Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams was hit with another serious injury on Sunday night.
During a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Williams exited the game on a stretcher with an injured leg. Less than two minutes remained on the clock when Williams, nicknamed "J-Dub," went for a dunk and was fouled by Clippers guard Kris Dunn. Williams' leg folded underneath him when he landed, twisting his ankle to a 90-degree angle.
Though there has been no official diagnosis from the Thunder medical staff, it was obvious that the injury was severe. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said the team would be briefed Monday morning with the latest updates on the shooting guard’s condition.
Williams is no stranger to injuries. The guard has yet to be fully healthy for a consistent stretch since his wrist injury during the run to the 2025 NBA championship. Since then, he's also dealt with several hamstring injuries that limited him to 33 games played in the 2025-26 season, missing three separate periods of the season, including another hamstring injury during the Western Conference Finals, which cost him the majority of the series as the Thunder was eliminated by the Spurs.
The extent of Sunday night's injury is unknown, as is how long Williams will be out this season.
"He just loves playing," Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of his teammate. "He loves the competition. That’s who he is. I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll be back and be better than he was before, just like how he handled the last couple of injuries. It’s unfortunate, his luck so far, but he’s equipped for it. He’s a warrior."
According to a study by Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic's Department of Orthopedic Surgery professionals, ankle injuries are the most common lower extremity injury, accounting for approximately 21.9% of all basketball-related injuries. In addition, ankle injuries are also among the most severe and difficult to recover from.
How long will Jalen Williams be out?
It's hard to tell how long the shooting guard will be out for, as details regarding his injury have yet to be released.
A table published by the National Library of Medicine shows that ankle injuries can result in players being out anywhere from six weeks to nine months, depending on the severity of the injury.
According to the study, players suffering Weber fractures, an ankle fracture involving the fibula, are expected to return to play after eight weeks. Similarly, those suffering from a Jones fracture are expected to return at around eight to 10 weeks after the injury. High ankle and lateral low ankle sprains can take less time, with full return to play expected at six to eight weeks. A stress fracture would take longer, with an average return to play of 3.8 months with operative management or 5.6 months with non-operative management.
An Achilles tendon rupture would be the worst-case scenario, with full return to play not expected until six to nine months after the injury.
The severity of Williams' injury has not been disclosed, but it's unlikely fans will see him back for at least six weeks.
Dr. David J. Chao, MD, formerly a head team technician for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL, shared on social media he believes Williams has suffered a left tibia and fibula fracture. Chao, known on X for evaluating professional sports injuries in real time, expects Williams to undergo surgery and make full recovery, though he would be unlikely to return to the court this year.
Who will step up in Williams' absence?
Williams' absence will be felt in the Thunder's starting lineup, and some players will have to step up in the immediate future. Five players in particular might have a crucial role in keeping the team going until Williams returns.
- Ajay Mitchell: Mitchell should be the top candidate in taking shot creation pressure off two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The shooting guard averaged 13.8 drives per game last season.
- Cason Wallace: Wallace will also have to help out in the shot creation department, though most of those responsibilities will fall on Mitchell. Wallace, a second-team All Defensive player, was already tasked with stepping up defensively this season in the absence of Lu Dort.
- Alex Caruso: While Wallace is a high-level defender, he can't replace Williams' ability to guard every position. However, the Thunder has another guard that can defend positions 1-5. Caruso has the speed, strength and basketball IQ to be successful and swing the momentum of a game.
- Kenrich Williams: Williams can be a key for OKC to preserve some of Caruso's energy. The 6-foot-7 forward can also scale up defensively, and shares the same willingness to compete on the glass as Jalen Williams. Kenrich Williams averaged 1.3 contested rebounds in only 13.8 minutes last season.
- Bennett Stirtz: If Ajay Mitchell does end up in the Thunder's starting lineup, rookie Bennett Stirtz might have to step up to help facilitate things in running the second unit off the bench.
Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams also injured in Clippers matchup
Thunder guard Cason Wallace exited the Clippers matchup in the first quarter after running into a moving screen from Isaiah Jackson. His left shoulder appeared to have popped out of its socket, as he went into the locker room for further evaluation. Wallace was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the game.
Jaylin Williams entered the locker room at the end of the first quarter with right wrist soreness.
When does the Thunder play again?
The Oklahoma City Thunder return to Paycom Center on Monday night for a 7 p.m. tip-off against the Phoenix Suns.
Contributing: Justin Martinez
Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at ialmeida@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: When will Jalen Williams return? What injury could mean for OKC Thunder