With a bunch of blowouts in the NBA playoffs on Sunday and Day 3 of the NFL Draft likely dominating the attention spans of most hardcore American sports fans as is, it’d be easy to lose sight of the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder are now one win away from advancing to the Western Conference semis. They obliterated the Zion-less Pelicans 106-85 in New Orleans in Game 3, but the biggest highlight had nothing to do with what happened on the court.
Among the myriad Thunder young studs, Jalen Williams is probably the most underrated in terms of casual, wide-audience awareness. Chet Holmgren got a lot of buzz at Gonzaga and was the No. 2 overall pick, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legit superstar as an MVP finalist. Williams is a 23-year-old late-lottery gem out of Santa Clara University. Even though he’s still waiting on his first big contract, that isn’t stopping him from being an All-Star caliber player — or from tackling audacious postgame fashion fits.
Take in Charles Barkley’s reaction to what Williams was wearing at the podium for his press conference, and tell me the first thing that pops into your mind upon viewing the attire.
For me, this was the analogous imagery that instantly came to mind:
Looking a little flashier on the edges of Williams’ face-engulfing hoodie, and a little subtler on the choice of hue, but his outfit most definitely looks like Kenny from South Park.
If you can look beyond the distracting getup, Williams has plenty of game. He was pivotal in the victorious effort in Game 3, scoring 21 points with nine boards, five assists and two steals.
Williams also comports himself so well at such a young age, which embodies the culture and tone that’s been set in Oklahoma City as its young nucleus has made a major leap this season.
This Thunder squad may be a little naïve and quirky, yet I can’t help but love ’em. They just come across as a bunch of oddballs who are all about hooping, determined to brush off the consensus take that they’re too young to win a championship.
I really don’t buy that OKC’s regular-season run to the No. 1 seed in the West was a try-hard aberration. Their offense is for real, and they’re dialing up the intensity on defense in this opening-round series against the Pelicans. It’s not like the absence of Zion means New Orleans has nothing to throw at the Thunder.
With Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum Jonas Valanciunas and Herb Jones, — plus a decent amount of bench depth — the Pels have more than enough to keep this series competitive. Game 1 was a nail-biter. Maybe it’d be different if New Orleans pulled that one out. Instead, OKC wiped the floor with them 124-92 in Game 2, and continued rolling on Saturday.
Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. Soon the Pels will be packing for Cancun. Please enjoy the best reactions to Williams’ Kenny-esque outfit below.
