Jalen Williams says Thunder improved during his absence

Mar 24, 2026 3:53 PM

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is back in action after recovering from two hamstring strains, and the time away also allowed his surgically repaired right wrist to fully heal.

Williams shared that his wrist now feels “better than it ever has,” adding that the recovery period helped him improve the mechanics of his shooting hand while rehabbing his hamstrings.

He also believes the team benefited from his absence, as other players were able to step into bigger roles and grow from the experience.

“It’s just fun to watch the guys have to do things they don’t normally do and then thrive in that situation,” Williams said.

“That was really cool to watch. Like, you guys got to watch Ajay blossom even more. J-Will and Caso (Cason Wallace), they’ve had to be in spots that they didn’t think they were going to be in to start the season.

“We’re better for it now.”