Jalen Williams deserved better than another rehab, and so did the Spurs-Thunder rivalry

Jalen Williams sustained a brutal lower-body injury last night that was so bad, there's a chance it could end his season less than a week into the new campaign. (Don't go watch it if you're squeamish)

As a Spurs fan, I hate that for him, OKC, and the rest of the league for several reasons. The first and most important reason is knowing that life comes first. J-Dub spent way too much time rehabbing nagging injuries during their 2025-26 run.

He played only 33 regular-season games and 5 of 15 playoff games. It's a lot of time off the floor, but more specifically, it's a lot of time spent rehabbing—a process that nobody enjoys. Now, he may be forced to do it again. Put plainly: that really sucks, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

San Antonio has never hidden their respect for OKC

Rivalries are a fun part of sports, but basketball is still a game, so the "beef" isn't malicious. I have a ton of respect for what Oklahoma City has accomplished with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams leading the pack. So do the Spurs, and they've always made that clear.

Last December, Mitch Johnson was asked about the budding rivalry between the two programs, to which he responded, “I don’t want to disrespect their program and what they’ve built."

As competitive as we know Victor Wembanyama to be, he also gives credit where it's due, telling the media before the season how "impressive" SGA's consistency is.

How can you not admire their trajectory? Sam Presti put the pieces in place, and they turned into a powerhouse through player development, timely acquisitions, and savvy deal-making. They've finished first in the West's standings for three straight seasons. The Silver and Black are trying to take the stranglehold away from them. You just wish it could happen with everyone healthy.

Spurs Nation wanted that rematch with everybody available

That's where the story turns to the competitive aspect of it all. San Antonio just beat OKC in a seven-game series in the WCF in May. J-Dub missed most of that series, and he said himself that he believes the outcome would have been different had he been on the floor.

"I think we could’ve won if I played. Went to seven with them without me playing. I don’t think I make us worse," Williams told reporters after OKC's season ended. Their fans undoubtedly feel this way, and quite frankly, they should. Why wouldn't you believe in your favorite team? Why wouldn't he believe in himself to make a difference?

That's a challenge Spurs fans welcome, and it's a battle fans of any team would love to watch. It's a long journey to get back to the playoffs, but there was, and still is, a great chance that these two franchises clash again.

The hope was that Williams, Ajay Mitchell, and De'Aaron Fox—who played in five games but was significantly compromised—would all be healthy this time, so we could watch the peak of what the NBA has to offer.

After providing the best series of the entire playoffs last season, we want to run it back. So do they. And everyone, including him, would have wanted to see it. Injuries are a reality of sports, but that doesn't mean we have to like them. So on behalf of the good fans of Spurs Nation, we hope you recover well, Jalen. We'll catch you on the next go-around. Be blessed.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow