Over the last few months, Jalen Williams has occasionally ditched the traditional Oklahoma City Thunder warmup gear for more creative clothing choices.
The 23-year-old has started to warm up for games by sporting customized Thunder shirts, usually made by fans. It’s another example of a long list where the second-year wing has fully embraced himself into the Thunder fanbase.
The shirts usually feature a teammate or Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. He talked about the decision to wear the shirts during pregame warmups, saying it’s a way to support both his teammates and fans who send him gear.
“I just think it’s cool. A lot of people send stuff to my P.O. Box so I’ve gotten shirts like that that I still haven’t worn yet but it’s more just showing love to the team,” Williams said. “I think I wore Josh, I wore like the SLAM tee of Chet, I wore our SLAM tee where it’s like the group cover. Just trying to show love to some of the guys. I think it’s just a good thing to do. But it’s always gonna be Thunder-related too.”
Williams has turned into a fan favorite both on and off the court. On it, he’s OKC’s second-best scorer and has ascended into one of the best young wings in the league with All-Star potential.
Off it, Williams’ fun personality and frequent social media interactions have made him relatable to the average fan. He’s a huge believer in making each game a special experience for fans since they don’t know the personal struggles someone might go through.
This mentality is universal among the Thunder. GM Sam Presti has played a role in that. He’s shown the squad what it takes for the average family to attend a Thunder game, a tactic to humanize a sea of millions.
“It kinda gets lost that people are looking up to us… You never know who’s watching or whose lives you can affect,” Williams said. “… Especially here where people do a lot for us to be able to play… You never know who’s watching or what kids are trying to look up to you.”
