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How Social Media Reacted to Jalen Williams’ Return for OKC Thunder

Thunder fans were excited for the Oklahoma City star's return from injury.
Derek Parker|
Jan 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) walks down the court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) walks down the court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma City Thunder

Thunder star Jalen Williams made his official return to the lineup on Monday night, taking on the Philadelphia 76ers alongside his teammates from OKC’s championship lineup.

Williams had previously played just 26 games on the season, dealing with various injuries. He missed the team’s first 19 games while working his way back from a wrist injury suffered in last year’s postseason run, and then dealt with back-to-back stints with separate hamstring strains.

After waiting another week past his re-evaluation window, Williams was finally able to re-take the court against the Sixers.

He melded back into the starting lineup seamlessly, wheeling and dealing from he word go. All in all, he would finish with 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting, adding six assists and four rebounds. It wasnt a perfect game, as he had three turnovers, no steals and blocks and shot just 1-for-3 from three, but he looked much more his old self, moving around with explosion.

It was certainly a step in the right direction for Williams, who has just a handful of games to ramp up ahead of the impending postseason. Monday's win would be OKC’s league-high twelfth in a row, 

Here’s how X, formerly known as Twitter, reacted to Williams return for Oklahoma City:

The Thunder have now won 12 games straight, retaining their grip on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs have been hot on their heels for a few months now, though OKC has been able to keep them at bay by getting all of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell and Williams back from injury.

The Thunder currently have a 3.5-game lead, with just 11 games remaining on the regular-season schedule.

OKC next takes on Boston at 6:30 p.m. CT on March 25, capping off an extended road trip. They're undefeated on the trip so far, and will play five-straight games at home.

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Derek Parker
DEREK PARKER

Derek Parker covers the National Basketball Association and has brought On SI five seasons of coverage across several different teams. He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020 and has experience working in print, video, and radio.

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