LAS VEGAS — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paused to consider the possibilities. His dark sunglasses covered his eyes, but the way his head shook and lips smirked suggested he is impressed with the future he envisions for his Oklahoma City Thunder co-star. “It would be stupid for me to give him a ceiling,” the MVP contender said after Saturday’s win to advance to the NBA Cup final .
“I think he can go as far as he wants to, as far as he takes it.” Advertisement That co-star, forward Jalen Williams , has transformed from a three-star preps prospect to the No. 2 option for a team with legit championship hopes.
And as with thunder itself, you can see the flashes before the full power of the storm arrives. No one could’ve predicted Williams’ rise, but the 2023 Rookie of the Year runner-up is now a clear and present two-way threat whose impact on the court has put him in conversations around the league about how high he can climb and just how far the Thunder can go. Jeff Teague, with his infectious way of stirring the pot, added to the debate with his comments last week on his Club 520 Podcast, declaring Williams on the level of NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown .
“I think Jalen Williams is a premier player in the league,” Teague said before doubling down on his claim of their equivalence. “You put Jalen Williams on the Celtics right now, it’s going to be the same s—.” It poses a central question about the potential of Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP-cal.
