Thunder center Jaylin Williams' new offensive weapon draws Hakeem Olajuwon take

03/23/2025 08:20 PM

In a blowout win on Friday, the Oklahoma City Thunder center Jaylin Williams helped extend their winning streak to five by beating the Charlotte Hornets 141-106. Williams unleashed his new hook shot, which Cason Wallace says reminded him of Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon. After head coach Mark Daigneault commended the Thunder for their depth against the Hornets, Jaylin, alongside Wallace, told reporters it's a shot he's added to his arsenal.

After Friday's win, Williams revealed the origin of his hook shot.

"It's something I work on. I do it almost every day, even if it's joking around," Williams said. "Me and Caso every single game before when we're lining up for the [national] anthem, I'm doing hook shots. It's just a fun thing to work. I've tried to add it to my game. I got the look to do it, and it felt good doing it. I wish I would have made it."

When a reporter asked Wallace what Williams’ hook shot reminded him of, he said, Olajuwon.

Thunder center Jaylin Williams finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists, joining one of eight players who scored double-digits for Oklahoma City in Friday's lopsided victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 30 points led the way. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Joe scored 14, Isaiah Hartenstein netted a dozen points, and Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, and Wallace added 11.

After the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, the Thunder clinched the no. 1 seed on Thursday.

Mark Daigneault's admission on Thunder's depth in Friday's win

After eight Thunder players scored double figures in Friday's win against the Hornets, head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted his team's depth.

Daigneault was pleased with his team's approach, including Williams doing his best Hakeem Olajuwon impression.

"The best signal to us is the fact that no matter who we're putting on the court, we kind of look the same on both ends of the floor," Daigneault said. "We're playing to a certain standard and playing a certain way, and that's with different lineups, but it's also with guys being out. We didn't have Dub or Dort tonight, including on this past road trip."

Even when Daigneault emptied his bench in the fourth quarter, the intensity and high-level approach never wavered against the Hornets.

"That's what stands out the most," Daigneault added. "The records and stuff like that [are] downstream from that, but I'm just pleased with the way that this team has really stayed in character regardless of who's out there on the court."

The Thunder will face the Clippers on Sunday.

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