Jalen Williams ready for NBA Playoffs after injuries thanks to OKC Thunder's 'good energy'

Jalen Williams pumped his fists in synchrony with the "O-K-C" chants from a packed Paycom Center crowd.

He then shoved his right one directly into the camera, giving nearly six million viewers a clear look at his jewelry. A 14-karat gold ring covered in more than 800 gemstones that commemorated the Thunder's 2025 NBA championship.

Williams had just received the ring prior to an Opening Night game against Houston on Oct. 21, 2025. And in that moment, his new ice numbed the pain. The ongoing discomfort in his right shooting wrist, which required offseason surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament.

Williams played through the injury during OKC's title run, knowing it'd cause his recovery timeline to carry into this season. But he didn't know he'd miss the first 19 games after needing a second surgery, and he didn't know he'd miss another 26 combined games due to a nagging right hamstring strain.

It's been a season filled with setbacks, but Williams no longer needs any numbing effects. He's finally healthy and ready to help OKC compete for another championship this postseason.

"Patience," Williams said when asked what he has learned this season. "I've been through two hamstring injuries and my wrist to start the season. Just patience. Everything in the moment is worse than what it'll be later on. When you start looking at the bigger picture, I think it'll end up being a good thing."

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Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams (8) sits on the bench with a heated glove on his hand during the first half of the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City., Sunday Jan. 11, 2026.

'He does whatever it takes for this basketball team to win'

It would've been easy for Williams to take the summer off after OKC's championship run. He could've prioritized resting his body following surgery on July 1 to repair the torn ligament in his right wrist.

But by the end of the month, Williams practicing twice per day at Chandler-Gilbert Community College back home in Arizona. And he was even playing one-on-one against his workout crew, former college hoopers Leon Sutton and Emeka Udenyi, all while only using his left hand.

Their goal was to get five stops before Williams got seven buckets, and they were up 4-0 on the star forward in one game. But that's when Langston Morris-Walker, an Adidas rep who was in attendance, began trash talking Williams.

"(Williams) just ran off seven in a row with his left hand after that," Udenyi, who played three seasons at Seattle University from 2020-23, told The Oklahoman. "Left-handed jumpers. Getting to the rim for left-handed layups. It was just wild. We only needed one stop, and he ran off seven in a row. That just shows there are really levels to the skill level of basketball."

Williams got creative during those workouts. He spent them doing dribbling and shooting drills with his off-hand in order to keep his skills sharp. And that creativity continued when he returned for OKC after missing the first 19 games of this season due in part to a second surgery that removed an irritating screw.

Williams found ways to impact the game despite being limited as a shooter, like playmaking and defending at an elite level. And he even found creative ways to manage his wrist pain, like when he purchased a $53 heated glove on Amazon and wore it on the bench to keep his muscles loose during a home game against Miami on Jan. 12.

"I think he just honestly goes out there and tries to win," Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. "And no matter what it looks like, he's going to do it. We've seen it throughout his career. He's been a center for us. He's played point guard. He's played the wing. He's played the two. He does whatever it takes for this basketball team to win."

Of course, Williams has still received some trash talking upon his return. He hears it on social media from those who critique his career-low shooting splits. Or those who blame him for the fact that OKC went 18-1 to start the season in his absence but 17-7 during his first 24 games back.

But the trash talking doesn't slow down Williams, just like it didn't on the court of Chandler-Gilbert Community College this past offseason. After already missing so much time, he can't spare a second for outside negativity. And his persistent positivity is seen whenever he's on the court.

“Dub is an energy guy," Thunder forward Jaylin Williams said of Jalen Williams. "He yells regardless. If he gets an and-one, he’s yelling with the crowd. If he gets a steal, he’s looking at us and yelling with us. Regardless of what it is, he brings energy. ... He’s a great teammate, a great player and a great friend. Just having him back is amazing.”

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Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) grabs the back of his right leg after a play against the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

'I'm around good energy'

OKC's road game against Miami on Jan. 17 was supposed to be a special night for Williams. He was debuting his own player-exclusive colorway of the Adidas James Harden Vol. 10 sneakers, which featured a weather map design.

But he wasn't yet aware of the irony. The fact that more cloudy days were ahead, and they appeared midway through the second quarter when Williams drove into the lane and immediately grabbed the back of his right thigh.

Williams needed help from staff members as he limped off the floor. And while he didn't speak to the media after the game, he later posted a broken-heart emoji on his Instagram story. It was ultimately announced that he sustained a right hamstring strain, which sidelined him for the next 10 games.

"I always feel bad for guys," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. "This is their life, and they put so much work into it. And in his case, he put so much work into getting back on the court. He'd already missed a chunk of time, so I always feel for guys when an injury prevents them from playing. It sucks."

Williams' second game back from the injury was also supposed to be a special night. It was a road game against Phoenix on Feb. 11, and plenty of friends and family were in attendance.

The homecoming contest got off to a strong start for Williams, who erupted for 28 points in 20 minutes, and he was only a few seconds away from subbing out late in the third quarter. But that's when he went for a layup and grabbed at his right hamstring once again.

Williams hobbled over to the sideline during the ensuing timeout. He then kicked a seat cushion in frustration, sending it into the air, before making his way toward the locker room.

Williams sustained another right hamstring strain, sidelining him for the next 16 games. A brutal setback for a player who was showing real progress.

But Williams leaned on his teammates for support during that time. The same guys he energized when he was on the court.

"I think if I was on a different team, I'd be more frustrated," Williams said. "But I'm around good energy. I think that's been one of the things that has kept me going. ... It does suck that you work your way up all season and then you have the same injury twice in a row. And I was dealing with my hand at the time too, so that part was a little frustrating. But I've been around good energy. I've been around a good organization that's made it pretty easy for me to come back."

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Oklahoma City 's Jalen Williams (8) celebrates during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Sunday April 5, 2026.

'I've been trying to use it as a positive'

Chet Holmgren knows all about long-term injuries. The Thunder star missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury in his right foot, and he knows time away from basketball is far from a vacation.

“The thing most people don’t see is the way injuries impact daily life," Holmgren said. "A lot of people think when a player is injured he’s just out shopping somewhere and enjoying life and just kicking his feet up, but that’s really not the case. A lot of times with injuries, it really hampers going through your daily routine."

Williams actually did do some shopping, in all fairness. After not traveling to Orlando for the start of OKC's road trip in mid-March, he joined the team for its next stop in Brooklyn. And he visited a vintage clothing store in New York called Procell with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jared McCain.

But there was a bigger reason for Williams' appearance on the road. He made his return to the court during OKC's following game against Philadelphia on March 23, and he was in his bag. The star forward racked up 18 points, six rebounds and four rebounds in 20 minutes.

Williams has continued to impress since. He has shown more explosiveness with each game, and he hasn't shown any noticeable limitations with his shooting wrist. That's one benefit of the time he missed due to his hamstring. It allowed him to get more shooting reps.

"I've been trying to use it as a positive," Williams said of his hamstring injury. "My wrist feels better than it ever has. I think that was a big hurdle during the season that I've been able to kind of, I guess, really get over. It feels back to normal, which is dope. ... I feel really good."

OKC will need Williams to look like his normal self this postseason. It'll need him to take scoring and playmaking pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander. It'll need him to place pressure on the rim with his driving ability. It'll need him to pressure opposing players with his elite, versatile defense.

That's a lot of pressure, but those expectations come with being a star on a championship team. And Williams knows he has to live up to them, just like he did last postseason.

He isn't numb to that fact.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Williams replied when asked if he'll be ready to deliver before cracking a smile.

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Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for theThunder Sports Minute newsletterto access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Jalen Williams ready for NBA Playoffs after injury-filled Thunder year