Jaylin Williams: the OKC Thunder's Fun-Loving, Joke-Cracking Big Man

Every team needs a hype man. When team morale is low or losses are mounting up, it always helps to have a player that can lighten up the locker room through their energy and fun nature.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, that player has been Jaylin Williams.

The 21-year-old has spent two years in Oklahoma City, mostly serving as the backup big man. His minutes decreased significantly this season with the addition of Chet Holmgren to the lineup, leading to tame averages of four points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18.7 minutes per game.

Williams' role did slightly increase in the playoffs, allowing himself to not only backup Holmgren, but play alongside him at times. He's a solid rebounder and defender that was needed in a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, but his ability to space the floor and shoot the 3-pointer was even more crucial.

Even on the bench, the center still finds a way to make an impact. He'll cheer on his team louder than anyone on either end of the sideline, dishing out compliments and jokes that keep his teammates feeling less stressed and more energized. Just because he isn't actively in the game, doesn't mean his job ends.

As Aaron Wiggins said, Williams adds to the "the fire and the fun" of the Thunder as it's hype man.

"To me, I don’t look at it as a role,” Williams said. “I’m just being myself. I think that a lot of it is because of my teammates as well, they bring it out in me. They let me be free and be myself around them.”

It's safe to say the entirety of the roster has a similar mindset. Through its barking and making faces in postgame interviews, everyone brings out the best in each other and allows for a positive morale, even through adversity. Oklahoma City as a group as tight-knit as any team in the league, thanks in large part to the jokes.

“It’s insane how close we are as a team,” Williams said. “Like the way I joke — like I might joke with some of these guys more than my brothers…We can joke about anything.”

To joke about anything you must have a deep connection, and that's developed with ease for the Thunder. It doesn't matter who is being poked fun at. It could be anyone on the roster — just because you're the top guy doesn't mean you're eliminated from it, and neither is a guy at the end of the bench.

The fun environment that Williams has helped build — alongside his partner in crime Jalen Williams — has transcended just the team, it's now part of the entire fanbase. The connection between the players and fans has gotten stronger than ever, leading to an unbelievable Paycom Center atmosphere full of, yes, dog barking.

“It was awesome, honestly,” Williams said in regards to his connection with the Thunder fandom. “The whole crowd barking and just the environment, being able to witness it in person and be a part of it, it was insane.”

It's arguable that Williams impact off the court has been larger than his on the court, which isn't a slight in any sense. The Thunder wouldn't have gotten to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference or second round series in the playoffs without its players being so connected, and plenty of the credit can go to him in creating that.

Laughter can go a long way. Over the last year, Williams and Oklahoma City proved that. And next season, it isn't going away, it's only going to get more fun.

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