Jalen Williams
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Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have shared the latest update on Jalen Williams‘ recovery from a strained right hamstring. Williams is having a rough offseason due to injuries, but the defending champions remain the best team in the NBA.
Williams missed the first 19 games of the season after undergoing offseason wrist surgery that plagued him during their championship run, as reported by NBA.com. The Thunder did really well without him, with Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell doing a wonderful job filling in his production.
The 24-year-old star didn’t have his usual rhythm offensively, but he was still among the best players on the Thunder. Just when it seemed like he was starting to get his flow back, he suffered a strained right hamstring on January 17 against the Miami Heat.
Williams ended up missing the next 10 games before returning on February 9 against the Los Angeles Lakers. He re-aggravated his injury the following game and has not played for nearly a month.
Coach Mark Daigneault Offers Injury Update on Williams
Speaking to reporters after Saturday’s practice, coach Mark Daigneault was asked about Williams’ recovery from his second strained right hamstring injury of the campaign. Daigneault revealed that the fourth-year forward is progressing well, but he didn’t offer any timetable for his return.
However, the championship-winning coach did praise Williams’ patience amid his injury-plagued campaign.
“He’s the man. You got a great group of guys that root for each other’s success,” Daigneault said, via Clemente Almanza of OKC Thunder Wire. “I think certainly he’s giving himself to the team by being like that. I also think it helps them work through their own adversities. It gives them a sense of purpose and connects them to the group.”
Clemente Almanza
Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams rooting for the team during his absence: “He’s the man. You got a great group of guys that root for each other’s success. I think it certainly he’s giving himself to the team by being like that. I also think it helps them work through their own
Williams was already on his way to being one of the best players in the NBA. But regardless of his injury, the Thunder remain one of the favorites to win the championship.
Williams Ruled Out vs. Timberwolves
According to the Thunder’s official injury report for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jalen Williams is one of five players listed as out. Williams was joined by Brooks Barnhizer, Branden Carlson, Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic.
Barnhizer and Topic are assigned to the NBA G League, while Carlson is still out with a lower back strain. Sorber has already been ruled out for the entire season after tearing his right ACL during a summer workout.
Isaiah Hartenstein is tagged as questionable due to a left calf contusion that has kept him out of the last three games. Hartenstein will either get upgraded to available or downgraded to out before tip-off.
Williams’ Outfit Stealing The Show Amid His Injury
Despite his injury, Jalen Williams is still full of energy and enthusiasm. It shows in his gameday outfits that keep stealing the show on the sidelines.
It even reached a point wherein the Inside The NBA crew noticed his style. But despite looking good most of the time, he has had some misses, and teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a harsh reality earlier this month.
Nevertheless, it’s great to see things remain positive in Oklahoma City. They own the best record in the NBA and are likely finishing the season atop the standings.