James Hinchcliffe: Williams F1 weight breakthrough brings "free lap time" in Baku

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2025-26 NBA season with aspirations of reclaiming the championship title they won in the previous year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with his second consecutive MVP award, and the squad finished the regular season with an impressive 64 wins, the most in the league. However, the Thunder's postseason run came to an end in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, largely due to Jalen Williams' ongoing injury issues.

Throughout the 2025-26 season, Williams struggled with hamstring problems, which affected his availability in the postseason. As the Thunder gear up for the 2026-27 season and their pursuit of another championship, Williams' health concerns remain a significant factor. On Thursday, executive Sam Presti addressed the media regarding the upcoming season, sharing an update that should boost optimism among Oklahoma City fans about Williams' return for his fifth season with the team.

Presti acknowledged the complex nature of analyzing data and techniques while preparing for the new year, emphasizing that they have exhausted all potential advantages in this area. He expressed confidence that Williams needed a full offseason to play and heal. "He looks fantastic. He looks great and is playing great. We look forward to him being himself again," Presti stated.

Additionally, Presti highlighted Williams' importance to the team's success beyond his on-court contributions. He noted that Williams already demonstrates a huge influence on the roles of other players, playing a versatile and impactful role on the court.

In the 33 games Williams played last season, he averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. At full strength, the Thunder believe Williams to be one of the elite two-way players in the NBA. With a full offseason to recover from his ailments last year, both the Thunder and Presti are confident that Williams will return to the court stronger than ever.

If that happens, the Thunder will regain their second star, a key player needed to potentially return to the NBA Finals and secure their second championship in the past three seasons.