Jalen Williams Compared to Scottie Pippen Ahead of NBA Finals Game 5

NBA insider Brian Windhorst made an interesting case regarding the Thunder star Jalen Williams on the Get Up Show.

Jalen Williams Compared to Scottie Pippen Ahead of NBA Finals Game 5

Scottie Pippen and Jalen Williams (Image by FirstSportz)

The majority of people have given the 2025 NBA MVP award winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, much credit for his role, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent success. However, SGA is not the sole important player on the roster. In hindsight, Thunder star Jalen Williams has also been putting up epic numbers and is of huge importance to his side.

Some would term it as Williams being this generation’s ‘Scottie-Pippen to Michael Jordan.’ It’s safe to say that NBA reporter Brian Windhorst agrees with this take. So much so that he even mentioned this on the latest segment of the Get Up Show. Windhorst claimed that many people in the league believe this about Williams.

There are people in this league who believe that Jalen Williams can have a Scottie Pippen-like career.

Brian Windhorst said on the Get Up Show

In each of the last three postseason series, the Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star has had periods of bad shooting. And he has always bounced back to assist the Thunder win important games. The 24-year-old forward regained his rhythm after two difficult shooting nights to begin the Finals series versus the Indiana Pacers.

Williams was more active and controlled the ball more in Game 4. He hit 11 of 11 free throws, 8 of 18 field goals, and scored 27 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league MVP, scored 35 points as a result of his performance, helping the Thunder win 111-104 to tie the series at 2-2 and reclaim homecourt advantage.

With the impact Williams is having alongside SGA, one can easily see the duo doing wonders in the coming years in the league. But for now, they have to prove it in the remaining matches of the NBA Finals series.

Jalen Williams opened up on his playing style ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals

In Oklahoma City, Jalen Williams addressed reporters the day prior to Game 5. Williams clarified that although many people consider him a wing player, he truly played point guard as a child and has a lot of offensive running expertise from his time in college and the early NBA. Developing to play off the ball instead of handling it was the biggest change he had to make.

I played the one in college… my learning curve was more like how to play off the ball than it was on the ball. So I’m pretty comfortable doing it… as the game went on, it just like naturally organically happened and I was kind of ready for that.

Jalen Williams said

Williams’s rise to fame started during his rookie campaign, when he showed flashes of genius that suggested he might be a great player. The self-assurance he displayed in that first year was essential, providing a strong basis for subsequent honors. Now, the ceiling is as high as ever for the Thunder star, should he choose to put in the good work daily.

Jalen Williams opened up on the difficulties he faced during his early days

Deep playoff runs can provide emotional difficulties, particularly for younger players who are witnessing the ferocity for the first time, as Jalen Williams discussed. The extremes of emotion seemed overpowering early in his career, but after several postseason series, he has become more “numb” to the swings, which has helped him remain steady and focused during the competitive rollercoaster.

Jalen Williams
Jalen Williams (Credits: X)

I’ve honestly gotten better with [the emotional swings] as time has gone on… I’m kind of numb to the ups and downs and it just kind of like comes with basketball. But as far as like my body and not playing this long, that all starts in, ironically, it all starts in June, whenever the season ends, but like taking care of your body throughout the season, how I eat, how I prepare like throughout the year allows me to be able to like play this way and like my body feels good.

Jalen Williams said

As the 2024–25 season progressed, Williams’ commitment and diligence paid off handsomely. In addition to being a personal victory, his nomination as an NBA All-Star was a turning point for the Thunder team. Now, Williams and Co. find themselves inches away from achieving greatness in the league. It remains to be seen how this unfolds in the coming days.

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