Jaylin Williams Hinting at Higher 3-Point Volume During OKC Thunder Preseason Action

As Oklahoma City has risen to the top, clear and intentional individual development has certainly been on display. The team has obviously improved every season and the scheme shines through as the Thunder continues to triumph past every milestone and hurdle, but that wouldn’t be possible without individual improvement.

The Thunder had a treasure chest of assets, and many expected them to trade for a star at some point down the road. While Oklahoma City has used those assets to make calculated trades, The Godfather trade that many expected never came. Oklahoma City’s culture is rooted in internal development, and that’s what propelled the team towards its first championship.

When players begin to get comfortable in their role, the Thunder’s coaching staff always seems to encourage them to take it to the next level. The most recent and obvious example is the nudge for certain players to increase their volume from 3-point range. Jalen Williams and Aaron Wiggins were both 40% outside shooters, but took triples at a relatively low volume.

This past season, both players attempted career-high 3-point shots, and the evidence was striking. The efficiency didn’t fall off too much, and they became two of the Thunder’s best high-volume shooters. It was a move that certainly paid off, and the Thunder’s staff saw from the beginning the shooters that they could be.

If preseason is any indication, Jaylin Williams could be receiving that same nudge this upcoming season. He might not have been a likely suspect, until you look at the stats. Williams came to the Thunder as more of a traditional big man without a history of launching triples. During his first season with the team, though, he was surprisingly a willing shooter and shot 40.7% from 3-point range.

Since then, he has been very diligent in perfecting his craft and building on his strong base when it comes to shooting triples. He looks much more comfortable taking threes, and his form has improved. Last season, he shot 39.9% from long range and attempted a career-high 3.3 triples per game. It was a comfortable notch up from his previous career-high in attempts at 2.3.

Heading into a big season, Williams could experience another bump in his shot volume from the outside. After signing a three-year, $24 million extension this summer, he will look to contribute to a loaded rotation however he can — and outside shooting is an easy way to do so.

In Oklahoma City’s first preseason game, Williams played 21 minutes and fired off eight 3-pointers, going 5-for-8. He poured in 17 points. To follow that up, he attempted 11 triples the very next night — connecting on four — and scored 14 points. It certainly seems like he is hunting that long range shot and looking for his opportunities to score.

Williams doesn’t have to take the most triples on the team, and his jump probably won’t look like J-Dub or Wiggins. But having a backup big man that isn’t afraid to shoot and will convert at a high clip is extremely valuable in the modern NBA. He has shown signs of improvement every season, and the Thunder could be encouraging him to fire away.