Shams CharaniaNov 28, 2025, 06:54 AM
CloseShams Charania is a senior NBA insider for ESPN. Charania reports NBA news and information across ESPN platforms and also contributes to ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the NBA draft. Charania has previously worked for FanDuel TV, Stadium, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, RealGM and ChicagoNow. He is a Chicago native and graduated from Loyola University in 2017.
Oklahoma City Thunder All-NBA guard Jalen Williams will make his season debut against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, sources told ESPN.
Williams had been recovering from right wrist surgery in July, then a procedure to have a screw removed on Oct. 31, after playing through a torn ligament in last season’s NBA championship run.
The Thunder are off to a dominant start to this season at 18-1, with the best point differential through 19 games in NBA history at plus-16.5. Oklahoma City is only the fifth team in league history to start a season 18-1.
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Last season, Williams broke out as one of the NBA’s best players, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He was one of two players to make both the All-NBA and All-Defense teams, along with Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.
Williams also led the NBA in points per direct isolation allowed and ranked top-five in points per direct drive allowed, per GeniusIQ. He was one of just four players with 1,400 points, 300 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 steals last season, along with Denver’s Nikola Jokic, teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Clippers’ James Harden.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams combined for 1,180 points in the 2025 playoffs, the fourth most by a duo in a single postseason in NBA history.
The Thunder will be patient and cautious reacclimating Williams, having previous experience with the lengthy absence of star big man Chet Holmgren last season, who missed three months due to a hip injury before returning in February and gradually making Oklahoma City whole ahead of the playoffs.
The Thunder have gotten production from Ajay Mitchell and others in Williams’ absence, with the second-year guard averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals. Isaiah Joe has also chipped in, averaging a career-high 13.2 points while shooting 40.2% from 3 on more than seven attempts per game.
Williams sat out the first 19 games of the campaign and is ineligible for postseason honors, meaning he is no longer in line for the $287 million super maximum contract kicker in his five-year, $239 million extension.