Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams Gets 100% Honest on Being Compared to Scottie Pippen 6 Nov 8, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and forward Jalen Williams (8) smile during a timeout against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

'It’s Just a Ligament Tear' – Oklahoma City Thunder Make Huge Jalen Williams Injury Announcement

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 11:06 AM ET

Sam Presti revealed that Jalen Williams needs right wrist surgery after the Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA championship during his postseason media availability yesterday.

Williams played through pain during the playoffs. The Oklahoma City Thunder general manager said the 24-year-old sustained the wrist injury during a late back-to-back set in April.

“Jalen Williams, Dub, is going to have surgery on that wrist,” Presti said. “I want to just acknowledge for a second how impressed I am with him. The injury took place before the playoffs began. Against Phoenix, we had a back-to-back, I can’t remember. It may have been Lakers, Phoenix. It occurred during that game.”

Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams Hit With Hefty $25,000 Fine After Game 7 Victory Vs. Denver Nuggets 1 Apr 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) passes the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

“We knew he would need surgery at the end of the season, and he played the two months with this injury. It’s just a ligament tear. It’s not an injury he’ll have any problem recovering from. It’s pretty common…He powered through and showed incredible mental endurance and security in himself,” he added.

Sam Presti shares Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason plan after winning the 2025 NBA title

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti explained in his postseason media availability that he will stick to the same formula that won them the 2025 NBA championship.

“To me, there’s kind of three ways in the league; you can assemble teams, you can inherit/modify a team, or you can build a team. So, I think there are three kind of modes; build, modify, assemble. How you do that or the way in which you do that, I think, is very contextual. For us, building is probably our best path here,” Presti explained.

“Because of that, we don’t have a lot of time to determine which way we should go. The paradox of choice is not really in our vantage point. So, I think that helps us. We kind of know what our circle of confidence is and we try to really lean into that. But I think the way the guys have expressed that kind of in their play, the philosophies of the organization, and that’s been a really special thing,” he added.