End of Season Thunder Awards: Rookie of the Year

Jalen Williams was the runner-up for the league-wide Rookie of the Year.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, picking a Rookie of the Year for the squad was interesting this time around. At a glance, they had three lottery picks and a second-rounder who played well and found his way into the starting lineup.

Jaylin Williams, pick no. 34 in the draft, started 36 games in his 49 appearances across this season. His stats weren’t necessarily eye-popping, but his impact was surely felt over the course of the season.

Then there’s Ousmane Dieng, the Thunder’s second pick of the draft, drafted with pick no. 11. The Thunder traded with the New York Knicks to secure the rights to Dieng, who they played in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue for a good portion of the season.

Because of Dieng’s age and potential, he was best suited expanding his game this season and learning through the Blue. Dieng was able to show glimpses of his potential when playing with the Thunder, and should have Thunder fans excited for his future.

Now for the Thunder’s Rookie of the Year on the season: Jalen Williams.

Williams put together an incredible season. Picked directly after Dieng, Williams was the twelfth pick in the draft. In a re-draft, though, Williams would go incredibly high after showing what he is capable of.

Williams appeared in 75 games this season, though he didn’t have the starting job right away. He did, though, start in 62 of those games, as he won a starting job quite early in the season.

Right when the calendar year flipped to 2023, the Thunder turned the corner and began to compete on a new level. At the same time, Williams hit a rookie stride that saw his game get taken to another level.

Averaging 14.1 points per game on the season, Williams averaged 16.1 points per game since January 1st, 2023. With his game taking a jump came many 20+ point performances and glimpses into what his future could hold.

In the real Rookie of the Year voting Williams came in second place to Paolo Banchero, claiming 241 total points to Banchero’s 494 points. However, Williams owned no first-place votes. Banchero owned 98 first-place votes and Walker Kessler took two of them.

Nonetheless, Williams will make First-Team All-Rookie and has a bright, promising future with the Thunder.

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