Thunder star Williams carried off on stretcher after injury

Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams suffered a serious injury late in his team's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. With 1 minute and 14 seconds left, Williams was hurt on an offensive play. He injured his lower left leg, and his ankle bent at an unnatural angle. The medical staff attended to him on the court, and Williams was then carried off on a stretcher, his foot covered with towels.

Play stopped for about five minutes after the incident. Players appeared visibly shaken, and as he was taken off, Williams waved to the crowd with two thumbs up. Thunder won 108-101, but the victory was overshadowed by the injury. Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game that he struggled to hold back tears and said, "I'm really sad for him."

Williams has already been named an All-Star and All-NBA selection early in his career. He averaged 18 points per game over his first 250 games. He played an important role in the Thunder's 2024-25 NBA championship season. Last season he missed 49 games due to injuries and the recovery from serious surgery on his right wrist.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said updated information on the player's condition would be shared with the team Monday morning. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt posted on social media to wish Williams well, saying the city is fully behind him during his recovery.