Just as the Oklahoma City Thunder were hitting their stride, they’ve been dealt another tough blow: Jalen Williams is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks with a right hamstring strain.
Williams suffered the injury during OKC’s narrow 122-120 loss to the Miami Heat this past Saturday. The team confirmed the diagnosis ahead of their dominant 136-104 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, noting that they’ll re-evaluate his status in approximately two weeks. That timeline puts a potential return around February 2 - though, as with most soft-tissue injuries, the exact recovery window is fluid and will depend on how his body responds to treatment.
If that estimate holds, Williams is likely to miss at least seven games. The Thunder’s final game before the All-Star break comes on February 12 against the Milwaukee Bucks, with the team returning to action on February 20 against the Brooklyn Nets. That gives Williams a potential runway of over a month to fully recover if the team opts to play it safe - and given his recent injury history, it wouldn’t be surprising if they did.
This latest setback is especially frustrating because Williams had been rounding into form. He was coming off some of his best scoring performances of the season and has been a steady contributor across the board, averaging 16.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.8 rebounds. His ability to create off the dribble, facilitate in the halfcourt, and defend multiple positions has made him a key piece in OKC’s young core.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time injuries have kept him off the floor this season. Williams missed the Thunder’s first 19 games while recovering from two wrist surgeries - a stretch in which OKC remarkably went 18-1. That record speaks volumes about the depth and resilience of this Thunder squad, but there’s no question they’re better with Williams in the lineup.
The good news? This doesn’t appear to be a long-term concern.
The Thunder are treating the injury more as a week-to-week issue than something that could linger into the latter part of the season. Still, with the team firmly in the Western Conference playoff mix, every game matters - and Williams’ presence on both ends of the floor is tough to replicate.
For now, OKC will lean on its depth once again. But the hope is that Williams can return healthy and ready to contribute down the stretch - because when he’s on the court, this Thunder team looks even more dangerous.