OKC Thunder Rising Star Jalen Williams Has The Most To Gain From Round 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder could see Jalen Williams take a massive leap in the court of public perception during Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs.

Mar 14, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Soon, the Oklahoma City Thunder will tip off their first second-round series since 2016. With a trip to the Western Conference on the line, some of the brightest stars in the sport sharing a hardwood and every game front and center, this is a chance for players to make massive leaps in the court of public perception.

A big shot here or a dud game there will steal headlines for at least 24 hours either positively or negatively. The work done in the 82 game season though, can also be shown in front of a new audience.

For OKC Thunder rising star Jalen Williams, he is in a unique position to boost his national stock. The rising star is averaging 19 points, four rebounds, as many assists and 1.7 stocks per game while shooting a jaw-dropping 54 percent from the floor, 42 percent from beyond the arc and 81 percent at the charity stripe.

This includes Williams' electric fourth-frame performances that have catapulted to being one of the best fourth-quarter scorers in the NBA, with the 13th most points per game in the final frame (6.8).

After sweeping their first-round series, where Williams took over the final minutes of a closeout Game 4, the Thunder move into an even bigger stages, against a bigger foe.

In order for the OKC Thunder to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016, the upstart squad will need to outduel two of the best playoff scorers the NBA has to offer in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.

Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will not be able to outlast them alone as his sophomore co-star will need to shoulder some of the bucket-getting load as he has all season.

Should the Santa Clara product produce in the second round, his perception nationally will reach star status as the youngest No. 1 seed ever dances their way to the second round.

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