OKLAHOMA CITY — In his first outing since missing Game 7 of last season's Western Conference Finals, coach Mark Daigneault watched Jalen Williams shine in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 128-126 preseason loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. After Oklahoma City's 12th overall pick Aday Mara made his NBA debut on Tuesday, Williams made his preseason debut on the second night of the Thunder's back-to-back.
He finished with 16 points on 8-for-11 shooting, six assists, four rebounds, and one block in 19 first-half minutes against the Bucks. After the game, Daigneault discussed how comforting it was to watch Williams' return after a 2025-26 season plagued with injury setbacks.
“He was awesome. It's just great to see him out there, playing with the confidence and aggression that he did on both ends of the floor,” Daigneault said. “He's got an electric motor that really is contagious inside of the team, and you really feel it when he's on the court, on both ends of the court. I thought Shai, Cason, Caruso, and him; they came out really, really sharp on both ends, which was encouraging.”
Article Continues BelowMark Daigneault reacts to Jalen Williams’ Thunder preseason debut against the Bucks: “Just great to see him out there, playing with confidence and aggression that he did on both ends of the floor.
He’s got an electric motor that really is contagious inside of the team, and you… pic.twitter.com/OIDUba8Cgp
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) October 8, 2026
Jalen Williams didn't miss a step in his Thunder preseason debut. Although the 2025 champions nearly reached the NBA Finals without him, having Williams back undoubtedly makes the Thunder stronger ahead of the 2026-27 season. For a player who played 38 games, including only five playoff appearances, last season, Jalen looked just as good as he always been, ahead of his fourth season with Oklahoma City.
After a back-to-back to start their preseason schedule, Williams and the Thunder will take the next five days off before hitting the road to face the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.