The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-101 on Sunday, 25 October (US time), but the win came at a heavy cost. According to The Associated Press, in a report carried by NBA.com, Jalen Williams hurt his lower left leg while being fouled on a drive with 1:14 remaining and was taken off the court on a stretcher. A separate AP report on NBA.com said Detroit Pistons All-Star center Jalen Duren will miss at least two weeks with a strained right hamstring.
How the Williams injury unfolded
Williams went down underneath the basket at the Thunder's offensive end, and medical staff reached him almost immediately. His ankle was draped with towels, players from both teams reacted with dismay and disbelief, and the stretcher was called for within seconds. Play was halted for about five minutes. Sitting up on the stretcher, Williams gave the cheering crowd two thumbs up as he was wheeled away.
The Thunder gave no immediate diagnosis, although AP reported that the injury was clearly severe. Coach Mark Daigneault said the team was due to be briefed on Williams' condition on the morning of Monday, 26 October (US time); the AP report carried no official diagnosis. “We’re not doing great,” Daigneault said. “Just feel bad for him,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who fought back tears in a televised postgame interview. “Nothing more than that.” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt posted that the whole city would have “JDub in our thoughts and prayers” during his recovery.
Two key players, two timelines
The table brings together the details from both AP reports on NBA.com:
| Detail | Jalen Williams | Jalen Duren |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Oklahoma City Thunder | Detroit Pistons |
| Position | Shooting guard | Center |
| Injury | Lower left leg, no immediate diagnosis | Strained right hamstring |
| Expected absence | Unknown at the time of the AP report | At least two weeks |
| Injured in | 108-101 win over the Clippers (25 October) | Win over Miami, first half (23 October) |
| Individual honours | All-Star, All-NBA | All-Star, All-NBA third team last season |
Williams had averaged 18 points per game across his first 250 NBA games and was a big part of the Thunder side that won the 2025 NBA title. He missed 49 games last season with a range of problems, mostly hamstring trouble and recovery from significant surgery on his right wrist.
Duren signed a five-year, $200 million contract in October after contentious negotiations. Last season he averaged a career-high 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65% shooting and made the All-NBA third team, but he dropped to 10.2 points in the playoffs as the top-seeded Pistons failed to get past the second round. Over his first four seasons, all in Detroit, he averaged 13.5 points. “It’s tough when you lose a guy that means as much to us as JD does,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before Detroit's game in Philadelphia on 25 October.
What's next
The schedule gave Oklahoma City little time to regroup, with a home game against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, 26 October (US time). Daigneault said the calendar left the team little choice but to move on quickly, and Gilgeous-Alexander said the group had to hold things together until Williams returns. Gilgeous-Alexander said: “He’s not gone forever. He’ll be back better than ever.”
Detroit, meanwhile, face at least two weeks without the center they have just tied to a $200 million deal. Bickerstaff noted that the setback came as Duren was trying to settle in at the start of the season.