Jalen Williams wasn’t messing around when he stepped back on the court for the Thunder’s preseason home opener against Milwaukee on Wednesday. After missing most of last season, he made sure everyone inside Paycom Center, and watching at home, knew exactly who he was from the jump.
Back Like He Never Left
Dude was straight up electric. Williams, a former All-NBA and All-Defensive forward, totally took over during that first quarter. You saw him finishing around the rim with that overpowering strength, then he’d dissect defenses with his passing, and straight up torment opposing dribblers with those quick hands. The exclamation point? An emphatic one-handed fastbreak dunk that left the rim shaking. Seriously, the league better be paying attention.
For a guy limited to just 38 games last season because of a nagging right shooting wrist injury and strains in both hamstrings, this return was insane. He racked up 16 points, dropped six assists, grabbed three rebounds, and swiped two steals. And get this: he did all that on 8-for-11 shooting from the field in just 18 minutes of action!
What’s Next for OKC (And Who Else Might Be Back)
Yeah, the Thunder ultimately lost the game 128-126 after Milwaukee erased a 24-point lead when OKC emptied the bench in the second half. That’s a bummer, for sure, and puts them at 0-2 in the preseason. But Williams’ performance was the undeniable takeaway.
Next up for OKC is a road game against Atlanta, set for 6 p.m. CT Monday. Keep an eye out for some big returns there, too. We might get our first look at Chet Holmgren (quad contusion), Isaiah Hartenstein (ankle soreness), and Jaylin Williams (right heel soreness), all of whom have missed the first two games out of precaution. Plus, it’s going to be wild seeing former Thunder guards Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins on the other side of the court for the first time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply