A strong case can be made that no player has done more to improve their reputation over the past 12 months than Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams. Widely maligned after the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Williams turned in a career-defining season that culminated with championship glory.
For as impressive as the accolades he accumulated were, nothing is quite as shocking about what he accomplished as the pain he played through.
Williams, 24, averaged 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 three-point field goals made during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Beyond the numbers, he was tremendous on defense and timely in his offensive contributions, routinely stepping up when Oklahoma City had its back against the wall.
During a recent video posted to his official YouTube channel, Williams revealed that he tore his right scapholunate ligament during the Thunder's first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. He also stated that he'd been playing through a wrist sprain during the 2024-25 regular season.
In order to overcome the injury and continue to help Oklahoma City compete for a championship, Williams received lidocaine injections before every game he played during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
"I was getting lidocaine shots before every single game that we played in the playoffs. And sometimes during the week we had multiple days off so I could still work on my jump shot...We were trying all different types of tape, I'm coming in after practice even more with different tape and we're trying different adjustments to see how I can dribble without having to flex my hand down."
Williams continued, explaining that there were many nights that he couldn't sleep because of the pain—and that he received nearly 30 injections to be able to make it through the playoffs.
"I'm not going to lie, there was a lot of nights where I didn't sleep. Because when the lidocaine wore off, my hand was in such a state of pain and it was hard to dull it...I got 28 or 29 shots in my hand throughout the playoffs and I just was like, 'That can't be for nothing. We have to win.' So, that was my mentality."
The injury that Williams played through directly impacts an individual's mobility in their wrist, which puts the nature of his success into remarkable perspective.
Jalen Williams received nearly 30 painkilling injections during 2025 NBA Playoffs
Williams made otherworldly sacrifices for his team's success during the 2024-25 regular season and 2025 NBA Playoffs. He not only played through pain, but endured an injury that later required surgery and went to extraordinary lengths to find a way around the issues it presented.
In the end, Williams put the finishing touches on a season that has thoroughly established him as one of the best players in the NBA.
Williams' regular season was nothing short of memorable. He posted career-best averages of 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 1.8 three-point field goals made, shooting at a clip of .484/.365/.789.
In the process, Williams earned a mountain of accolades, securing All-Star, All-NBA Third Team, and All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Considering he did all of that in just his third NBA season, it's hard not to be intrigued by what the future may hold. Even without considering the long-term outlook, however, Williams has earned the praise and respect of any who take the time to evaluate what he brings to the table—and the lengths to which he's willing to go to succeed.
Not only did Williams play through an injury, but he stepped up at every turn for the Thunder and deserves endless credit for their championship success.
Williams posted 24 points and seven assists to help close out the Denver Nuggets, and posted 34 points and five assists to give Oklahoma City a 3-1 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also famously scored 40 points in a crucial Game 5 that gave the Thunder a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
Those timely contributions not only qualify as certifiably clutch, but epitomize what he's become in just three seasons.
Williams is one of the most well-rounded players in the NBA and a clearly viable No. 2 on a championship team. His defensive intensity and consistency go unquestioned, and he's now proven capable of overcoming a justifiably poor shooting stretch to still play at a title-winning level.
Everyone sacrifices to win, but what Williams did in 2025 will live on in Thunder history as one of the most determined displays imaginable.