This is just stomach-turning.
Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams had to be taken off the court on a stretcher Sunday night following a nasty fall, which looked to me on the replay like his knee bent awkwardly under his full weight, although some reports out of the arena suggested it was more of an ankle injury. Either way, it looked like it could end his season three games in.
“Those are tough, man. We’re not doing great,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said from the podium postgame.
“He just loves playing. He loves the competition. That’s who he is,” an emotional Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I have no doubt he’ll be back better than before.”
The injury occurred with 1:14 left in the game, when Williams made an aggressive drive to the rim and was met there by Derrick Jones Jr. in front and Kris Dunn in back. Williams went down at an angle, about to land on his back, but his left leg curled back under him and then was bent at an angle knees don’t bend. Dunn was called for a foul on the play.
Williams stayed on the ground for several minutes, with teammates around him, and the entire arena fell silent. Williams was lifted onto a stretcher, and as he was taken out of the arena, some in the crowd started chanting “J-Dub” and he gave two thumbs up.
Williams played in just 33 games last season, largely due to a hamstring injury, and was incredibly limited in the playoffs. His return to health — averaging 16.5 points a game so far this season — was one of the reasons the Thunder were considered a title favorite.
The Thunder did get the win, 108-101, but nobody in Oklahoma City is celebrating. Everyone’s thoughts are with J-Dub.