Cavs make embarrassing Jalen Williams mistake in pregame intros
Yesterday at 11:19 AM
It is not often that teams have to deal with two players with the same name, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have managed that problem for the past three years. Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams have caused a lot of confusion over the years, which caught up with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
For all but 13 games of his career, Jalen Williams has been the Thunder’s starting power forward and the running mate of leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, the Cavaliers’ television broadcast on Fanduel Sports Network messed up the starting lineup graphic on Jan. 8, accidentally depicting Jaylin Williams as the starter over his namesake.
The Cleveland Cavaliers accidentally named Jaylin Williams, not Jalen Williams, as the starter for the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. pic.twitter.com/pAGPcJAepD
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 9, 2025
Confusion has lasted throughout both players’ careers. They entered the league together in 2022 and have been teammates ever since. They play similar positions and wear nearly identical numbers, with Jalen Williams donning No. 8 and Jaylin Williams wearing No. 6.
The Thunder began the debacle at the 2022 NBA Draft, selecting Jalen Williams with the No. 12 overall pick and Jaylin Williams the following day with their second-round pick. Fans, broadcasters, stat keepers, and officials have been perplexed ever since.
Jalen Williams continued his career year with another impressive performance against the Cavaliers. He rebounded from a 10-point effort against the Boston Celtics on Jan. 5 by dropping 25 points with five rebounds and nine assists against Cleveland. He ended the game as the Thunder’s second-leading scorer behind Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jaylin Williams added three points in 11 minutes off the bench. The game was just his ninth of the year after coming back from a right hamstring strain that kept him out for the first two months of the season.
Jalen Williams thriving for West-leading Thunder
While Jaylin Williams has been absent for most of 2024-2025, Jalen Williams has taken another step in his career. The third-year forward is averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game at the midway point of the season. He has increased his scoring each year in the league.
Many in the league have noticed Jalen Williams’ progression. For most of the first half of the season, he was the betting favorite to win the Most Improved Player Award before being surpassed by Tyler Herro and Cade Cunningham. His odds have since dropped, but he is still considered one of the top rising stars of the NBA.
Fans have also appreciated his improvements by adding his name to their All-Star voting ballots. Gilgeous-Alexander is still the Thunder’s most-voted player, but Jalen Williams is coming close to making his first All-Star appearance.
Jalen Williams’ third-year leap has helped the Thunder remain atop the Western Conference. Their 30-6 record is second-best in the league, behind only the 32-4 Cavaliers.
The post Cavs make embarrassing Jalen Williams mistake in pregame intros appeared first on ClutchPoints.