Oklahoma City’s opening group looks different than anyone expected when the season started, but Kenrich Williams has slid into the mix and made it work.
The Thunder have been dealing with injuries all year, yet they’ve still opened 7-2 and remain near the top of the Western Conference standings. That has come with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander producing at an MVP level, Ajay Mitchell looking like an All-Star and the younger players settling into their roles. But while those names have drawn most of the attention, Williams has quietly given Oklahoma City one of its most reliable stretches.
In his seventh season with the Thunder, Williams was expected to take on a bigger role after the offseason departures. Even so, few would have guessed he’d be this central this early. Once Oklahoma City lost three starters to injury in the third game of the season, Williams moved into the starting five and hasn’t left it over the team’s past six games.
He’s been asked to handle both the three and the four for Mark Daigneault, and that versatility has mattered. Williams has posted three double-digit scoring games during that span, but his value goes beyond points. He has given the Thunder the kind of steady presence that helps cover for a roster hit hard by injuries.
That steadiness has become even more important with Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe gone from the offseason mix. Williams has turned into Oklahoma City’s go-to innings eater, the kind of player who keeps things from wobbling when the lineup gets scrambled.
He’s not forcing the issue, and he’s not creating problems. Williams understands his role, contributes on both ends and brings veteran leadership every time he checks in. With seven seasons of chemistry alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, the fit has looked natural even if Williams hasn’t been a regular starter in recent years.
The Thunder will keep sorting through their options as the season goes on, but for now, Williams looks locked into that starting group for the foreseeable future.
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