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OKLAHOMA CITY — While an NBA champion and a life-changing max contract extension add a "very nice" touch ahead of Year 4, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams is pursuing greatness. The championship window is wide open for the Thunder. Williams agreed to a five-year, $287 million extension over the summer, joining MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren as one-third of an $800-plus million front office investment.
This is what happens when an organization is eyeing not one, but multiple championships. And with an NBA Finals title comes increased national exposure, as the league watches to see if its youngest team can repeat last year's success. Meanwhile, Williams and the Thunder will look to convert that pressure into motivation ahead of 2025-26.
"We're not playing for the TV games or the contracts. This is gonna sound really dramatic, but you really are chasing greatness," Williams said. "You're chasing to achieve stuff that hasn't been done in our organization. And that's everybody's motivation. I think that's why we're such a special group."
Not to downplay a $287 million payday, Williams is very appreciative of the Thunder's commitment. Still, leading a team to multiple championships is on the line, an opportunity that very few players in the NBA are given.
"The contract. Obviously, very nice. Very blessed to have that. It's changed the trajectory of my family's life, for sure. The championship is something that you, obviously, play for. But all of that is in the past," Williams added. "Having my wrist surgery, I think, was a really good thing for me. It allowed me to be grounded and focus on that, and forget about the championship and everything else. But everybody's trying to compete."
With only one NBA championship team — the 2018 Warriors — repeating back-to-back championships over the last decade, the odds are stacked against the Thunder. However, this was a similar place Oklahoma City found itself in ahead of last season before it became the second-youngest champion in NBA history.
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For the first time since Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams revealed he played through a torn ligament in his right hand, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacted to the revelation at Media Day. With the cat out of the bag during the summer, Gilgeous-Alexander commended Williams' relentless approach amid the postseason on Monday.
"Dub — he's a warrior. He just did whatever it took. And he's been that all year. He's been that since he got here. He's been that for us. He's been like a Swiss Army knife and just does whatever," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "We have no bigs, he plays the 5. On a broken wrist, he has 40 in the Finals — he's a competitor at his heart, and when that kicks in, it takes over and he's a winner because of it."
No timetable has been set for Williams' return to the court.
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