He’s back: Jalen Williams set to make season debut as Thunder take on Suns
After undergoing surgery following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic championship win, star player Jalen Williams is set to take the court in Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
THIS LEGENDARY HISTORIC SEASON. HE WAS IN A GOOD MOOD THIS AFTERNOON. I’LL TELL YOU THAT. HE WAS IN A GOOD MOOD TALKING CHAMPIONSHIPS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CONVERSATION THAN HE’S EVER HAD. WE DID GET A LITTLE INSIGHT TO INJURIES THAT HAPPENED DURING THE SEASON, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE END OF THE SEASON, GUYS ESPECIALLY, YOU GET TO THE NBA FINALS, LIKE EVERYONE’S HURT. EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS BANGED UP BY THE TIME YOU PLAY THAT MANY GAMES. BUT JALEN WILLIAMS WAS REALLY HURT AND WE’VE KIND OF KNOWN THIS FOR A WHILE, BUT WE DIDN’T KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE INJURY. BUT HE’S GOING TO HAVE SURGERY ON HIS WRIST. AND HERE’S A SNEAK PEEK. MAYBE LET YOU UNDERSTAND. WHEN HE DID THIS IN GAME FIVE AGAINST THE DENVER NUGGETS BECAUSE HE WAS STRUGGLING SHOOTING THE BASKETBALL. AND HE FINALLY MADE ONE. AND HE YELLED AT HIS WRIST. IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE NOW, BUT HE HAD TO GUT IT OUT THROUGH THE REST OF THE PLAYOFFS. SO WHEN WE TALK TO SAM PRESTI THIS AFTERNOON, HE GAVE JALEN WILLIAMS. AND I’M TELLING YOU, THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT. THE PART THAT I’M MOST IMPRESSED WITH IS IN OUR MODERN ERA, WHEN SOMEONE HAS A POOR PERFORMANCE OR THEY’RE NOT PLAYING TO THEIR CAPABILITY IN A GAME AND THERE’S A LOT OF ATTENTION ON IT, YOU OFTEN SEE A LITTLE BIRDIE. MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE PLAYER IS NOT 100% NEVER HAPPENED WITH THIS GUY, NOT ONE TIME HE POWERED THROUGH, HE SHOWED INCREDIBLE MENTAL ENDURANCE AND SECURITY IN HIMSELF. AND I’VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES, THE BEST PLAYERS ARE SECURE PLAYERS, AND I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT HE JUST KEPT MOVING ALONG WITH NO EXCUSES. AND OBVIOUSLY PLAYED HIS BEST BASKETBALL. YOU KNOW, DOWN THE STRETCH OF THE SEASON, HE PLAYED HIS BEST BASKETBALL. THEY WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT’S KIND OF NICE TO KNOW THAT THAT HE’S GOING TO BE OKAY, SAM PRESTI SAID. YOU KNOW, NO REAL CONCERN OF ANYTHING MOVING FORWARD, BUT HE’S GOING TO HAVE SURGERY, SO OUGHT TO BE READY FOR THE REGULAR SEASON, BUT TELLS YOU WHY MAYBE HE DIDN’T SHOOT THE BALL AS WELL AS HE NORMALL
He’s back: Jalen Williams set to make season debut as Thunder take on Suns
After undergoing surgery following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic championship win, star player Jalen Williams is set to take the court in Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Updated: 3:28 PM CST Nov 28, 2025
After undergoing surgery following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic championship win, star player Jalen Williams is set to take the court in Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelMultiple reports from Thursday said Williams would be set to play, but Friday’s NBA Daily Lineup shows Williams starting alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams.PGJsb2NrcXVvdGUgY2xhc3M9InR3aXR0ZXItdHdlZXQiPjxwIGxhbmc9Inp4eCIgZGlyPSJsdHIiPjxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vdC5jby9OSTBWdFpQeUVXIj5waWMudHdpdHRlci5jb20vTkkwVnRaUHlFVzwvYT48L3A+Jm1kYXNoOyB0aGVyZWFsamFsZW53aWxsaWFtcyAoQGpkdWJ3dHRwKSA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL2pkdWJ3dHRwL3N0YXR1cy8xOTk0MTc5MjY2NTExMDc3NDUwP3JlZl9zcmM9dHdzcmMlNUV0ZnciPk5vdmVtYmVyIDI3LCAyMDI1PC9hPjwvYmxvY2txdW90ZT4gPHNjcmlwdCBhc3luYyBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20vd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyIgY2hhcnNldD0idXRmLTgiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==Williams underwent surgery in July to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. In late October, the team announced he underwent a follow-up procedure to remove a screw that was causing irritation. According to the Associated Press, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals last season and was injured late in the regular season but played in all 23 postseason games.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The Thunder are set to take on the Suns at 8:30 p.m. at the Paycom Center.Top HeadlinesWhat to Wear Forecast: Turning cloudy, breezy todayWhen are Oklahoma malls opening for Black Friday Shopping?Bowling with frozen turkeys on Thanksgiving? Only in the ‘90sTrump says National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom has diedTrump: US land action against alleged drug-trafficking networks in Venezuela will start ‘very soon’
OKLAHOMA CITY —
After undergoing surgery following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic championship win, star player Jalen Williams is set to take the court in Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
Multiple reports from Thursday said Williams would be set to play, but Friday’s NBA Daily Lineup shows Williams starting alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams.
Williams underwent surgery in July to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. In late October, the team announced he underwent a follow-up procedure to remove a screw that was causing irritation.
According to the Associated Press, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals last season and was injured late in the regular season but played in all 23 postseason games.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The Thunder are set to take on the Suns at 8:30 p.m. at the Paycom Center.
Top Headlines