In a somber mood, Sam Presti announced on Monday that Jalen Williams has sustained a dislocated left ankle and a fractured fibula. A timeline of his return will be announced following surgery, but those injuries should sideline him for most/all of the 2026-27 season.
Williams sustained the injury in OKC's win over the LA Clippers on Sunday on the front end of this home back-to-back. With 1:14 left to go in regulation, he went up for a driving layup. After Kris Dunn collided with him mid-air, he landed badly on his leg. It bent backwards and his ankle was severely dislocated.
The Thunder medical staff covered Williams' leg with towels. He had to be stretched off the floor. Several Thunder teammates demonstrated extremely raw and powerful reactions. You could see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tear up once he realized how dire it was.
Wow. Just wow. This completely changes things for the Thunder — and for the worse. Obviously, this dampens OKC's title odds. And with a second straight year lost due to injuries, you have to wonder about Williams' long-term outlook.
The Thunder have 79-plus games to figure something out. But there's no true one-for-one replacement for Williams. This is a catastrophic injury that completely alters both the short-term and long-term future of the title contender's window.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jalen Williams sustains leg fracture, dislocated ankle; to be out indefinitely