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Jalen Williams penalized by NBA for profanity on postgame t-shirt

Jalen Williams was fined $25,000 by the NBA for wearing a T-shirt with profanity during his postgame interview after the Thunder’s Game 7 win. Though he didn’t say anything inappropriate, the league still penalized the message printed on his shirt.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams didn’t say a single bad word after the team’s blowout Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets — but he still got fined for profanity.

Jalen Williams

Jalen Williams

Jalen Williams

MIN: 32.77

PTS: 21.33 (54.08%)

REB: 5.35

As: 5.24

ST: 1.59

BL: 0.69

TO: 2.08

GM: 80

The NBA announced Monday that it fined Williams $25,000 for wearing a T-shirt with inappropriate language during his postgame media availability. The shirt, which he wore following the Thunder’s dominant 125–93 win, read:

“F* art, let’s dance”** in bold red lettering.

While players are frequently fined for using profanity in interviews or public comments, this time, the league ruled that wearing the phrase on his shirt was enough to merit punishment.

The Thunder’s victory on Sunday sealed their first trip to the Western Conference finals since 2016, and Williams played a major role — finishing with 24 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds.

Williams, 24, is in the middle of a breakout postseason and coming off a career-best regular season where he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He remains on his four-year, $20.2 million rookie contract, with one year left before extension eligibility.

While the fine might seem harsh for a fashion choice, the NBA’s message is clear: profanity, spoken or worn, is still profanity. And in the league’s eyes, that’s enough to hit the wallet — even after a historic win.

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