OKLAHOMA CITY, July 13, 2025
Thunder Lock Up Jalen Williams With Massive Extension
Jalen Williams inked a five-year deal, potentially worth $287 million, keeping OKC’s young core together.
- Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams agreed to a five-year, $287 million maximum rookie contract extension.
- The deal solidifies the Thunder’s core with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren through the decade.
- Williams played through a significant wrist injury last season, undergoing surgery after the Finals.
- He earned All-NBA and All-Defensive honors with career-best averages in his third season.
- The extensions for the trio total $822 million, aiming for sustained championship contention.
Oklahoma City Thunder All-NBA star Jalen Williams has agreed to a five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $287 million, it was announced Thursday.
A Championship Core Secured
After becoming the NBA’s second-youngest champions, the Thunder have locked up their core trio for the long haul. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, Williams, 24, and Chet Holmgren, 23, are now committed to Oklahoma City, aiming for titles through the rest of the decade.
How much is Jalen Williams’ new contract worth? Jalen Williams’ five-year extension could reach $287 million.
Gilgeous-Alexander officially signed his four-year, $285 million supermax contract on Tuesday. Holmgren followed with a five-year, $250 million max deal on Wednesday. These three new extensions alone now total a staggering $822 million.
Playing Through Adversity
Williams battled through a significant injury last season, suffering a complete tear of the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist on April 9. He missed two weeks in March due to a wrist strain and played the remainder of the season with the joint heavily taped, detailing his experience on YouTube. He received pain-killing and anti-inflammatory injections for treatment. Williams underwent surgery to repair the wrist after the Thunder’s Finals victory.
Williams’ Ascending Impact
Selected as the Thunder’s No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Williams delivered a stellar third season. He earned All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors, posting career highs with 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, shooting 48.4% from the field. His defensive prowess at 6-foot-6, bolstered by a 7-foot wingspan, makes him one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, adept at disrupting passing lanes, deterring drives, and protecting the rim. He led the NBA in points allowed per direct isolation among players defending at least 125 isolations.
Williams proved clutch in the Thunder’s championship run, notably dropping 40 points in a pivotal Game 5 of the Finals. That performance made him the third-youngest player to score that many points in a Finals game in the past 50 years, trailing only Magic Johnson in 1980 and Russell Westbrook in 2021. Collectively, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander amassed 1,180 playoff points, ranking as the fourth-highest total by a duo in a single postseason in NBA history.
In the Finals, Williams demonstrated remarkable scoring consistency, increasing his point total in each of the first five games. He went from 17 to 19, then 26, 27, and finally 40 points. This streak marked him as the first player ever to increase his scoring output in each of his first five career Finals games while scoring at least 15 points in each contest.
Last season, Williams was one of only four players to record at least 1,400 points and 100 steals, a list that also includes Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and James Harden.
Future Outlook
The Thunder are poised for their third consecutive season of title contention in 2025-26, remarkably remaining under the luxury tax. This financial flexibility stems from a unique roster construction centered around three young stars and crucial role players on long-term deals, providing essential depth. As projected by the league’s financial experts, Oklahoma City’s payroll in 2026-27 is expected to reach $246 million, pushing them over both the first and second apron thresholds. However, the team possesses considerable flexibility with $77 million in non-guaranteed contracts and holds numerous future draft picks. This strategic contract structuring positions Oklahoma City to maintain its championship-contending core for the foreseeable future.
