Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is sidelined once again, this time with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out for at least "a couple of weeks," the team announced Monday.
Williams suffered the injury during the second quarter of Saturday's road loss to the Miami Heat. He was seen grabbing his right hamstring as he limped off the court. The Thunder initially labeled the issue as right thigh soreness before confirming the hamstring strain two days later. The team has not provided a firm timetable for his return, though an early February comeback remains possible if the recovery stays on the shorter end.
The setback comes after an already delayed start to Williams' 2025-26 season. The fourth-year wing missed the first 19 games while recovering from surgery on his right wrist, an operation he postponed until after Oklahoma City's championship run last summer. Since returning, Williams appeared in 24 games and reestablished himself as a key two-way presence for the league's best team.
A Critical Absence for a Title Favorite
Williams averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 29.6 minutes per game, shooting 47.0 percent from the field. His versatility on both ends remains central to the Thunder's system, particularly alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault emphasized the human side of the setback Monday.
"I always feel bad for guys," Daigneault said, via The Oklahoman's Justin Martinez. "This is their life, and they put so much work into it. In his case, he put so much work into getting back to the court…It sucks, but you’ve got to play the ball where it is. That’s what he’s going to do. He’s going to put one foot in front of the other and attack the return to play, as he’s always done."
Williams earned his first All-Star selection last season and landed on the All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team while playing a major role in Oklahoma City's 2025 NBA Finals run.
Thunder Still Rolling, But Feeling the Wear
Despite the mounting injuries, the Thunder bounced back Monday with a dominant 136-104 win over Cleveland, led by a combined 58 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren. Luguentz Dort added five threes, though the night wasn't without concern as Alex Caruso and Jaylin Williams both exited early.
Oklahoma City continues to win, but the margin for error narrows as injuries pile up during a back-to-back title chase.
Newsweek