10/26/2026 05:55:00
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10/26 17:54 CDT Thunder's Jalen Williams will need surgery for a broken leg and
dislocated ankle
Thunder's Jalen Williams will need surgery for a broken leg and dislocated ankle
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
Oklahoma City guard Jalen Williams will need surgery to repair a broken left
fibula and dislocated left ankle, the latest significant blows to a Thunder
franchise that has dealt with a number of injury-related issues in recent
seasons.
There isn't a timetable for Williams' return and one won't be set until after
the surgery, general manager Sam Presti said Monday --- but given the history
of such injuries, it's reasonable to think Williams could miss the rest of the
season.
"Dub, as everybody knows, is as tough as they come," Presti said at a news
conference in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder were set to host Phoenix later
Monday. "He's an elite competitor. Even last night, just miraculous in terms of
his outlook and the way he's looking forward to attacking this. We're going to
be with him the entire way."
It was a double gut punch for the Thunder on Monday, with the team also
revealing that forward Cason Wallace will need surgery to repair a left labral
tear. Like Williams, Wallace was injured on Sunday in Oklahoma City's 108-101
win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The timetable for Wallace's return also will be set after surgery, but such
procedures typically require several months of rehabilitation. Williams was an
All-Defensive team selection in 2024-25; Wallace was picked to that team last
season.
"Tough night last night," Presti said. "There's no way to paint that
differently. We say within our walls all the time there's a difference between
being positive and being optimistic. Not going to sit up here and say this is
exactly where we want to be or this is how we'd like to have it, but at the
same time, we're extremely optimistic about the recovery for both the players.
Most importantly, things could have been a lot worse."
The Thunder have experienced major injury-related challenges in recent years,
including Chet Holmgren missing the entirety of what would have been his rookie
season with a foot issue. The team's 2024 first-round pick, Nikola Topic,
missed all but 10 games in the previous two seasons --- first because of a torn
ACL, then with testicular cancer. And Williams missed 49 regular-season games a
year ago with an array of issues, mostly wrist and hamstring problems.
"We've had some tough, uniquely tough, circumstances over the last few years,"
Presti said. "One of the things I tried to say to the staff this morning when I
talked to them was we can't get to the point where we feel like this is a
common situation. But that being said, it's our situation."
Williams was injured on a drive with 1:14 remaining against the Clippers. He
was tended to almost immediately by medical personnel after going down
underneath the basket on the Thunder's offensive end.
Williams' ankle was draped by towels and players from both teams reacted with
dismay and disbelief as a stretcher was brought out. The game was stopped for
about five minutes.
Williams --- who has averaged 17.9 points in 251 games over his first five
seasons --- has already been an All-Star and an All-NBA selection, and he was a
huge part of the Thunder team that won the 2025 NBA title.
The Thunder entered this season as a co-favorite with the Spurs to win the NBA
title. Oklahoma City will --- in time --- likely make some decisions about
applying for a disabled player exception or even using its stockpile of future
draft picks to try and make trades and keep a title-hopeful team in contention.
Those conversations, for now, can wait.
"I haven't thought about anything related to the roster spot," Presti said.
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