Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder All-NBA guard Jalen Williams will make his season debut towards the Phoenix Suns on Friday evening, sources instructed ESPN.
Williams had been recovering from proper wrist surgical procedure in July, then a process to have a screw eliminated on Oct. 31, after taking part in by way of a torn ligament in final season’s NBA championship run.
The Thunder are off to a dominant begin to this season at 18-1, with the perfect level differential by way of 19 video games in NBA historical past at plus-16.5. Oklahoma Metropolis is simply the fifth staff in league historical past to start out a season 18-1.
Final season, Williams broke out as one of many NBA’s finest gamers, averaging 21.6 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per recreation. He was one in every of two gamers to make each the All-NBA and All-Protection groups, together with Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.
Williams additionally led the NBA in factors per direct isolation allowed and ranked top-five in factors per direct drive allowed, per GeniusIQ. He was one in every of simply 4 gamers with 1,400 factors, 300 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals final season, together with Denver’s Nikola Jokic, teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Clippers’ James Harden.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams mixed for 1,180 factors within the 2025 playoffs, the fourth most by a duo in a single postseason in NBA historical past.
The Thunder will probably be affected person and cautious reacclimating Williams, having earlier expertise with the prolonged absence of star massive man Chet Holmgren final season, who missed three months resulting from a hip damage earlier than returning in February and progressively making Oklahoma Metropolis entire forward of the playoffs.
The Thunder have gotten manufacturing from Ajay Mitchell and others in Williams’ absence, with the second-year guard averaging 15.9 factors, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals. Isaiah Joe has additionally chipped in, averaging a career-high 13.2 factors whereas taking pictures 40.2% from 3 on greater than seven makes an attempt per recreation.
Williams sat out the primary 19 video games of the marketing campaign and is ineligible for postseason honors, which means he’s now not in line for the $287 million tremendous most contract kicker in his five-year, $239 million extension.