It only took one week of Summer League for Jaylin Williams to show the Thunder that he had his place in an NBA workforce. Selected in 34th position in the last Draft, the strong winger will therefore be sent to the putty next October, with the aim of progressing. When we already see the qualities of the youngster, there is a priori nothing to worry too much regarding his ability to withstand the shock of the Great League.
Another great find for the Thunder. After Chet Holmgren, Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams – respectively selected in 2nd, 11th and 12th position – Sam Presti, the general manager of the franchise, still had a choice in 34th position. Neither one nor two, it is Jaylin Williams who is selected. Who is this boy ? A strong wing/pivot player, came from the college of Arkansas. The 20-year-old sophomore arrives in the NBA following a solid season in the NCAA. University stats? 37 games played for 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists average. Able to move aside to light properly from the bar, Jaylin is also mobile and can drive to finish in power. Make no mistake, the 2.6 assists aren’t there to look pretty. We will not speak of an exceptional talent in terms of creation for others, but simply of a fairly developed reading of the game which dictates to him rather well how to give the ball to the right place and at the right time.
Oklahoma City Thunder No. 34 pick Jaylin Williams has agreed to a four-year, $8.2 million rookie deal, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 9, 2022
During the Utah Summer League and then the start of that of Las Vegas, Williams showed that his game might adapt quite quickly to playing once morest bigger calibers than at university. In any case, it convinced Sam Presti to write him a check for 8.2 million dollars so that he would commit to OKC for 4 years. The NBA adventure is therefore guaranteed for Jaylin, and we suspect that it is quite a thorn that the guy takes off his foot. We remind neophytes of US basketball that a Draft selection beyond 30th place does not offer you a certain guarantee of an NBA contract in stride. This is also one of the goals of organizing summer events like the Summer League: to see what these young people chosen between the 30 and 60 picks are worth and to decide whether or not they deserve to join the workforce for the following years. JW will have a lot of competition in the Thunder in the key although his profile is clearly more that of a power forward, the position where he is likely to have the most impact. With the serenity of a guaranteed deal, the guy can give everything to improve his basketball, and that’s the main thing.
Quick, call the Grasse perfumeries because Sam Presti’s nose is a rare pearl. With Jaylin Williams, the Thunder seems once once more to have smelled the bargain and it is now under his tunic that the youngster will evolve. The Summer League is not over, but he is already one of the players we will have to keep an eye on next season.
Source : Twitter @ShamsCharania
