Jalen Williams, the Oklahoma City Thunder's All-NBA forward, has finally ended his injury-plagued season.
What happened?
Williams missed most of the Western Conference Finals due to a recurring left hamstring issue.
He tried to play in Game 6 but was limited to just 10 minutes off the bench.
The Thunder lost Game 7 to the San Antonio Spurs 111-103, ending their season.
Why it matters for Jalen Williams
Williams felt he could have made an impact if he were at full strength.
He said the Spurs are a good team, but he thinks he could have changed the series.
The Thunder conducted exit interviews with the media, and Williams expressed his frustration with the injury.
What comes next?
Williams will have the offseason to recover and reset his health.
He ended last season with surgery on his shooting wrist and missed the first 19 games of the 2025-26 season.
Williams played through December and January, returning to his All-Star form, but then suffered a sore right thigh and hamstring injuries.
He played nine consecutive games in March, helping the Thunder secure the top seed in the Western Conference.
But he strained his left hamstring on April 22 and missed most of the playoffs.
The Thunder needs Williams to be healthy to repeat their success from last season.
Williams played just 3 games in the Western Conference Finals, and his absence was felt.
The Thunder's playoff run ended on Saturday, and now Williams can focus on his recovery.
He will look to come back stronger next season and help the Thunder make another deep playoff run.