Jalen Williams Discusses Dialogue With Mark Daigneault Regarding Shot Diet

The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen Jalen Williams launch himself into a different tier in year two. The Sophomore revealed behind-the-scenes conversations he had with Mark Daigneault about his shot diet.

Jan 29, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Jalen Williams with the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after being a late riser in the process. However, the Thunder were not exactly late to the party. Even before his name was called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in June of 2022, the Santa Clara product admitted Oklahoma City was an organization that followed him closer — and earlier — than most.

In year two, Williams has turned in star level production at times including massive shots down the stretch of games, and complete takeovers when the Thunder needed someone to step up and swing a run.

Part of his success has been the success in the mid-range, an almost taboo shot in modern basketball, Williams converts on 49 percent of his mid-range.

During his appearance on JJ Redick's Podcast Old Man and the Three, the Thunder forward was asked if Oklahoma City's bench boss Mark Daigneault had any discussions with the 22-year-old about his shot diet.

"They kinda let me rock out, I am not gonna lie," Williams said, "There was a shot I was shooting last year, I was shooting like a going left, right-hand floater off my left leg that they hated but I shot it at a really high clip."

The rising star said since then, he has worked on being "more on balance to shoot [mid-range shots]." Williams added Daigneault's instruction was to "play with force [and] trying to get to the rim."

The NBA veteran clarified that Daigneault is expressing to Williams the sophomore should always try to get downhill but have the mid-range as a counter if the opposition does a good job of walling off access to the cup.

The 19-point-per-game scorer has balanced the two a lot better shooting 69 percent at the rim to couple with his mid-range stroke and hitting 3-point shots at a 43 percent clip.

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