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New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jalen Williams' NBA Finals breakout powered by years of hard work and conviction
OKLAHOMA CITY — This father knew that look. Intimately. Those steely eyes above a scrunched nose and curled lip. A grimace of supremacy. His shoulders forward, arms bowed into a flex. Radiating a roaring, marauding energy. Monday night at Paycom Center, Pops saw it, felt it, as his son Jalen Wiliams bent Game 5 of the NBA Finals to his will. The All-Star forward attacked the Indiana Pacers like his reputation needed saving. Crossovers to the paint. Shoulder into chests. Layups softly off glass. Advertisement Williams constructed the game of his life: a playoff career-high 40 points in the most significant game he's ever played. He demoralized Indiana while lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink of a championship. After each body blow delivered, Williams bellowed from the depths of his confidence. He's typically economical with his words, so he said it with his chest. Williams' dad, Ronald, smiled as he recalled one of the original displays of that signature moxie from 15 years ago. A family game of two-on-two pitted parents against children on the courts of the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Willams and his younger brother Cody took on Ronald and their mom, Nicole — both hoopers in their day. Dad, as fathers do, asserted his physical superiority. He shoved the boys around a bit, antagonized them into frustration, toyed with their emotions as the game went to the wire. Jalen, about 9 years old at the time, shot his dad an angry stare. He backed his old man up with a hard jab step and then fired a 3-pointer. He drilled it for the game-winner. He yelled at his father, mustering all the machismo stored in his scrawny body as he lost himself in the basketball ecstasy. 'And for a minute,' his father said, his fluffy gray beard widening with his smile, 'he forgot I was his dad. I told him, 'I'll give you that one. But I'm still your dad.' He was just in the moment. And I said to myself, 'He's got something.' What you see here, he's been doing since he was 8 years old.' Conviction is a proficient octane. Jalen Williams keeps a full tank. He's 6-foot-6, 220 pounds with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He's 24 years old with a motor that doesn't shut off. He dribbles with a point guard's ease, shoots it well spotting up and on the move with cotton candy touch around the basket. Yet, his greatest attribute is his unwavering belief. He's moved with confidence since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. And it's only grown as his game has developed, because faith without putting in the work is dead. Advertisement The most glaring question mark for Oklahoma City as it pursued its first title regarded whether Williams could handle the role of co-star on a champion. In just his third season, in his first finals appearance, he's morphed into the ideal co-star at warp speed. He scored 26 points in Game 3. Then 27 in Game 4. Then in Game 5, he delivered his signature performance. 'He was, like, really gutsy tonight,' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'He stepped into big plays. Felt like every time we needed a shot, he made it. He wasn't afraid. He was fearless.' Trey Wertz, who started 33 games in his three seasons at Notre Dame, worked out with Williams this past summer in Las Vegas. They hadn't been on a court together since Santa Clara, when Williams was a wide-eyed freshman and Wertz was the sophomore leading scorer. Williams was a 6-foot-3 senior point guard at Perry High in Gilbert, Arizona, graduating in 2019. Santa Clara was one of only a few Division I offers he received. Wertz transferred out of Santa Clara before Williams' growth spurt, so he'd never laced them against this burgeoning NBA star, selected No. 12 in the 2022 NBA draft. And after working out, Wertz and Williams dove into one-on-one action. As he did years before, when he taught the lessons, Wertz stared down his defender, jab-stepped and pulled up for a jumper. Williams blocked it. Wertz, defiantly, tried the same move again. 'He blocked both of 'em,' Wertz said, 'And I'm like, 'Hold up. This is not how this used to go.' It was just funny how long his arms were. It can seem like you've got the space to get the shot off. But he's so long and lanky. Yeah, that was funny.' Williams's parents embedded the confidence in him early. Their conviction provided an example, plus they implanted theirs into his heart. Belief is a cornerstone of the Williams family and the eldest son, as a result, developed mental fortitude early. Because faith is undetachable from accountability. It's permanently intertwined with growth because of its bent on action. Advertisement Ronald and Nicole served a combined 36 years in the United States Air Force. Ronald did nine years as a jet engine mechanic before serving his last 15 years in logistics. Nicole served 12 years as a nurse. They believe in working like you're convinced of the outcome. It explains the old soul in Williams. He chewed as much wisdom as bubble gum in his youth. Now his mentality is fortified. It especially seeps out with the sayings he loves posting on social media. Sometimes, the things that break your heart end up fixing your vision. The young man just had to mature physically into his grown-up confidence. That's why Williams' pops — who played point guard back in his day at George Washington Preparatory High in Los Angeles, or Wash High to the locals — made sure his son played up in age and ran the point. And since dad topped out at 6-foot-7, a growth spurt was expected. They prepared for it by honing his guard skills. The shooting touch came from his mom, who also played ball. She was a guard/forward who could stroke it from the outside. The career moment Williams produced Monday was a collage rendered brilliantly into focus. Those floating layups off the wrong foot? Those came from aching knees during his growth spurt, prompting him to lean on finesse instead of burst. Those turnaround jumpers and the money 3-point range? That's in part from hours and hours of workouts, with Bay Area trainer Packie Turner, with Cody, with the Thunder's loaded roster of shooters. That sense of the moment, the way he ran toward the heat, embraced the risk of disappointment? That's a byproduct of struggling last year in the Western Conference semifinals. He was overwhelmed by the moment against the Dallas Mavericks, in just his second year. His last big Game 5 came against Dallas last year, on this same floor. He totaled 12 points on 13 shots in 39 minutes. The West's best team lost in the second round to the Mavs. Advertisement He was widely declared unready for the tall task of being a No. 2 on a contender. It was a long summer, with rough film sessions. A certain darkness is needed to see the stars. 'He's one of those guys that you want to see succeed, especially when you know him personally,' Chet Holgren said of Williams. 'You want to root for him. You want him to do good just because he shows up every single day, does the right things. He's a good guy off the court, treats everybody well. He's always respectful. He works really hard. 'You want to see it pay off for him. … We don't get here without him playing as good as he's playing. So, we've got to make sure he gets his credit, gets his flowers.' It's increasingly clear that if they aren't given to him, he'll take them. He pillaged the Pacers' garden Monday. Williams took 16 of his 25 shots inside the paint. This was the first time in his career he took at least 20 shots and at least 10 free throws. This new level of aggression came with Gilgeous-Alexander playing well. On this night, Williams was so sure of himself he put the game in his own hands. This wasn't a night for deferring, but defining. Game 5s in a 2-2 series are name-makers. Legacy builders. Game 5s are the beginning of the climax in a close series. The opening salvo in the grand finale. It is perhaps not a coincidence that Williams chose this setting to go his hardest. 'Great force,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'I mean, that's the word. We've used that word with him in his development. When he's at his best, he's playing with that type of force. 'That was an unbelievable performance by him, just throughout the whole game. He really was on the gas the entire night. Applied a ton of pressure.' The one applying pressure is no longer under its weight. Against Dallas last season, Williams played like a man who felt the magnitude. So he played bigger. Advertisement He's an All-Star. He made third-team All-NBA. He made second-team All-Defense. He defends multiple positions. He has the versatility to run the point and even switch over to center in the Thunder's small-ball lineups. And when the moment comes now, it belongs to him. He takes ownership. Off the court, his confidence comes off as swag. A liberation of style. He can sport a gold grill and dark glasses right along with a furry cardigan and magenta jeans. He mixes avant-garde with a durag covering meticulous cornrows, wears more rings than a guitarist and has a T-shirt range spanning from Jesus to The Judds, from Bruce Lee to OKC sideline reporter Nick Gallo. The regimented fashion sense of his military parents skipped a generation. 'That is not me. That's all God,' his dad said through a laugh. 'But he gets his creativity and his style from his mother. That's where his swag comes from.' On the court, his confidence manifests as bravado. He's a chill, humble kid from Chandler, Arizona, who speaks softly, smiles easily, is known for spreading warmth and diligently protects the vibes he curates. But between the lines, he's marked by his edge. It comes from knowing who he is, and who he wants to be, and how much he's put towards that conviction. His physique has caught up to his perspective. His skill supports his certitude. His tenacity feeds his work ethic. And his experience is catching up to his ambition. The fruit of his belief: a game 'I'd be lying if I said I could imagine doing' on the biggest stage of his life. He believed he could get here eventually. Just not this soon. He scored 24 points in the second half of Game 5, 11 in the fourth quarter. When Indiana cut the host's lead to two points, evoking flashbacks of how the Pacers rallied late to steal Game 1, Williams buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to seize the momentum back with 8:06 remaining. A minute and a half later, his driving floater kissed high off the glass to put the Thunder up 105-97. Just shy of two minutes later, he lost Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith with a fake before hitting a turnaround fadeaway from 17 feet. Advertisement With the series hanging in the balance, with Loud City peaking, Williams arrived on time. Nothing about it felt early. Not with how smoothly he backpedaled after the jumper. Not with how his eyes squinted and lips puckered, an expression declaring how cold he is — and getting even colder. He's sure of it. Realized the same water I thought was drowning me, taught me how to swim.
Forbes
05-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Jalen Williams' adidas Harden Vol. 9 PE To Release Amidst NBA Finals
adidas Harden Vol. 9 | Jalen Williams PE adidas PR As the Oklahoma City Thunder attempt to win a championship, rising star Jalen Williams will play a key role. The 24-year-old is Oklahoma City's second scoring option alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and has already earned All-NBA status in just his third NBA season. But Williams' success goes beyond his play on the court. A fashion icon off the court and an adidas athlete, he has been wearing his own Harden Vol. 9 PE since February. The shoe itself features Williams' signature logo on the heel and his jersey number on the tongue. A vibrant colorway inspired by the 90's TV show Pinky and the Brain — Williams' favorite childhood cartoon — it's been a shoe that hasn't been available to the public, until now. adidas Harden Vol. 9 | Jalen Williams PE adidas PR The adidas Harden Vol. 9 'JDUB' is officially releasing on Friday, June 6 for $160, exclusively on adidas' website, select adidas stores, and select retailers. This release will come right after Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Williams first debuted his unique shoe on-court while playing against his brother, Utah Jazz rookie Cody Williams, as both wore a pair while going head-to-head. It was a special moment that was encapsulated by the brothers matching up for the very first time. From there, other players including OKC teammate Lu Dort and even James Harden himself have worn Williams' PE in recent months, which speaks to how significant this milestone is. Williams has been a featured adidas athlete since being drafted into the league. From day one, he's been put in a position to build his personal brand and status which has led to this moment. 'Charisma, personality, fashion sense — that alone drew us to him. But then his measurements were insane,' Cam Mason, Director of Sports Marketing for adidas Basketball recalled when thinking back to initially signing Williams. 'His charisma gives him the confidence, so that's why he's in a place he's at. He has so much influence and so much persona. He can connect with anybody.' Building his brand has been carefully mapped out since Williams joined adidas. There's no skipping steps when it comes to ascending alongside a shoe brand, but the Thunder star has able to do great things off the court. 'It's like, how do you continue to build your brand? First step is getting you into campaigns. We got him in a lot of lifestyle campaigns,' Mason said of Williams' journey. 'What's next? Let's get you a PE. What are you into? What's your persona?' adidas Harden Vol. 9 | Jalen Williams PE adidas PR While this PE isn't a signature shoe, it is a signal of just how quickly Williams is rising among the NBA ranks. Having a PE for any shoe is a significant accomplishment as he works his way toward a potential signature shoe with adidas in the future. Only the best players in the world earn that honor, but with the trajectory the Thunder swingman is on, it's not out of the question. He earned his first NBA All-Star nod and was also on an All-NBA and All-Defensive Team for his accomplishments in the 2024-25 campaign. Furthermore, his status off the court when it comes to fashion and pop culture only enhances his case for being next in line for a signature sneaker in the future.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Detroit's first indoor and outdoor dog park with beer garden plans second location
An extremely dog-friendly safe place in Detroit, where pets and their humans can socialize, relax, and unwind while enjoying craft beverages, is planning a second location. Barkside, Detroit's first dog park with a beer garden, announced plans Wednesday for a Southfield location. It's expected to open this summer. The new location at 15640 W. 11 Mile Rd. builds on the success of Barkside in Detroit, which opened in the West Village neighborhood in 2023. 'Our vision for Barkside has always been about more than just a bar or a dog park. It's about creating a place where dog lovers and dogs can safely socialize, unwind, and have fun,' said founders Cody Williams and David Oh in a news release. 'Southfield's central location makes it the perfect spot to bring Barkside's unique concept and strong sense of community to even more Metro Detroit dog lovers.' Areas for dogs to roam around and play include 6,000 square feet of indoor, climate-controlled, off-leash play space plus 7,000 square feet of fenced-in outdoor space. Barkside's outdoor play area features dog-friendly mulch and drainage rock. Its inside space is a weatherproofed playground area for dogs. For small-breed dogs, Barkside Southfield will have a dedicated indoor and outdoor play area designed specifically for them. While the dogs play, there's plenty to entertain humans, including wi-fi, big-screen televisions and a bar offering Michigan-made beer, craft cocktails, wine, mocktails, and coffee. Guests order through QR codes. More: Live updates: RFK Jr. faces opposition from senators in fiery confirmation hearing More: Michigan students' scores stagnate in newly released national assessment Expect other events, from trivia nights to breed meetups, member mingles, movie nights, and craft nights. There are also dog yoga, puppy training class options, and spaces to host dog birthday parties and gotcha day celebrations. Barkside is membership-based. A monthly membership is $40 that offers unlimited visits per month and the option of adding a second dog for $15 per month. Annual memberships are $375 for unlimited visits plus discounts and member-only events and the option of adding a second dog for $50 per passes are $10 during the week and $15 on the weekends. At Barkside, all dogs must be at least 6 months old and date on vaccinations. In addition, all dogs 12 months and up are required to be spayed or neutered. Oh, who worked in corporate finance, and Williams, a project manager for Rocket Mortgage, got the idea from their business backgrounds and passion for dogs. 'Barkside was inspired by the love for our own dogs and the desire to create a community for dog lovers,' said Oh. 'We're excited to bring this vision to Southfield and beyond.' Along with the summer Southfield opening, the owners said plans are underway for expanding in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor. Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@ Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit's first dog park and beer garden expanding to Southfield
