Oklahoma City Thunder star forward Jalen Williams is off the injury report and will return for Monday’s road game against the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the last five-plus weeks due to a strained right hamstring, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
Williams, who has twice strained the hamstring this season, comes back with 11 games remaining in the regular season.
Injuries have limited Williams, a third-team All-NBA selection last season, to only 26 games this season. The Thunder are hopeful that Williams will be able to establish a rhythm entering the playoffs.
Williams missed the first 19 games while recovering from surgery on his right wrist, which he injured in the final week of the 2024-25 regular season. He delayed the operation to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his shooting wrist until after the playoffs, averaging 21.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game during the Thunder’s championship run despite requiring frequent pain-killing injections in his wrist. He has struggled to regain his shooting form, averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting a career-low 31.3% from 3-point range this season.
Williams first strained his hamstring during a Jan. 17 road loss to the Miami Heat. He missed the next 10 games, returning for a Feb. 9 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
However, Williams aggravated the strain two nights later, prematurely ending a spectacular individual performance in a Feb. 11 road win over the Phoenix Suns. He scored 28 points on 11-of-12 shooting in 20 minutes before limping off the floor.
The Thunder have a league-best 56-15 record, including an 11-game winning streak since reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal strain. Oklahoma City has had the second-most missed games due to injuries, trailing only the Memphis Grizzlies, according to ESPN Research.
The Thunder’s projected starting lineup of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein has played just five games together this season.
