Jalen Williams is staying in Oklahoma City for the long haul.
The Thunder have signed the 24-year-old forward to a five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $287 million, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Williams is coming off a breakout season where he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Oklahoma City finished with 68 wins and captured the NBA title in a dominant postseason run.
“It’s very easy when you have a team that likes to do their role.” Williams said when asked about his emotions after winning the championship, via ESPN. “And I’m not saying that guys can’t branch out, but just when everybody kind of accepts that role for the better of their team… I know mine. When you just have guys that are willing to do that, it allows everybody to grow and get better.”
Williams played a key role in Oklahoma City’s 23-game playoff run, putting up 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also had a career night in Game Five of the NBA Finals, dropping 40 points in a pivotal win against the Pacers.
The former No. 12 overall pick out of Santa Clara was runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2023 and made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team this past season. He’s also shooting 38.2 percent from deep for his career.
The Thunder’s Big Three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Chet Holmgren are now locked in through the rest of the decade.
Extensions for the trio could total up to $822 million, per Charania.
READ MORE: Devin Booker Locks In With Suns on Record-Breaking Extension