Thunder forward has continued to improve, but he is always aiming to get better.

May 26, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game five of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City’s full focus has now shifted to next season. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder might not have completed their ultimate goal of winning their second-straight NBA championship, but there are still positives to take from this season. You could point out something for each Thunder player that they improved greatly at, and this is especially true for Jaylin Williams. 

Williams had his most impactful season for the Thunder yet and was a better player in almost every aspect. He averaged the most points of his career with 7.2 per game, and was also called upon more in big moments as he averaged 19.6 minutes per game. 

This improved season also carried into the postseason, with Williams putting up record numbers in the playoffs as well. He averaged a new career high in points and rebounds for the Thunder in this playoff stretch with 4.9 points and 4.1 boards per night. 

This improved play has been made apparent, as in his exit interview on Sunday, Williams was asked what he attributed to the continuous evolution of his game, and his answer was simple yet confident. 

“Just work,” Williams said. “Like I’m trying to get better.” 

The secret sauce to Williams’ getting better year by year might just be his hard work, but his competitive edge and desire to contribute make his work ethic one to look out for. 

“I want to get better,” Williams said. “I’m a competitor. I want to be on the court in tough situations, tough games. I want to be able to trust with my team and my coaches to put me in those tough situations.”

Williams was definitely in those tough situations this season, as he played a high volume of minutes in the Western Conference Finals. He averaged over 19 minutes played per game in the conference finals and was used as one of the Thunder’s main defensive weapons. 

Williams was tasked with guarding Spurs star Victor Wembanyama at times and gave the big man a run for his money. He did as good a job as anyone of keeping the big man from setting up in the paint, and truly made Wemanyama work for every point and every rebound. 

Williams played 26 minutes in Game 7, where he put up a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, as he tried his hardest to lead OKC to a win. It wasn’t enough this go around, but the forward isn’t going to settle for this season’s result and is looking forward to continuing to get better. 

“I lost a lot of weight this last summer because I wanted to get better,” Williams said. “This summer I'm going to work just as hard to get better as well. So just work and work.”

This mindset has to give OKC fans some hope in the midst of the sorrow, and the Thunder will be waiting to see how much more Williams has improved when next season rolls around.