A Crazy Under the Radar Stat Amidst OKC Thunder Hot Start

The Oklahoma City Thunder are riding a hot start to the season with plenty of stats to back it up. However one of the most interesting stats is flying under the radar and it involves veteran forward Kenrich Williams.

Dec 28, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (34) during pregame warmups against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a 26-5 start, owning the no. 1 record in the Western Conference for the second season in a row. There are plenty of stats that lead you to how impressive this Thunder team has been. The fact they have more steals than turnovers, everything Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing and the fact Chet Holmgren has only played in ten games this season.

However, one stat is flying under the radar. The Oklahoma City Thunder are not only getting the best version of Kenrich Williams off the bench right now, but a historic one.

Throughout Williams' career, he has struggled at the free throw line. In any season he has attempted at least 0.7 free throws a game, his percentage is 43 percent or below. The TCU product has talked about his struggles at the line before, even experimenting with different ways to fix the free throw woes. Including under-handing the ball, pelting it off the back board, or just a shift in routine.

This season, without any of those changes, Williams is a perfect 100 percent at the line - shooting 10-for-10 at the charity stripe. This is a small sample size, but even last year, Williams only attempted 14 freebies to the tune of just seven makes.

It will be interesting to track how long this free throw make good story lasts, but for now, it remains one of the most underrated stories in the NBA.

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