The Oklahoma City Thunder demonstrated last season that having a roster full of veteran players isn’t essential to winning an NBA championship.
With an average age of just 25.6 years, the team became the second-youngest champion in league history, according to Curtis Rowser III of Slam.
In the magazine’s latest cover story, Rowser spoke with 24-year-old star Jalen Williams about how the team’s youth contributed to its success.
“I don’t think you need a bunch of veterans to be successful,” Williams said.
“I think they’re definitely useful. But … I learned how to be a professional before I even signed paperwork to be on the Thunder. You go in there, and every single basketball on the ball rack is facing the exact same way; we tuck our shirts in for practice; we’re not wearing jewelry for practice.”
Williams explained that the culture of the organization helped accelerate the maturation of its young players.
“That stuff was ingrained in me since I’ve been in the organization. So we haven’t had to have vets teach us how to do things. We matured faster, because that’s the environment that we’ve been in.”
Williams has played 3 seasons for the Thunder. He has averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 215 regular-season games. He was selected to play in 1 All-Star game, and has won 1 NBA championship.
Jalen Williams discusses how the Thunder were able to win an NBA title with a young roster: https://t.co/WcHHsZ3FoO
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) September 18, 2025
