NBA legend drops truth bomb on Thunder wing Jalen Williams

Though the vast majority of attention and credit for this OKC Thunder team's successes in 2023-24 has been drawn toward superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as fans have witnessed throughout the regular season and, now, in the playoffs, it has taken a full team effort for them to reach these historic heights.

From award-winning coaching efforts by Mark Daigneault to their "next-man up" mentality, Oklahoma City has proven themselves to be far more than just one player.

Frankly, outside of SGA, there are several other ballers who have showcased their potential of having top-dog upside and, according to legendary sixth-man extraordinaire Lou Williams, Jalen Williams is undoubtedly second in the chain of command for the Thunder.

Lou Williams praises OKC Thunder wing Jalen Williams

"[Williams has] emerged as the second-best player on this team. That makes this team dangerous because on any given night he can be the best player on the floor, or he could be the third option. These guys, they have so many interchanging parts that make them so dangerous but he's emerged as a young rising star and I'm really enjoying watching him play."

- Lou Williams

In just his second season in the association, Williams has catapulted himself from being viewed as a promising prospect in year one to, now, a legitimate cornerstone foundation piece within a championship-hopeful rotation.

Through 71 games, the wing went on to showcase his captivating two-way upside and posted sensational averages of 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals while shooting a highly efficient 54.0 percent from the floor and 42.7 percent from distance.

Despite his lacking familiarity under the bright lights of the postseason, Williams has only managed to bring his level of play to new heights as he wrapped up the Thunder's first-round series against New Orleans with averages of 21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals on 52.9 percent shooting from the floor and 38.9 percent from deep.

Still just 23 years old and attached to his rookie-scale deal through 2026, as things currently stand, it appears the heights in which his ceiling resides seemingly know no bounds, though Lou Williams projects it to be "high."

Thunder fans have already been aware of this fact. Thankfully the rest of the world is starting to take notice.