OKC Thunder’s Jalen Williams Not Anxious, But Curious About NBA Finals

It has been a season of firsts for the Oklahoma City Thunder across the board. From top to bottom, team success and individual success, this Thunder team is reaching uncharted territory.

With the new experiences come new learning lessons, this young team saw that a season ago in the postseason against Dallas. Despite being dominant all season, they simply weren’t ready against a tough Western Conference foe. That experience was necessary to reach the stage that they’re about to dance on, though.

Now, it’s the NBA Finals that’s the grey area for this Thunder team — they’ve dreamed about it all season, and likely their whole lives, but they’ve never actually played in it before. The crowd, the court, the media coverage, the pageantry — nothing can truly prepare you for a moment like this. Oklahoma City is battle-tested, but they’ll have to pick up things completely on the fly in the middle of the unknown.

With that, though, Oklahoma City has no reason to be nervous. Indiana is in the exact same spot, with no Finals experience and a young team on a magical run. That’s why as Game 1 approaches, the nerves are turning into curiosity for this young Thunder squad, and Jalen Williams in particular.

“I think, if anything, just like a little more anxious,” Williams said, before thinking about his answer a bit more. “Actually, I wouldn’t even say anxious, I’d just say more curious. More curious about what the court’s going to look like, what it’s going to feel like.

Jalen Williams said he’s more curious than anxious about tonight’s game: “It’s still just basketball. It’s still gonna be 10 people on the court.” pic.twitter.com/P7SHpqzFO9
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) June 5, 2025

“As far as like actually playing basketball, it’s still just basketball. There’s still going to be 10 people on the court, still going to have to figure out how to try and win games, that part doesn’t change. But I am more curious just about the Finals set up. This is my first Finals, so it’s cool to just go through that process.”

Williams has experienced the highs and the lows of playoff coverage. The media can be a rollercoaster in the postseason. All in all, though, he has shown up in the big moments and taken over multiple games. He has proved he belongs.

Williams — and the rest of this Thunder team — have earned the right to play on this stage. The only thing left to do is experience it.

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