OKC Thunder Excited To Have Jaylin Williams Back in Fold, For Good Reason

The Oklahoma City Thunder see Jaylin Williams return to the lineup on Monday, making his season debut against the Washington Wizards. A welcomed sight for Mark Daigneault and the OKC Thunder.

Jaylin Williams is pictured during the Thunder media day at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to see the long awaited year three debut for big man Jaylin Williams. The Arkansas product suffered a Hamstring injury in training camp before having a set back in November. This has led to his Dec. 23 return date against the Washington Wizards.

Over the summer, Sam Presti raved about Williams' year-two improvement. He described it as an "electric moment," a phrase that Jerry Krause coined on the scouting trails. When asked if Presti ever felt those moments this past season, he was quick to point to the 22-year-old.

"[Jaylin Williams] had a block this year that caught me off guard. There was a force that he was able to get off the floor with that was clearly an improvement. To me, I think back on that, all the different people that have worked with him on his conditioning and athletic performance, I mean, that's a village of people. J-Will wasn't moving like that initially. But we have a great group of people, Donnie Strack, Andrew Paul, Jenny Strickler, Vanessa Brooks, all these different people, Kevin Hyde. These people are the glue. It just takes a lot of time, especially with young players, to work with them on those things," Presti said "He really, really was moving better for different stretches of the season. That surprised me. That was all hard work. That was earned."

After another summer of development, the Thunder are excited to see what Williams can add to his game in year three. Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault was peppered with questions about the debut of the Arkansas big man.

“This has been a long return to play. He’s done a great job. He’s kept a great spirit. He’s stayed inside the team and connected to the team in a way that’s impressive," Daigneault explained pregame.

When asked about Presti's remark this summer and how Williams has improved, the Thunder bench boss spoke glowingly of the young big man.

“Well, part of why I'm so happy for him tonight is I think he had a great summer. It’s one thing if you have a bad summer, get injured but he had a great summer. He came in great shape, and he came in great spirits. This was a tough break for him. I think that because of that, that's why I have so much respect for his character. In a situation that he could’ve easily been discouraged by, he's really shown who he is and what he's about in a very impressive way underneath some adversity," Daigneault said

"He’s improved over time and he's definitely upticked his effectiveness and impact as an NBA player on the defensive end of the floor. A lot of the pick and roll game is huge at the five. That’s something that he's really learned and worked hard at. It was not his strength when he was a rookie player. Even with his time in the Blue early on around this time of year. He’s just slowly but surely used his mind and used his experiences to improve in that area. He’s got great strengths that he brings to the team. None more than just his toughness and his team orientation. So it's great having that. We wish we had everybody healthy," the Thunder head coach continued.

Last season, Williams averaged four points, three rebounds, and assist and nearly a stock per game while shooting 41 percent from the floor, 36 percent from 3-point land and 80 percent at the charity stripe in 69 games. The 22-year-old also drew 21 offensive fouls, top 50 in the league off the bench with his ability to rack up charges.

With an uptick on the defensive end, it increases the 22-year-old's value as a rotational big man who can space the floor and playmake. His high post creation and ability to gel an offense with his shooting stroke helps Oklahoma City play a similar style when Isaiah Hartenstein is off the floor - who also dishes the rock around as a playmaking hub at that center spot.

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