Jalen Williams will be the best shooting guard in the NBA.

[cupcakesnake]

Yes, J-Dub is currently playing power forward(!) but I think anyone who watches understands the skillsetknows what I'm talking about.

On-ball creation, wicked handles, great feet and hands on defense, excellent shooter from every spot on the floor. This guy is a primary creator who happens to be playing next to an MVP-level primary creator. Instead of sulking and/or fighting for offense, he's spending his time dominating role. Guarding bigs and wings, dunking on people almost nightly, cutting, spotting up, and happily keeping the bench linups from falling behind when Shai is on the bench.

This is simply the most solid, all-around perimeter guy we've seen in a really long time.
- 44% on threes (42% on pull ups, a lot of self-created 3s).
- 6.8 assists per 100 possessions, compared to only 2.5 turnovers. That's elite playmaking efficiency.
- 54 dunks, near elite at rim finishing, elite driver.
- Excellent in between game, hits tough shots and has counters.
- Guards 1-4 on defense at a very high level.
- Very good at disrupting off ball and forcing turnovers. He even has strong rim defense numbers.
- He's already ranking in the 80th percentile in tons of key offensive metrics.

Every time I watch the Thunder and take a break from being blown away but Shai, I see Jalen constantly pressuring the defense, making perfect decisions, playing with a high energy level, and looking supremely confident in his game.

Right now we got players like Booker, Edwards, Mitchell, and Maxey clearly in bigger roles, more proven, and deservedly ranked ahead of him. I think it's time to start talking a little more about Jalen Williams if you haven't already been doing so because the J-Dub cometh.

[ROballer]

He's not even the best basketball player in his family.


I'm taking Cody Williams over him in a few years, when he grows up.

[Chuck Everett]

It's up to Presti to re-balance the roster so he can finally play his proper position. I don't believe they can small ball their way to a title, even if Jalen reaches this level with Shai and Chet.

[PistolPeteJR]

Is there anything outside of Shai, J-Will and Chet the Hawks will accept for Okongwu?

[EmpireFalls]

He's not even the best basketball player in his family.


I'm taking Cody Williams over him in a few years, when he grows up.

Cody has a long way to go. The stats are much more impressive than the actual game is at the moment.

[MessiahUjiri]

The current OKC PG (Shai) is an inch taller than their PF?


What in the world is that madness.

[sikma42]

It's up to Presti to re-balance the roster so he can finally play his proper position. I don't believe they can small ball their way to a title, even if Jalen reaches this level with Shai and Chet.

Think Jalen and Chet are on the same level. Thing with Chet is he is able to do a lot of things bc Jalen plays the 4 so well. But it’s not a long term solution bc he isn’t a good enough rebounder for OKC to play this way and win at the highest level. When they eventually are forced to play more size, then the offensive impact will go down imo.

With that said, I think both Chet and Williams are great talents. .


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[kingr]

I rate Jalen very highly. Man is quietly super super solid. Highly efficient too.

[sip]

Is there anything outside of Shai, J-Will and Chet the Hawks will accept for Okongwu?

The thunder have plenty of future assets that could net Okongwu no problem if they want to go that route.

[Mogspan]

Shooting guards are just guys who aren’t skillled enough to run an offense nor tall enough to protect the rim. Who’s the best shooting guard of the last decade? Bradley Beal?

[cupcakesnake]

The current OKC PG (Shai) is an inch taller than their PF?


What in the world is that madness.

They're definitely weird in terms of height and positions.

Shai is 6'4.5" (6'11.5" wingspan) and plays point guard
Giddey is 6'8" (6'7.5" wingspan) and plays shooting guard
Dort is 6'2.75" (6'8.5" winspan) and plays small forward
Jalen is 6'4.5" (7'2.25" wingspan) and plays power forward

(all heights are barefoot and all information is from the draft combine)

Shai and Jalen are the same height, but Shai had shoes that were a quarter inch bigger at the draft combine, (6'6" vs. 6'5.75"), so websites list Jalen at 6'5" and Shai at 6'6". It's just one of those annoying things that hasn't been fully stamped out.

They both have crazy long arms, but Jalen is in legit freak territory. He has a wingspan similar to Scottie Barnes and Bam Adebayo. Real power forward length and the height of a big guard/small wing.

[cupcakesnake]

Shooting guards are just guys who aren’t skillled enough to run an offense nor tall enough to protect the rim. Who’s the best shooting guard of the last decade? Bradley Beal?

What if I told you Jalen was skilled enough to run an offense, and very good at rim protection?

(I don't really care about the shooting guard designation position. The only thing it's really useful for is letting us do fun little ranking arguments.)

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

He's not even the best basketball player in his family.


I'm taking Cody Williams over him in a few years, when he grows up.

You don't think Jalen Williams can be the best SG in the NBA because you think a player who doesn't play SG is better than him?

[tmorgan]

OKC really does need to rearrange things a bit. With all their talent and resources, fielding a team that can get badly exploited on the boards doesn’t make sense.

I believe Chet’s best position is center, but to go that route, you need strong rebounding elsewhere, and definitely not Jalen Williams as your power forward.

The Giddey trade seems inevitable. Just target the right PF and rearrange things.

[ROballer]

He's not even the best basketball player in his family.


I'm taking Cody Williams over him in a few years, when he grows up.

You don't think Jalen Williams can be the best SG in the NBA because you think a player who doesn't play SG is better than him?

Jalen doesn't play SG either.

We're living in a positionless era, both of them are good enough to be playing whatever the **** they want going forward.
But Cody is better at the same age.

[ROballer]

He's not even the best basketball player in his family.


I'm taking Cody Williams over him in a few years, when he grows up.

Cody has a long way to go. The stats are much more impressive than the actual game is at the moment.

He's a 19 yr old freshman. Of course he has a long way to go, but he's better IMO than Jalen at the same age.

What Jalen had going for him right away was his body. Cody needs to address that first and foremost because he's a twig.
It seems Jalen ate all the food in the Williams family, he's at least 30 pounds heavier despite being shorter.

But the kid has some of the same traits and you can see the glimpses already.

[Patches Perry]

Thank you for the Dub love on General today. Shai and Chet get a lot of love and attention but Jalen has been incredible. He's also a wonderful locker room guy, everybody loves his energy.

[docholliday99]

Shooting guards are just guys who aren’t skillled enough to run an offense nor tall enough to protect the rim. Who’s the best shooting guard of the last decade? Bradley Beal?

Ant, Booker, Donovan, Butler in his first 10 years, older Klay Thompson before his injury, etc. Before those guys, Kobe, Wade, younger Klay, Nobs, Carter, Harden in his first 8 years, etc.

[Frank Dux]

Shooting guards are just guys who aren’t skillled enough to run an offense nor tall enough to protect the rim. Who’s the best shooting guard of the last decade? Bradley Beal?

Not really. Kobe and Wade were shooting guards who also ran their offense.

Also Beal was definitely not the best shooting guard over the last decade. I would argue that Steph Curry was a shooting guard, also Harden. Devin Booker is a shooting guard too and far superior to Bradley Beal.

[Monky15]

Avdija would be a great get for many teams, OKC included. Good size, versatile defender, won't take shots from the stars and can make the extra pass.