How OKC Thunder superfan Sharee Farmer made her custom Williams trio jersey

Story by

Story by
How OKC Thunder superfan Sharee Farmer made her custom Williams trio jersey

Justin Martinez, The Oklahoman · The Oklahoman

Sat, Apr 13, 2024 ·

7 min read

About Our Ads

When scanning the rows of the Paycom Center, it's easy to tell which Thunder players are fan favorites.

Countless people wear jerseys of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , a star guard who has more issues in GQ Magazine than he does in his game. Plenty of fans also rep Chet Holmgren , a rookie with a ceiling high enough to house the 7-foot-1 center.

But if you look at Section 104, across OKC's bench and a few rows behind the court, you'll spot a jersey that's not like the rest.

OKC season ticket holder Sharee Farmer has proudly worn the same custom jersey to every home game she has attended this year. The back portion features the numbers of three Thunder players – Kenrich, Jaylin and Jalen Williams – with the name "Williams" above them.

It's an eye-catching jersey for one of OKC's more recognizable fans, who assembled a team to help bring her idea to life.

"My husband thought I was crazy for doing it," Farmer said with a laugh. "But he was like, 'Knock your socks off. If you can figure it out, you make it happen.'"

More: OKC Thunder back atop Western Conference standings after win vs Milwaukee Bucks

Sharee Farmer is known in the OKC Thunder fan base for her custom jersey, which has the numbers of Kenrich, Jaylin and Jalen Williams on the back.

Farmer first came up with the idea for her custom jersey at the end of last season. She spent the whole campaign wearing a jersey of her favorite player, Kenrich.

Farmer is a self-proclaimed "sports nut," and she has always been drawn to the unsung heroes of teams. She loves pesky defenders. She loves pace changers. And that perfectly describes Kenrich, who goes by the nickname "Kenny Hustle."

But when Farmer also fell in love with then-rookie forwards Jalen and Jaylin Williams , she realized it was time for a change of threads.

"By the end of the year, the three of them were my favorites," Farmer said. "I'm a very loyal fan, so I was like, 'How can I incorporate all of them at one time?' Because I'm not gonna not support Kenrich, too. I don't think he gets enough love for what he does for our team."

Farmer came up with the idea to create a mashup jersey of the three Williams', but she needed help with the design.

She turned to Brandon Anderson, a longtime friend and former coworker who was happy to take on the project.

"(Farmer) called me up and she goes, 'I really want to do this,'" said Anderson, who's a senior art director. "I was like, 'Well, I guess I could mock something up. I physically can't make you anything, but I can definitely get you what you need to share with the seamstress or whoever else is going to help you put it all together.'"

More: What's the toughest matchup for the OKC Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs?

Anderson sent Farmer about three designs with different ways of cutting up the jerseys, and they eventually settled on a winner.

Farmer then purchased jerseys from the Paycom Center's Thunder Shop and took them to Laura Cade, the owner of OK SEW Co. It's a local clothing alteration business, but Cade is far from your average seamstress.

"I specialize mostly in more creative projects or re-designs," Cade said. "I currently only work with existing clients, but I couldn't say no to this project. ... It's exactly up my alley. I say anything is possible."

Farmer's project was possible, but it wasn't easy.

Cade had to tinker with the design to make the cuts and seams work. She also had to split the back of the jersey into three different sections, one for each player, and make sure the numbers were placed the same distance apart.

It took Cade about 7-8 hours to produce the jersey, which Farmer debuted during OKC's preseason game against Detroit in Tulsa on Oct. 19 . It's there that Jalen signed it.

Farmer also got the jersey signed by Jaylin and Kenrich after OKC's home win over San Antonio on Nov. 14 , and she now keeps it in her closet. She then got Cade to make her a second jersey, which she continues to wear.

More: How can OKC Thunder earn top seed in Western Conference? Here are NBA playoff tiebreakers

But Cade's work wasn't done.

Farmer attended a Thunder VIP event for courtside season ticket holders at Andy B's on Feb. 26. She talked to Jaylin, who said he and the rest of Williams' wanted their own mashup jersey.

"When we first saw it, we thought it was awesome," Jaylin said. "I feel like because we have the same last name, we're all just like brothers. It's super awesome."

Making three more custom jerseys was a big ask.

Farmer had to purchase another nine jerseys, three for each finished product, and supply is shorter toward the end of the season. She also had to pay Cade for her services.

But Farmer happily put in the time, money and effort.

"Our guys are so special," Farmer said of OKC's players. "All of the ones that I've had the pleasure to meet are so appreciative and so proud to be a part of our organization, and I think it goes both ways. As a fan, I'm so proud to have them be a part of our team.

"That's kind of why I did the whole thing, to show appreciation and support for these guys that may not get it all the time."

More: NBA Playoffs 2024: Bracket, standings, latest playoff picture for OKC Thunder

Farmer received the jerseys from Cade on Tuesday, just in time for OKC's home game against Sacramento that evening.

The Thunder earned a 112-105 win over the Kings , and the Williams' went to Farmer's spot in Section 104 after the game to collect their custom jerseys.

"It was super cool," Kenrich said. "(Farmer) shows us love, and she was nice enough to make three of them for us. I thought it was a very nice gesture. ... I'm gonna frame it and put it up in my man cave."

The Williams' have already gotten good use out of their custom jerseys.

Kenrich and Jaylin showed off their new threads in a postgame interview following OKC's win over Sacramento. Jalen even wore his custom jersey before and after OKC's home win over Milwaukee on Friday .

"It's just special," Jalen said. "That just kind of sums up our fans. They love us. We have really good fans. It's dope that (Farmer) was able to do that for us."

Once a one-of-one item, there are now five of Farmer's custom jerseys in existence.

But that doesn't make it any less special. It's still a unique design by Farmer, who feels her team is also one of a kind.

"They're magic, man," Farmer said. "They're so entertaining to watch, and you can tell that they truly are about our city and the game and each other. ... To have a team that's for each other more than they are for singular success, that's a testament to our organization."

More: What can OKC Thunder learn from last season's breakout NBA team? There's 'a common goal'

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC Thunder fan Sharee Farmer created her Williams mashup jersey

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: