Jalen Williams Shoots Down OKC Thunder-San Antonio Spurs Rivalry

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have a deep rooted history since 2008 when the Thunder arrived in Bricktown. They have played on massive stages with knock out drag out fights that have stood the test of time in the modern era for some of the best basketball played.

As each team has a new era hit the scene, the NBA has tried to force a rivalry between the two, going as far as to put the two squads on rivalry week the second Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren entered the league together.

Since that day, this has been the biggest buzzer word linking the two franchises. Even as the organizations themselves try their best to dodge the narrative.

However, actions speak louder than words.

It is clear when the Thunder and Spurs share the floor, there is a little extra juice for both sides on the hardwood. Much less in the crowd where these two fanbases clearly dislike the other.

It helps having two global superstars duking it out as OKC Thunder face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes head to head with Spurs franchise pillar Victor Wembanyama. Each booed relentlessly on the road, each entering a villian arc in the storybook of the opposite franchise. Each truly respected by the other side.

"The reality of somebody this tall, he's gonna get tall buckets. Tip-ins, he's gonna get some lob sometimes. He's gonna do some very freakishly tall person stuff. He moves really well to be that tall. Going in the game knowing that and then not having miscoverages," Thunder swingman Jalen Williams said of Wembanyama. "He's gonna get those. You don't want him to get easy ones, too. Where we mess up a red or mess up a switch or you don't rotate. You don't want him to get those, because then that's when he has really big nights. Everything else is just like competing. Trying to make it as tough on him as possible. He's a good player. He's gonna score. He's gonna make a tough shot."

Players such as Williams and Wembanyama have shied away from crowning these two sides rivals. Saying this is not the time or place, or that they haven't battle enough or that the uncertain question itself reveals the answer.

"I don't know. You guys control the rivalry thing. I don't really care, to be honest," Williams said. "Every game feels like a rivalry at some point because we're the defending champs and teams are throwing their best punch at us every single game. I will say, this team makes us play 48 minutes of basketball where we gotta pay attention. It's extremely fun to play against them throughout the season. You can feel us making them better and them making us better as we play each other."

The reality remains, like it or not, this has the bones of a rivalry. This has the feeling of a rivalry. A healthy good old fashion thorn in the side rivalry. No matter how long you reserve the right to crown this matchup as sure, unavoidably it will take the throne as the next great hate-filled battle in NBA history.