Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Jalen Williams during Game 7 of the NBA Finals on June 22, 2025.
Jalen Williams said he had never tried alcohol before Sunday night
The 24-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard made good on a promise to teammates that he would indulge, if they won the championship
Following the win, the athlete was a seen holding a bottle of champagne and a box of tequila, before boarding the team's bus to their victory parade
Jalen Williams is sticking to Shirley Temples — or is he? The Oklahoma City Thunder guard celebrated his team’s NBA championship by doing one thing he had previously never done before: drink alcohol.
“Yesterday was my first time drinking ever, like, I’ve never had a drink up til that point,” Williams, 24, told ESPN's SportsCenter host Christine Williamson on Monday, June 23. “And the beginning of the season, the guys wanted me to drink. But I told them, win a championship, I’ll drink, I’ll do whatever you guys want.”
After the Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, Williams had to make good on his promise. “I drank a little bit, had a couple of shots, champagne,” he told Williamson. “I had beer. It was all disgusting.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is awarded the Bill Russell 2025 Finals MVP after the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is awarded the Bill Russell 2025 Finals MVP after the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 22, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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Williams’ revelation came on the heels of news that veteran OKC guard Alex Caruso — who is all of 31 and won the title with the Lakers in 2020 — had to show his teammates how to open a champagne bottle.
"None of us knew how to do it,” OKC center Isaiah Hartenstein said, according to the The Associated Press. He added that some of his teammates went onto YouTube to watch tutorials for how to uncork a bottle.
All of which is understandable, with the Thunder’s median age hovering at 25.6, making them the second-youngest team to ever win an NBA title, according to the league.
Williams, however, did change his tune on Tuesday regarding adult beverages, in advance of the team’s victory parade.
In a video before the team loaded onto the bus, the Santa Clara standout was seen toting a box of Don Julio and a bottle of champagne.
When asked how he was doing less than 48 hours after the team won its first championship, J-Dub (his nickname because there’s another Jaylin Williams on the roster) was chill: “I’m feeling good. Feeling loose,” he said, per the clip.