3 Thunder players who are underperforming, 4 exceeding expectations at the All-Star break

Jalen Williams is exceeding expectations

Want to play another game? Which players in the NBA are averaging at least 18 points per game and shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range? It's a short list; 13 players in all, with most of the players you would expect showing up: Stephen Curry, Jamal Murray, Karl-Anthony Towns, Lauri Markkanen.

At the very top of that list? Jalen Williams, tied with Kawhi Leonard shooting 45.3 percent from deep. The strength of the lineup around him means he doesn't need to take a high volume of difficult 3-pointers, but when he does shoot (3.3 attempts per game) he is hitting them at an elite level.

Now add in the 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. The steal per game. The efficient 2-point scoring. The solid defense. The team success. The year that Jalen Williams is having is special, and the reality that he is doing it in just his second season in the NBA is mind-boggling. He wasn't even a top pick; he went 12th in last year's draft and has spent every minute since proving his doubters wrong.

What Williams' ascension has done, other than propel the Thunder up the standings, is change their calculus on the future. They no longer have to try and draft, sign or trade for their No. 2 option on offense; they found him. And given Williams' positional versatility at 6'5", 195 pounds is that they can add players at nearly any other position, as he can slide up to shooting guard or down to power forward.

Williams is having an excellent season, one that is blowing expectations out of the water.