HELP FAMILIES AS THEY ROAMED THE GROCERY STORE AISLES. KOCO OLIVIA HICKEY WAS THERE. THUNDER FORWARD JALEN WILLIAMS SWAPPING THE HARDWOOD OF THE PAYCOM CENTER FOR THE AISLES OF A GROCERY STORE TO HELP A LOCAL FAMILY SHOP FOR ESSENTIALS AND TREATS. DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, WE HAD A MOTHER THAT HAD FOUR CHILDREN, AND YET SHE STILL FOSTERED CHILDREN FROM OUTSIDE. THERE WAS A GIFT THAT WE COULD GIVE. A SHOPPING SPREE WOULD BE A GOOD GIFT. THE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS, HAD A BALL LEADING WILLIAMS THROUGH THE AISLES, TOSSING SNACKS, VEGGIES AND THE HIGHLY REQUESTED SUSHI INTO THEIR CARTS. THE PROGRAM IS PART OF THE TEAM’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY ASSIST TRADITION, AN INITIATIVE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND BRIGHTEN THE HOLIDAY SEASON. WILLIAMS SAYS IT’S A GREAT REMINDER OF WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT. IT’S REALLY SPECIAL. THE HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT FAMILY AND BEING THERE FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND I THINK THAT KIND OF GETS LOST IN THE MIX OF EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON. THE FAMILY WAS ALSO GIVEN A GIFT CARD AT THE END OF THE SHOPPING SPREE TO PICK UP ANY OTHER ESSENTIALS THEY MAY NEED. THE HOLIDAY MAGIC CONTINUES ON CHRISTMAS DAY WHEN THE THUNDER PLAY THE SPURS R
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams helps local family with holiday shopping
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams assisted a local family with their holiday grocery shopping as part of the team’s annual community initiative.
Updated: 5:40 PM CST Dec 21, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Jalen Williams swapped the basketball court for the aisles of Homeland on North May Avenue to help a local family with their holiday grocery shopping just days before Christmas. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel”We had a mother—she has four children—and she still fosters children from outside the home… if there was a gift that we could give, a shopping spree is a good gift,” said Dee Liggans, director of education and family development at the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City.The family, especially the kids, enjoyed leading Williams through the aisles, adding snacks, veggies, and the highly requested sushi to their carts. This event is part of the Thunder’s annual Holiday Assist tradition, an initiative to give back to the community and brighten the holiday season.”It’s really special… the holidays are about family and being there for one another, and I think that gets kind of lost in the mix of what’s going on,” Williams said.The family was also given a gift card at the end for future grocery store trips. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The holiday magic will continue on Christmas Day when the Thunder play the Spurs in Oklahoma City.Top HeadlinesAt least 16 files have disappeared from the DOJ webpage for documents related to Jeffrey EpsteinPowerball jackpot climbs to $1.6 billion after no big winner in Saturday’s drawingFamily mourns man killed in OKC skid steer accident‘Get him in the truck and get him safe’: Truck driver helps toddler found in middle of roadNaughty or nice? See where your airline stands in our live tracker of cancellations, delays
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Jalen Williams swapped the basketball court for the aisles of Homeland on North May Avenue to help a local family with their holiday grocery shopping just days before Christmas.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
“We had a mother—she has four children—and she still fosters children from outside the home… if there was a gift that we could give, a shopping spree is a good gift,” said Dee Liggans, director of education and family development at the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City.
The family, especially the kids, enjoyed leading Williams through the aisles, adding snacks, veggies, and the highly requested sushi to their carts.
This event is part of the Thunder’s annual Holiday Assist tradition, an initiative to give back to the community and brighten the holiday season.
“It’s really special… the holidays are about family and being there for one another, and I think that gets kind of lost in the mix of what’s going on,” Williams said.
The family was also given a gift card at the end for future grocery store trips.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The holiday magic will continue on Christmas Day when the Thunder play the Spurs in Oklahoma City.
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