Can Jalen Williams Ignite Thunder’s Unstoppable 18-1 Run in His Season Debut Friday?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are roaring through the NBA with an eye-popping 18-1 record and a jaw-dropping +16.4 net rating — the highest ever seen through a 19-game stretch in league history. And guess what? They’re about to get even stronger. After months on the sidelines, All-NBA forward Jalen Williams is finally cleared from the injury list and is set to make his eagerly anticipated debut Friday against the Suns in a game that could seal the deal for West Group 1 in the NBA Cup. Williams’ journey back hasn’t been easy — from enduring a grueling wrist surgery last July to a follow-up in October to remove an irritating screw, he’s battled through it all, motivated by the drive that carried him to an All-Star season last year. Though he’s sidelined from postseason award consideration this year due to missing too many games, his impact on the court — and his contract jump from $6.6 million to a whopping $41.5 million next season — is certainly something to watch as the Thunder blaze ahead. LEARN MORE

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 18-1 with a +16.4 net rating that is the best in NBA history through 19 games — and they are about to get a lot better.

Their All-NBA forward Jalen Williams is officially off the Thunder’s injury list and is expected to make his debut Friday when the Thunder take on the Suns in a critical NBA Cup game that will decide West Group 1. Shams Chrainia of ESPN was first with the news.

Williams missed training camp and the start of this season following surgery in July to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, something he had taken great steps to play through last postseason. In October, he had a second surgery on the same wrist to remove a screw that had been irritating him in the wrist.

Last season, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while playing strong defense, which earned him his first All-Star and All-NBA nods. Unfortunately, because he missed too many games at the start of this season to reach the league’s 65-game threshold, he cannot qualify for postseason awards this season. That means he can “only” make 25% of the salary cap when his contract extension kicks in — his salary will still jump from $6.6 million this season to $41.5 million next season.