The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the more interesting teams in the NBA heading into the 2023-24 season, and they could end up being a bit ahead of schedule on their rebuilding project.
They have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the most underrated stars in the league, as well as big man Chet Holmgren, who is set to finally make his debut after missing all of what would’ve been his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury in his foot.
Then there is Jalen Williams, a 6-foot-6 wing who had a fine rookie season last year.
Recently, former NBA player JJ Redick said on his podcast that Williams will be a star soon.
Jalen Williams is going to be a star.
Listen to the full episode of The Old Man and the Three Things with @jj_redick and @talter on Amazon Music: https://t.co/YaOXk6eUvM pic.twitter.com/8lVOsvtK0P
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) September 26, 2023
Williams was the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and last year he averaged 14.1 points a game while shooting 52.1 percent from the field.
That production was enough to earn him a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
One of the reasons people such as Redick are high on Williams’ potential is his defense, which is buoyed by his length and his reported 7-foot-2 wingspan.
He notched 1.4 steals per contest last season and has the potential to become a legitimate stopper on that end of the floor.
In 2023, the Thunder managed to surpass the expectations of most by finishing with a 40-42 record and making it to the play-in tournament, where they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-118, before getting routed by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
They will not be contenders this season, but by returning to the playoffs, they can serve notice to the rest of the league that they’re on their way back to relevance.
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