The Oklahoma City Thunder have dominated the opening stretch of the NBA season, and now they’re adding back an All-NBA talent. Jalen Williams will make his season debut Friday against the Phoenix Suns after missing the first 19 games while recovering from offseason wrist surgery, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Williams confirmed the excitement himself by teasing his return on social media earlier this week.
The 24-year-old underwent surgery in July after playing through a torn ligament in his right wrist during the Thunder’s championship run. He later had a follow-up procedure on Oct. 31 to remove a screw that was causing irritation, pushing his timeline back a few extra weeks.
Played Through Heavy Pain in Finals Run
During the Finals, Williams detailed just how far he went to stay on the floor as Oklahoma City chased its first title.
“I got 28 or 29 shots in my hand throughout the playoffs, and was like, ‘That can’t be for nothing. We have to win.’ So that was my mentality,” Williams said. “So after the 40 [points in Game 5]… it kinda sucks, and I’ve talked about it a little bit, but I didn’t really get to enjoy it because I was so focused on, ‘Let’s just win the next game. Let’s win however we need to win in seven, because there’s just no way I get all these shots and we lose.’ That was my thought process throughout the whole thing.”
Williams averaged 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 23 postseason games last season, including that 40-point explosion in Game 5 of the Finals. His regular-season leap—21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game—earned him All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Thunder Reload as NBA’s Top Team Gets Stronger
Even without him, Oklahoma City has been the league’s most imposing team. The Thunder are 18-1 with a plus-16.5 point differential—the best through 19 games in NBA history—and are just the fifth team ever to start 18-1.
The depth has carried them. Ajay Mitchell averaged 15.9 points, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals in expanded minutes, while Isaiah Joe posted a career-best 13.2 points per game on 40.2% shooting from three across more than seven attempts per contest.
Oklahoma City plans to be patient integrating Williams back into the rotation, similar to its approach with Chet Holmgren last season during his three-month absence.
Williams’ delayed return means he is ineligible for postseason awards and loses access to the $287 million super-max escalator built into his five-year, $239 million extension. But with the Thunder chasing back-to-back championships, his presence matters far more on the court.
And now, the NBA’s best team is about to get even better.