ESPN says the quiet part about Jalen Williams out loud that Thunder fans already know

ESPN has ranked Jalen Williams of the OKC Thunder as the 11th best player in the NBA, marking a rise of 33 spots from the previous year. This placement reflects his significant growth and elite status, as acknowledged by reporters who note his continuous improvement over three seasons.

In the 2024-25 season, Williams posted career-high averages of 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.7 steals, and nearly a block per game through 69 games, with shooting percentages of 48.4% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range. His all-around performance solidified his reputation as a top contributor.

Defensively, Williams is praised as one of the league's most switchable defenders, ranking 10th in defensive rating among players with 60 or more games played. This excellence earned him All-Star, All-NBA Third-Team, and All-Defensive Second-Team honors for the first time in his career.

Despite playing through the entire postseason with torn ligaments in his shooting wrist that required surgery, Williams did not complain and maintained high performance, averaging 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He scored 40 points in Game 5 of the Finals, becoming the third-youngest player to achieve such a feat.

As a result, Williams is now seen as an integral part of the Thunder's franchise history. Entering his fourth season, he is positioned as the 11th-best player in the league, with hopes that a recovered wrist will help him break into the top 10 alongside teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.