SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Former Santa Clara men's basketball star Jalen Williams put a cap on his phenomenal rookie season with the Oklahoma City Thunder by earning a spot on the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team. The league made the announcement on Monday.
A three-year star with the Broncos, Williams was selected 12th overall by the Thunder in the 2022 NBA Draft, and quickly found himself as one of the brightest young stars of the NBA. Williams started 62 games with 75 total appearances in which he averaged 14.1 points on 52.1 percent shooting. He also pulled down 4.5 rebounds, dished out 3.3 assists and averaged 1.3 steals per contest in an average of 30.3 minutes of work per game. J-Dub's steal numbers were tops among all NBA rookies, while his points, assists and field goal percentage all ranked fourth.
A two-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month Award winner, Williams tallied 17 games of 20 points or more, the second-most by a rookie in Thunder history, and had a stretch of 10-straight games in which he scored at least 15 points. He finished the year on a tear, scoring in double figures in 15 of OKC's final 18 games.
The NBA All-Rookie Team has been annually awarded since 1962-63 and was expanded to feature first and second teams in 1988-89. Jalen Williams is the first former Santa Clara Bronco to earn a spot on the prestigious team.
