Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Jalen Williams left the floor on a stretcher after suffering a significant injury to his lower left leg during the Thunder’s 108-101 win over the LA Clippers on Sunday night.
The team has not released a diagnosis. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the team will receive an update Monday morning on Williams’ condition. “We’re not doing great,” Daigneault said.
Williams was injured while being fouled on a drive with 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. He came down awkwardly, and the leg collapsed beneath him. His left foot bent out to the side at an unnatural angle.
He brought his hands to his mouth, then to his head, as he looked at the injury while sitting on the hardwood. A staffer quickly covered his lower leg with a towel. Medical personnel rushed to attend to him while his teammates and the Clippers players reacted in shock. Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander buried his face in his jersey and bent down near Williams.
The crowd gave Williams a standing ovation as he left the court on a stretcher, flashing two thumbs-up. The game stopped for about five minutes before the Thunder finished the victory.
Gilgeous-Alexander teared up during his postgame television interview when he addressed the injury.
“I just feel bad for him,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s obviously going to be tough without a player like that. But he’s not gone forever. He’ll be back better than ever, and we know it. We’ve just got to hold the fort down until he comes back.”
Williams, a shooting guard who entered Sunday averaging 18 points in his first 250 NBA games, has already earned All-Star and All-NBA honors. He was a major part of the Thunder team that won the 2025 NBA title. He missed 49 games last season with a series of issues, mostly hamstring problems and recovery from a significant surgery on his right wrist.
“He just loves playing, loves the competition,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s who he is. It’s unfortunate, his luck so far. But he’s equipped for it.”
The Thunder return to action Monday at home against the Phoenix Suns. Daigneault said the schedule leaves Oklahoma City little choice but to move on somewhat quickly.
Guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) also left the game in the first quarter and did not return.