Jalen Williams Shocks NBA Fans: Thunder’s Breakout Star Linked to Blockbuster Off-Season Move

Oklahoma City—Jalen Williams delivered a career-high 40 points to power the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, pushing the franchise to the brink of its first championship since its Seattle SuperSonics era in 1979. The second-year guard attacked relentlessly from the opening tip, hitting 15-of-23 from the field, 4-of-7 from deep and all six free throws. His shot-making stretched the Pacers’ defense, while his downhill drives opened clean looks for Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who combined for 36 points. Williams also logged seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in 41 minutes, capping a performance that drew “M-V-P” chants inside Paycom Center. “I told Coach I wanted every assignment,” Williams said post-game, referencing his fourth-quarter defensive switches onto All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton, whom he held to 4-of-13 shooting after halftime. “This is what we worked for all summer.” Key to the victory was Oklahoma City’s 17-3 third-quarter run sparked by Williams’ back-to-back threes and a baseline dunk that forced an Indiana timeout. The Pacers never cut the margin below eight the rest of the night, struggling to solve the Thunder’s switch-heavy scheme. Williams’ breakout caps a meteoric rise for the Santa Clara product, drafted 12th overall in 2022. After finishing runner-up for 2024 Most Improved Player, he earned his first All-Star nod this season and now leads all scorers in the Finals at 29.6 points per game. His two-way versatility—guarding positions 1-4 while shouldering primary creation duties—has shifted the series momentum squarely in Oklahoma City’s favor. Historical context adds weight: the Thunder have not hoisted a Larry O’Brien Trophy since relocating, and the franchise’s lone title came 46 years ago in Seattle. A win in Thursday’s Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse would cement a generational turnaround for a roster whose average age is just 24. For Indiana, Haliburton’s 28 points and Bennedict Mathurin’s bench spark were not enough to overcome 18 turnovers. Coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged post-game adjustments must start with limiting live-ball giveaways that fueled 26 Thunder fast-break points. Game 6 tips at 8:30 p.m. ET, with Williams poised to add another chapter to a postseason run that is rapidly rewriting Oklahoma City’s record books and redefining the league’s guard hierarchy.