Thunder’s Williams has solidified place in NBA
Back in a wild November when the Thunder had 20 or more names listed on its roster, Kenrich Williams wasn’t a lock to make the team. Or at least it didn’t seem that way.
Williams came to Oklahoma City primarily as salary filler in the four-team mega trade that sent Steven Adams to New Orleans.
Williams’ two seasons with the Pelicans were unremarkable. The 6-foot-6 undrafted forward averaged 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 37% shooting. He was a 30% 3-point shooter.
“If you remember back in training camp, preseason games, we were taking a look at a lot of different guys,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Williams among them.
“Over time, regardless of what circumstance we put him in, he’s strived,” Daigneault said.
Williams, the latest focus in our Thunder development series, has taken a leap in Year 3 that far outpaces what his first two seasons might have projected.
“I definitely think this is, since I got in the league, the most confident I’ve been,” the 26-year-old Williams said.
Williams averaged 21.3 minutes in 39 games last season with the Pelicans. This season, in 64 games with the Thunder, Williams is averaging 21.5 minutes per game. His playing time has flattened, but his production has ballooned.
His scoring has increased from 3.5 points per game last season to 7.7 this season. His field goal percentage is up from 35% to 53%. His 3-point percentage from 26% to 43%. Williams has been more involved offensively in OKC than New Orleans, taking two more shots per game and upping his assists from 1.5 to 2.2 per game.
He’s both finishing better around the rim and expanding his range.
“I’ve solidified my role as far as what I can be in this league,” Williams said. “My first two years I felt like I was just a pretty solid defender, solid all-around player, but offensively is where I wanted to take that next jump.”
Williams ranks first on the Thunder in 3-point percentage — albeit in just 1.7 attempts per game — and first among non-centers in field goal percentage.
His true shooting percentage has risen to 59% from 43% last season.
“(Daigneault) trusts everybody to make plays,” Williams said. “It kinda gives you that confidence that you can go make a play on your own without having to second-guess yourself or think about it too much. And that’s the main thing, man, just being able to be comfortable.
“That’s what this organization has done to help me take that step.”
The Thunder, last in the NBA in net rating by a mile, is being outscored by 5.4 points per 100 possessions with Williams on the floor. When he’s off? OKC is being outscored by 13.5 points per 100 possessions.
“Especially with so many developmental players, he’s a guy that really, really helps the team puff our chest out,” Daigneault said. “He shows the guys kind of a blueprint of what we want to be about.”
Williams has remained a rugged and versatile defender, and the “Kenny Hustle” nickname he earned at TCU still fits.
“I say this as no slight to anybody else, but he may be among his peers, just from my observation, the most respected guy in the locker room,” Daigneault said. “That’s a guy that did not have a rep coming in here. He didn’t have a rep internally because he wasn’t here, and he didn’t have a huge NBA rep.
“It’s literally something that he’s built with the team from the ground up. It’s just his competitiveness and his team orientation that you just feel to the bone.”
Thunder guard Ty Jerome backed up Daigneault’s observation.
“Hands down,” Jerome said. “That’s definitely the truth. I think in a short time he’s become one of our leaders, one of the guys we look to … If it was up to him, he’d play 48 minutes every night.” Williams will take all he can get. “Hopefully I’ll be able to play in the league for a long time,” he said.
Thunder at Warriors
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma (Cox 37/HD 722, DirecTV 675, U-verse 751/1751)
Radio: WWLS 98.1 FM
Three things to know
• The Warriors beat the Thunder 118-97 on Thursday night, and Golden State leads the season series 2-0. Stephen Curry has scored 42 and 34 points in two games against the Thunder. Curry leads the NBA in scoring.
• Warriors guard Mychal Mulder scored 25 points Thursday behind a careerhigh seven 3-pointers. Mulder is averaging 14.8 points in his last eight games. He was a college teammate of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at Kentucky. • Thunder center Tony Bradley scored eight points with five rebounds Thursday. Bradley is 12-of-15 from the floor in his last three games.