How Jalen Williams went from three-star recruit to one half of Thunder's NBA All-Star duo

Few teams in recent NBA history have proven as versatile as the Thunder. Mark Daigneault's bunch is filled with swashbucklers: from slaloming swingmen to stoic sentries, it seems Oklahoma City's roster has everything one would hope for out of a modern NBA team.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the crown jewel of the collective, a languid three-level scorer expected to juke and jink his way to his first MVP.

Gilgeous-Alexander leads the attack, but he's far from alone. Between Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Alex Caruso, the Thunder have plenty of talent worthy of accolades.

Only a precious few have been able to hoist those honors, however. Jalen Williams is one of the few to do so, capturing his first All-Star appearance after a first half of the season for the books.

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Williams has gone from strength to strength in the months since then, landing Defensive Player of the Year votes while helping the Thunder post the league's best regular season record. Williams has been a bit more uneven in postseason play, but he found his rhythm in Oklahoma City's Game 7 win vs. the Nuggets, posting 24 points, seven assists, and five rebounds (on 10-of-17 shooting) to help power the Thunder to a win — in both game and series.

Williams hasn't always been tipped for NBA greatness, particularly not when he was an undersized high school guard. Here's what you need to know about Williams' journey from high school afterthought to NBA star.

Jalen Williams recruiting history

Williams enjoyed a successful prep career, starring at Perry High School in Gilbert, Ariz. A Chandler Unified School District Player of the Year recipient as a junior, Williams sprouted some six inches during his high school tenure. As a senior, Williams averaged 25 points per game, showcasing steady shooting, redwood-like reach, and a penchant for harassing opposing defenders.

That wasn't enough to convince major programs of his viability as a premier prospect, however. Williams garnered three-star billing, according to 247Sports and Rivals, with the former listing him as the No. 8 prospect in the state of Arizona.

Williams was fairly unheralded as a prospect. That didn't make him any less appealing to Santa Clara, which swept in like a hawk to secure his services over Hofstra, Nevada, and a host of other mid-majors.

Here's a look at Williams' prospect profile, courtesy of 247Sports.

Jalen Williams college stats

Williams immediately established himself as a formidable talent in the WCC. As a freshman, he started 22 contests, displaying solid shooting mechanics and a proclivity for "stocks" that has come to shape his All-Defensive-caliber antics.

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Williams spent three years with the Broncos. In his final campaign, he was wondrous; Williams averaged 18 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, snd 0.5 blocks on 51.3/39.6/80.9 shooting splits. He was summarily rewarded a spot on the All-WCC first team and was named a finalist for the Lou Henson Award as the nation's top mid-major player.

Jalen Williams NBA stats

Following his standout season, Williams declared for the 2022 NBA Draft. The Thunder — gifted with the No. 12 pick after dealing Paul George to the Clippers back in 2019 — opted to bring in Williams. The following few years have gone as well as expected for player and franchise alike; Williams has established himself as one of the league's best players, showcasing impressive versatilely while rounding out the rougher elements of his game.

Oklahoma City, meanwhile, continues to climb up the league standings, posting the NBA's best record during the regular season. Williams, an All-Star and presumptive first-team All-Defense pick, was a major reason why.

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