Jalen Williams to Be Re-Evaluated After Second Hamstring Strain

Thunder’s Jalen Williams to be Re-evaluated After All-Star Break Following Hamstring Strain

Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams will undergo further evaluation after the NBA All-Star break after re-aggravating a strain in his right hamstring, the team announced Thursday. The injury forced Williams to sit out the Thunder’s 110-93 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, their final game before the break.

This marks the second time Williams has been sidelined with a hamstring issue in less than a month. He initially sustained the injury during a January 17th game against the Miami Heat, an incident that kept him out of action for 10 consecutive games. He returned to the lineup on Monday, contributing 23 points in a 119-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Williams followed up that performance with a standout showing against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, scoring a season-high 28 points on remarkably efficient 11-for-12 shooting in just 20 minutes of play before exiting the game in the third quarter.

“Against L.A., he was obviously a little rusty in the first half, but he tried to play with tremendous force in that game,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “And then as the game wore on, especially in his last stint against the Lakers, he was really on the gas. Really closed that game for us offensively.” Daigneault also noted Williams’ strong performance against Phoenix, highlighting his scoring and playmaking abilities.

The timing of the injury is particularly challenging for the Thunder, who are also without reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander due to an abdominal strain. Gilgeous-Alexander will also be re-evaluated following the All-Star break.

Williams’ absence is a significant blow to Oklahoma City, especially considering his pivotal role in the team’s championship run last season. He earned All-Star honors, was a third-team All-NBA selection, and received recognition as a second-team All-Defense pick. This season, Williams signed a maximum contract extension with the team.

Prior to the hamstring issues, Williams had already missed the first 19 games of the current season while recovering from surgery on his right wrist, an injury he initially sustained late last season and played through during the playoffs.

Before the injury, Williams was averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game for the Thunder.