Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the main beneficiary of the credit for the historic campaign of 57 victories The OKC Thunder got their shot in 2023-24, and rightly so.
After all, the man ended up being the club’s only All-Star selection, finishing second in the race for league MVP, and became just the first player since steals were officially recorded to record at least 30.0 points, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals per night.
That said, while SGA may have been the driving force behind their magical campaign, he was by no means the only notable contributor that helped pave the way, as he was surrounded by several key players during their top-seeded escapades, one of which was standout sophomore Jalen Williams.
Despite playing out of his position (a natural wing who served as OKC’s main four) all year, the 23-year-old managed to produce sensational production, averaging an incredible 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals while shooting 54.0 percent from the floor and 42.7 percent from distance.
On top of that, he also recorded the Thunder’s third-best plus-minus at +2.3.
While he may have taken a major step forward in his career by putting up All-Star-worthy numbers and helping guide Oklahoma City to the second-best record in the NBA as a regular number two option, in a shocking turn of events, Williams didn’t even crack the top three for the prestigious 2024 Most Improved Player award, as he finished fourth in the race.
While such involvement may have been a bit insulting to some, it’s clear that the future third-year pro’s trajectory extends well beyond a simple MIP moniker, and in a recent article written by Grant HughesThe Bleacher Report author would go on to say: “With his great size and extremely well-rounded game, Williams will be in All-NBA discussions for years to come.”
A true two-way star, the 2022 lottery pick sports a game that has drawn numerous comparisons to stars past and present, perhaps the most notable and relevant being two-time NBA champion and LA Clippers centerpiece Kawhi Leonard.
“There’s a lot of Kawhi when I look at Jalen Williams.”@BillSimmons And @ryenarussillo discuss Jalen Williams’ potential after his massive game yesterday at MSG: pic.twitter.com/xVhiFyAzq7
— The Ringer (@ringer) April 1, 2024
Now, it’s true that there’s still a lot of work to be done on his game before we can dedicate him to “Kawhi 2.0,” as Bill Simmons of The Ringer suggested, but considering he’s only in his third year and tied to a rookie-level contract through 2025-26, it’s the type of buzz that’s sure to excite any Thunder fan.
Assuming he can make that third-year leap in a similar fashion to Leonard — guiding San Antonio to the 2014 NBA championship while winning Finals MVP — the sky really is the limit for the Thunder’s young forward and, frankly, this franchise as a whole with him SGA and Chet Holmgren in tow.
Fortunately, it already seems like Williams is keen to do just that, as he revealed in an interview with Thunderous Intentions earlier this summer that his goal is to take “several steps forward” in his career.
Hopefully the 2024-25 season will see him take not just one step, but several, and if last year showed us anything, it’s that he’s more than capable of doing so.
