Jalen Williams Proving Himself As Key Cog in OKC Summer League

Jalen Williams will be one of the hottest players heading into the Las Vegas Summer League.

While the post-game interviews have consisted of Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey for the Thunder’s two Summer League games, and deservingly so, Jalen Williams has been flying under the radar as Oklahoma City’s deadly third option.

Throughout the pre-draft process on Inside The Thunder, Williams has been featured on numerous occasions. From his tenure at the NBA Draft Combine, the idea of him being selected at No. 12, to a post-draft film study on why he fits in OKC – there was a large build-up as to how he'd gel in Bricktown’s backcourt.

Thus far, he’s provided everything asked of his transition to Oklahoma City, staking his regular-season role in the process.

Through two Utah Summer League games, Williams has asserted himself as one of the top options within the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offense – and one of the best players at the circuit. Across 48 minutes of run, the 21-year-old has posted 33 points, eight rebounds, and three steals across a 13-of-20 shot chart.

The numbers are excellent with Williams. When you spread his output into game averages, his 16.5-point output ranks him fourth in the Utah Summer League and second among those who’ve played both games. He’s the highest-percentage shooter among those who’ve attempted 10 or more shots in Utah, and he’s the only Thunder player perfect from distance (4-of-4).

It goes without saying – there’s not a large sample size in the Summer League. However, you are able to uncover suitable roles and rotations moving forward. He's denoted some big-time versatility.

The Chet Holmgren show plastered the headlines on Tuesday with his 23-point, six-block effort. However, Williams snuck into the stat line with 17 points of his own. In this effort, Williams tuned the Jazz with a vast bag of interior moves. From scoring on three cuts to converting on an and-one, his activity permeated the shot chart.

As a player sometimes clumped into a catch-and-shoot role, Williams took over Game One almost entirely off the interior, scoring his first seven shots in the paint before capping the night with a catch-and-shoot triple. His uber-efficient 8-of-11 clip was noticeable. However, his limited on-ball play made him a secret hidden in plain sight rolling into Wednesday.

Against the Grizzlies, Josh Giddey had the marquee moment of the night with a 14-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. But, it was J-Dub leading the Thunder crew in scoring – bottling up a 16-point performance.

Unlike Tuesday, which saw Williams almost solely play at the rim – Wednesday flipped the script. In this game, his shot chart saw him yield three of his five baskets from distance, yet again finding an efficent space within the Thunder offense.

Jalen Williams has been a piece of Play-Doh thus far in Summer League play. No matter the situation, he’s been able to read the room almost immediately, molding himself into a valuable asset both on and off the basketball.

The Thunder have found their bread-and-butter in Utah working out of Holmgren high-ball screens. When the Jazz hedged on screens with zero defensive collapses, Williams darted to the cup for a plethora of easy inside looks. When the Grizzlies made adjustments, packing the paint in Wednesday’s game, Williams was Kameron Woods' top target to find from range.

An overwhelming consensus suggested Williams was a reach to go into the lottery. But, for the Thunder’s situation, he was the best option available for their current circumstances.

When the Thunder roll out their opening regular-season lineup, it’s not a given that Jalen Williams would be starting. It’s not even guaranteed he’ll be playing much on-ball. However, with Oklahoma City in dire need of a catch-and-shoot threat, Williams has proven both collegiately and this week that he can do exactly that.

In a five-out setting, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey will be coming off of a ton of Chet Holmgren screens. Due to the Thunder having a historically-low catch-and-shoot rate last season – teams will still be jamming the paint. Williams puts a couple of stitches into this gash though.

If Oklahoma City needs an on-ball creator, Williams can also be that. While this part of his game has yet to be showcased to its fullest, he’s mustered out multiple layups in isolation in Utah – and he could make daylight at all three levels at Santa Clara. Extra points are added for his 4.2-assist average last season.

While a more complete assessment can be drawn from his college breakdown (which can be found here), Williams’ first two games in a Thunder jersey have checked all the boxes, making him someone to highlight moving forward.