If history is any indication, any great team needs a Batman and a Robin—a superstar and a high-level star next to him. The Oklahoma City Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as their Batman. Jalen Williams has emerged as his Robin.
J-Dub first burst into the NBA limelight last season, when he normed 19.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 steals to become a candidate for Most Improved Player. Initially pegged as a 3-and-D wing, Williams has blossomed into so much more than just a specialist, becoming a bona fide playmaker and a strong defender for the young but talented Thunder.
This season, Williams has been even better, putting up 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.9 steals. He has gotten so good, in fact, that he has taken more of a playmaking responsibility, easing the burden off of Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s MVP candidate.
With Williams’s ascent to stardom, this just might be the season OKC takes that next step in its title chase.
