Former TCU Basketball Player Kenrich Williams To Play For NBA Title

The 2024-25 athletic season ended last week for TCU, but one Horned Frog is still playing for a championship. 

Former TCU basketball standout Kenrich Williams (or "Kenny Hustle") and the Oklahoma City Thunder will face the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals for the right to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The best-of-seven series starts Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. 

Williams is the first Horned Frog to reach the NBA Finals since Kurt Thomas in 1999. Thomas and the New York Knicks lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games. 

Williams joined Oklahoma City in 2020 via a trade after spending his first two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. This season, Williams has been a solid contributor for the Thunder as a small forward, averaging 16.4 minutes, 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists over 69 regular-season games. He missed part of the season with an injury. 

During the postseason Williams’ court time has varied depending on matchups, appearing in nine of 16 games. He played sparingly in the Western Conference semifinals against Denver while teammate Jaylin Williams (also known as “Jay Will”) was part of the group tabbed with defending three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. In the Western Conference Finals against Minnesota, Kenrich’s role increased. He sparked a key second-half scoring run in a game one victory, among other important moments. 

Kenrich played in both regular-season games versus Indiana, averaging 9.5 points, 2.5 assists and seven rebounds in 21.5 minutes. 

The Thunder won a league-high 68 games this year, which is tied for fifth-most in NBA history. League MVP Shai Gilgeaous-Alexander, all-star Jalen Williams (aka “JDub,” so as not to be confused with Jaylin Williams) and power forward Chet Holmgren lead one of the league’s most prolific offenses. The Thunder also have the best defensive rating during the regular season and playoffs. 

Oklahoma City is the second-youngest team (25.6) to reach the NBA Finals in the last 70 years. At 30 years-old, Kenrich is the second-oldest player on the team behind guard Alex Carusso (31).