OKC Thunder Sign Jaylin Williams to Three-Year Deal

Williams’ energy has long captivated Thunder and NBA fans alike. For the past few seasons he’s been a vocal leader in the locker-room, but his on-court play has improved, too. He was drafted No. 34 in what's quickly becoming a famed draft class for OKC, alongside Chet Holgmren, Jalen Williams and Ousmane Dieng.

Most recently, he averaged 5.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, shooting 44% overall and 40% from beyond the arc. Most notably, Williams was vital in helping the Thunder to defeat the Nuggets in the second round, providing stingy defense against former MVP Nikola Jokic while Isaiah Hartenstein or Chet Holmgren sat. In turn, he was instrumental in Oklahoma City eventually going on to win a championship.

Williams is frequent in the regular season rotation, providing a backup spark in the frontcourt with strength and solid passing.

Williams has also excelled when granted more time, seeing two triples doubles in the starting lineup down the home stretch of the season. Against the Trail Blazers, he poured on 10 points and 11 rebounds and assists apiece. Against Philadelphia, he saw potentially his best game to date, adding 19 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists.

In adding Williams for around $8 million per year, the Thunder have again shored up another contributor on a cost effective deal. Williams now joins Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams as rotational players to ink long-term deals with OKC.