Jalen Williams Won't Start but has Strong Case to Make First All-Star Game

The Thunder's second star has taken another leap this season.

Jan 23, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) gestures after scoring a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has been one of the best teams in the NBA, and it could lead to the team having two All-Stars.

On Thursday, the NBA announced the starters for the 2025 All-Star Game set to tip off in San Francisco on Feb. 16. Among the five starters from the West was Thunder star and MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

Gilgeous-Alexander’s case to start was as strong as any player in the league. He finished first among West guards in fan voting, media voting and player voting. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams was the only other Thunder player to finish in the top 10 in voting for their position, earning the seventh spot among frontcourt players in the conference.

The other seven All-Star spots will be voted on by the coaches, with a makeup of three frontcourt players, two guards and two wild cards, which opens five potential spots for Williams. Assuming the coach vote is similar to the starter voting, Williams would narrowly miss a frontcourt spot and be left to vie for a wild card.

Against the top guards in the West, Williams has a comparable amount of fan votes to those below the big three of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Edwards. Williams also finished without a media vote, but no guard outside the top four had more than one. Finally, the players gave 40 votes to Williams to start, which is on par with or above almost every non-starting guard.

Williams is having the best season of his short career, averaging 21 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.8 steals. While his numbers have been impressive, his impact goes far beyond the box score.

Not only have Williams’ numbers been better this season, but he has also had to play various roles throughout the first 44 games to help the Thunder reach a West-leading 36-8 record. Most notably, Williams has been tasked with playing center in the absence of Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren despite his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame. 

Along with having to fill in at center, Holmgren’s injury has forced Williams into being the unquestioned second option. For the Thunder to maintain this level of success without one of the most versatile players in the league, Williams has had to do much of the heavy lifting alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.

Williams will be in a tight race with some of the league’s best for one of the final All-Star spots, but with Oklahoma City winning over 80% of its games, he should be a near-lock to represent the Thunder in San Francisco.

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