National media member names OKC Thunder star Jalen Williams as a breakout candidate

Oklahoma City Thunder winger Jalen Williams has become one of OKC's best players in just two years with OKC.

After averaging 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, four rebounds and 1.1 steals per game and shooting 54% from the field and 42.7% from 3-point range in his second season as a pro, Williams is shining to be ready for an even bigger year 2024/25.

In a recent podcast episode, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie mentioned Williams as a breakout candidate and said the Santa Clara product needs to play a larger role in OKC's offense.

“I’m picking Jalen Williams to be the starter,” Vecenie said. “Here's why I think Jalen Williams is a major breakout player this year. (First) You can argue that Jalen broke out last year and I will completely understand that. I think J-Dub is outstanding now. “Basically, we're at the point halfway through his rookie season where (the Thunder) are on the rise, and they need to make the jump from a great player who's in the Who can play defense and hit in the middle – long-distance shots, who can drive and finish at the basket, who can shoot efficiently (3-point shots), who can pass and play, who is omnipresent on defense with their long arms, up to and including “Oh shit, that's that one star.” “Oh shit, he's an All-Star.” He has to be, I think, this year.

Last season, Williams was the No. 2 player on Mark Daigneault's team and shared the role of the team's second-leading scorer with Chet Holmgren. However, to make the leap that Vecenie and others expect, Williams will need to be more aggressive and take control of his position on offense.

Additionally, Williams will need to be more consistent on offense in the postseason after performing poorly at times against the Mavericks.

After suffering an ankle injury in preseason, Williams could potentially have a difficult time starting the season, but reports suggest the illness is not serious and the third-year star should be ready to go early in the year, if not on opening night be.

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