As the new NBA season gets underway this month, Jalen Williams ’23 has a lot to celebrate.
Over the summer, the 24-year-old was locked in to continue playing with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the new season—and potentially four more years after that. Williams agreed to a five-year maximum rookie contract extension with the Thunder that could reach $287 million.
The extension comes just after the Thunder won their second championship in June against the Indiana Pacers—coached by Lloyd Pierce ’98. The 2024-25 season was the Thunder’s best in franchise history with 68 wins and 14 losses.
“We always talk about winning the days in between,” he said about his team prepping for Game 2. “Not everything’s as bad or as good as it seems in the moment. We are able to reflect and see what we can do to be better next time.”
Jalen Williams ’23 poses with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after the Thunder’s win. Image courtesy Getty.
The Thunder went on to lose two more games but win four in the best-of-seven series.
On a more personal note, Williams continued that spirit of perseverance by working through injury. After the series, Williams revealed that he’d suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist during a spring playoff game. Despite the pain, Williams didn’t miss a single game and even altered his game to continue playing. “I basically changed my jump shot to shoot in a way that required touch and only used my fingertips,” he said.
The Thunder’s championship title made Williams the third Bronco ever to win the NBA Finals. Kurt Rambis ’80 was a four-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Dennis Awtrey ’70 won once with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979.
Watch the court for other Bronco pros as the 2025-26 season gets underway this fall, including the Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski ’25.
