Jalen Williams, the All-NBA star and champion from the Oklahoma City Thunder, has signed a five-year rookie contract extension worth up to $287 million, according to his agents Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes from WME Basketball, who shared this news with ESPN on Thursday.
After making history as the second-youngest team in the NBA to win a championship, the Thunder have secured long-term deals with their core players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26), Williams (24), and Chet Holmgren (23). This means they will play together and aim for more championships for the rest of the decade.
Gilgeous-Alexander signed a supermax contract worth $285 million for four years on Tuesday, and Holmgren secured a five-year max deal worth $250 million on Wednesday. Together, these new contracts add up to $822 million.
On April 9, Williams suffered a complete tear of the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist but continued playing despite the injury.
He had already missed two weeks in March due to a strain in the same wrist. In a YouTube video, Williams shared how he managed to play through the rest of the season with his wrist heavily taped. He received treatments like pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory injections.
After the Thunder’s victory in the Finals, he had surgery to fix his wrist.
Williams was the Thunder’s No. 12 pick in the 2022 draft and earned All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors after an outstanding third season in Oklahoma City. He had a career-best year, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field.
Standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall, Williams is one of the top perimeter defenders in the league. His wingspan exceeds 7 feet, which helps him disrupt passing lanes, prevent drives to the basket, and defend against shots at the rim.
He led the NBA in points allowed per direct isolation among players who defended at least 125 isolations, according to GeniusIQ.
Williams stepped up in crucial moments during OKC’s journey to the city’s first NBA title, especially with his impressive 40-point game in a critical Game 5 of the Finals. He became the third-youngest player to score that many points in a Finals game over the last 50 years, following Magic Johnson in 1980 and Russell Westbrook in 2021.
Together, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander scored a total of 1,180 points during the playoffs, ranking as the fourth-highest combined score by a pair in a single postseason in NBA history.
In the Finals, Williams improved his scoring with each of the first five games, going from 17 to 19 to 26 to 27, and then to 40 points. He made history as the first player ever to increase his scoring in each of his first five Finals games while scoring at least 15 points in every game.
Last season, Williams was one of four players who managed at least 1,400 points and 100 steals; he joined Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and James Harden on this list.
The Thunder are set to enter their third season aiming for a title in 2025-26 while staying below the luxury tax. This is thanks to having a unique roster built around three young stars and important role players signed on long-term deals for added depth.
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, the Thunder are expected to have a payroll of $246 million, which will push them past both salary cap aprons, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
However, unlike other teams that spend heavily, Oklahoma City has room for flexibility with $77 million tied up in non-guaranteed contracts. The team also holds numerous draft picks and has arranged their contracts wisely for future seasons so they can keep their core players together for years to come.
