Jalen Williams doesn't see old Durant-Westbrook Thunder squads as rivals
Jalen Williams doesn't see old Durant-Westbrook Thunder squads as rivals
Not only are the Oklahoma City Thunder battling the Indiana Pacers for an NBA championship, they're also battling the ghost of the previous iteration for the love and affection of the active fanbase.
After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 123-107 Game 2 win to even the 2025 NBA Finals at 1-1, they've already tallied the same amount of championship series wins as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden had in their entire tenures.
The improbable has happened again. The Thunder built up a title contender that skyrocketed past several tiers to the top. They're on the doorstep of a championship. Suppose Gilgeous-Alexander can bring home the Larry O'Brien trophy. In that case, he'll have a serious argument for best player in franchise history, despite longevity favoring the other two popular candidates, Durant and Westbrook.
Despite the constant comparisons, Jalen Williams refuses to see some of his idols as rivals. The 24-year-old has said several times how much he looked up to Westbrook. He doesn't think they need to worry about their all-time place in franchise lore, considering how new they are in their NBA careers.
"It doesn't really do too much for me except for the fact that it's just cool. Growing up, what was I, probably like 12 when they were playing, around there," Williams said. "To go from watching them reach that point and then to end up being on the team that's in the same position as them, it's more of like a blessing and a dream come true."
It probably helps to see that most of the fanbase sides with the current group. That was put to the test when Russell Westbrook's Denver Nuggets were the Thunder's Round 2 matchup. The series went the full seven games. In Game 1, Westbrook received a standing ovation. After that though, he was rained down in boo's.
"I just played Russell Westbrook in the playoffs, and obviously, he's a cornerstone of this organization. I just try to take those little things that come with it, be really happy and thankful for it," Williams said. "It doesn't really add any pressure or any kind of motivation. It's just really cool that I get to be in this position.
All Williams needs to be seen in that same regard is time. The Thunder are in the infancy stages of a championship window. They could win the whole thing in just the second year of it. If the 24-year-old is the second-best player on a title window, he'll forever be cemented in OKC history.
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