Jaylin Williams Continues To Step Up, Make Strides for OKC Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been able to fill the void left behind by injuries with Jaylin Williams as the starting big man in this recent stretch. Mark Daigneault has discussed how he has improved and it has shown on the hardwood as well.

Jan 19, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) reacts after scoring against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder sit at 35-7, despite dealing with major injuries. The Thunder have played the majority of the season without Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein has missed a massive chunk and Alex Caruso has bounced in and out of the lineup. Even rookie Ajay Mitchell will miss 10-to-12 weeks.

After starting the season on the shelf due to a hamstring injury, Jaylin Williams made his season debut on Dec. 23 against the Washington Wizards to a hero's welcome in the Paycom Center.

Since then, Williams has made three starts for the banged-up Thunder to the tune of a 2-1 record. In his first 15 games of his year three campaign, the Arkansas product has shown vast improvement.

"Good job defensively, he is on the charges again but he is also learning how to be a rim protecter too. The charges early in his career was a little bit of a deterrence for his ability to dissway stuff at the rim. He has gotten a nice balance of that, he is learning as a help defender, his pick and roll stuff and he has learned how to mix that look into his bag," Head coach Mark Daigneault said.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have used Jaylin Williams as a pick-and-roll ball handler defender, utilizing his length to make life hard on shooters. Williams has defended 67 pick-and-roll ball-handler possessions to the tune of 0.582 points per possession. That ranks in the 95th percentile. Despite being a big man, Williams has only defended a roller, seven times this season.

Oklahoma City has relied on Williams in drop coverage, reading the guard coming off screens and when they hang up one of his teammates the Arkansas product jumps out and contests a jumper - while the rest of the defense is littered with high-level defenders that rotate and swarm the roller putting matchups in a bind.

Mark Daigneault continues to praise Jaylin Williams' improved pick-and-roll defense. This season in 67 poss. defending PnR Ball Handler he’s allowing just 0.582 points/possession, ranking in 95th percentile. Using length to make life difficult on shooters
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— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) January 21, 2025

Williams allowed matchups to shoot just 45 percent at the rim - ranking in 77th percentile - while also drawing six charges.

"First off, he has become a leader. Always doing the right things, just trying to win games by any means necessary. He is a very smart player. He is willing to play hard, does all the little things and wants to win at all cost no matter what it takes," Teammate Isaiah Joe said.

The Thunder big man is not just evolving on the offensive end as a connective playmaker to help the Oklahoma City offense generate great looks.

"He connects the floor. He had a play early in the game where Lu [Dort] had the ball left wing and [Jaylin Williams] is calling for the ball in transition and Lu threw it to him and he zips it over to Isaiah Joe. I do not know that there are a lot of players that are barking for the ball so that they can pass, but he is one of them," Daigneault said following the Brooklyn Nets contest on Sunday.

This season, Williams is averaging 5.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.8 stocks per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 100 percent at the charity stripe.

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