Jalen Williams Defies Odds: Set for Stunning Return Friday After Wrist Surgeries

It’s not every day you stumble upon a basketball team that not only dominates the scoreboard but rewrites the record books while doing it. The Oklahoma City Thunder have swung out of the gate with an eye-popping 18-1 record and a point differential that’s making history through 19 games—narrowly losing just once, and even then, they were shorthanded. Now, get this: the team’s about to ramp up the heat even more with the return of their dynamic No. 2 scorer from last season, Jalen Williams. After a tougher-than-expected road to recovery from wrist surgery—including a surprise follow-up procedure that kept him sidelined longer—Williams is finally slated to step back onto the court in Friday’s face-off against the Phoenix Suns, according to the ever-reliable ESPN insider Shams Charania. All season long, this squad has been a juggernaut on a 10-game winning streak, each win by at least eight points, fueled by a powerhouse who last year averaged 21.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists, with a nod on the second-team All-Defense. It’s like watching a well-oiled machine getting a new gear added—this Thunder team was built to do everything on the floor, and with Williams back, the storm’s only just started brewing. The rest of the NBA? Buckle up. LEARN MORE

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 18-1. They have the best point differential in NBA history through 19 games. Their only loss was by two points, while short-handed.

They’re also about to get their No. 2 scorer from last season back. Jalen Williams is off the injury report and will make his season debut against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Williams missed the start of the season after undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason. He was initially expected to be ready for 2025-26, but underwent a follow-up procedure in October and was forced to miss another month.

With Williams back, there’s little stopping the Thunder from achieving truly monstrous form. The team was already on a 10-game win streak, with every victory by at least eight points. Williams gives them a player who averaged 21.6 points per game, 5.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season while earning second-team All-Defense honors.

In short, a do-everything team is about to get its do-everything player back. Enjoy, the rest of the NBA.