Jaylin Williams finds himself playing through a career month with the OKC Thunder, posting two triple-doubles in a six-game stretch. The third-year big has also notched new career highs in points and rebounds in Oklahoma City's recent 33-point victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
While Williams' on-court impact has reached an all-time high, his infectious personality has also seemed to have taken charge of the team's culture.
"He's just a character. His personality is kind of contagious," Thunder teammate Aaron Wiggins said following their win over the Sixers. "He always has a certain energy about himself that pours into the team."
All season long, Williams has been the ringleader of what is perhaps the Thunder's most popular trait -- post-game interview antics.
From draping sideline reporter Nick Gallo in towels to literally barking into the microphone, Oklahoma City has garnered attention from local and national media outlets alike, largely due to the center.
Jaylin Williams has played a major role in developing Thunder culture
The antics have drawn comparisons to the playfulness of youth AAU teams, and rightfully so. From an outsider's perspective, it's easy to tell that the team is strongly connected, but Williams claims it goes even deeper than that.
"Y'all really don't see how close we are as a team," Williams said. "We're all friends and we're all brothers."
His infectious personality has spearheaded a shift in the organization's identity throughout the rebuilding process and remained with the team in this new competitive era.
The Thunder play with a certain sense of joy and togetherness that isn't often seen around the association. Whether the team is 13th or first in the standings, Williams has brought the energy.
"He's a great leader on this team," Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault said. "I can't say enough about him."
Many talk about the necessity for superstars to be strong leaders for their teams, but having a second voice in the locker room arguably holds the same level of value.
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can guide the ship with his play and take over a game, Williams provides a constant morale booster for the team to keep spirits high. The Thunder organization is no stranger to placing faith in role players as locker room leaders, as beloved former career role player Nick Collison was largely known as the under-the-radar face of the team.
Along with his value as a leader, Williams' on-court play embodies his character. His court vision and flashy passing abilities get his teammates involved in a lively manner, often kickstarting highlight plays. He also ranks second on the team in screen assists per 36 minutes (3.0), once again basing his playstyle around helping teammates thrive.
On the defensive side of the ball, it's much more of the same. Throughout his entire career, Williams has shown a fearless tendency to put his body on the line and take charges frequently. With a minimum of 35 games played, Williams ranks first in charges drawn per 36 minutes in each of the last three seasons.
In the month of March, Williams is averaging 6.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.8 percent from distance. His stellar play as of late has helped the Thunder clinch the first seed in the Western Conference for the second season in a row while also becoming the first and only team in the conference to clinch a playoff spot.