In Jalen Williams' sophomore season, a familiar sight was him soaring through the air on a bull-in-China-shop basket attack or fearlessly rising for a clutch jumper .
The forward finished last season averaging 19 points (a five-point uptick in his scoring average compared to his rookie campaign), 4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 42.7% from three-point range and having the most fun he's ever had on the basketball court .
He delivered when it mattered most, as he was among the top 10 players in the league in fourth-quarter scoring. Most importantly, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who went 40-42 in Williams' rookie season, had the best record in the Western Conference, 57-25.
As impressive of a season as last year was for Williams, he may have just scratched the surface of his shining potential.
Ready for liftoff?
A "breakout season" is loosely used by fans when mentioning the burgeoning growth of a young player. What truly positions someone to have that kind of season? What criteria need to be met? There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
A breakout campaign for J-Dub, coming off the heels of what he did last season, can only mean one thing: Williams becomes a superstar and an All-Star.
The Oklahoman's Joel Lorenzi recently answered what next season could look like for Jalen and how important it will be for his sustained stardom in the NBA.
"Year 3 could mean plenty for Jalen Williams. He entered the summer knowing where he needed to improve. As last season progressed, he gradually saw attention from defenses closer to that of Gilgeous-Alexander than a typical sophomore. … If the Thunder is ever meant to win a championship with this core, Williams will need to make those decisions. He'll need to display precision and IQ, vision and creativity — all things he's shown in different ways. The table is set for him to take the leap if it's in him," Lorenzi wrote .
Increased production and individual awards
Williams had a 23.7% usage rate last season and scored an unassisted basket on 59.6% of 2-pointers, repeatedly demonstrating that he's a unique and confident shot-creator.
At 23, Williams is far from a finished product. As he develops his playmaking—a part of his game that needs more refinement—and gets more experience as the Thunder's primary ball-handler when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rests, a year-to-year uptick in J-Dub's production seems inevitable. The 2023-24 season is likely to be one of several campaigns that promise to feature a substantial improvement for Williams, who is still years from entering his NBA prime.
Expectations are high, with several league experts voting Williams most likely neck-and-neck with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama to win the 2024-25 Most Improved Player award. J-Dub better come ready to play.
Related: Three best plays in J-Dub's electrifying 2023-24 campaign
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