Thunder’s Jalen Williams gets street named after him at Arizona alma mater

As Jalen Williams helped push the Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink of an NBA championship, his hometown school in Arizona is making sure he is feeling the love.

Perry High School, where Williams once starred, renamed a street on its campus “Jalen Williams Way” in honor of the standout forward. The Town of Gilbert partnered with the Chandler Unified School District for the special recognition, which was unveiled during a ceremony on June 5.

High honors for a rising star

This season has been a breakout year for Williams, who earned his first NBA All-Star nod and was selected to both the All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team.

While at Perry High, he led the basketball team to the state semifinals and was named to the All-Conference team. He went on to play at Santa Clara University before being drafted 12th overall by the Thunder in 2022.

‘The job’s not done’

Despite the career-high performance in Game 5, Williams kept the focus on the bigger picture.

‘We’re not celebrating anything yet,’ Williams said postgame. ‘The job’s not done.’

He credited his success to the trust of head coach Mark Daigneault and the team’s culture, which he described as selfless and supportive. Williams said the opportunity to grow through mistakes earlier in the season helped him become more physical and mentally sharp for big moments.

Shining a light on role players

Williams praised teammates Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins for stepping up throughout the postseason, noting their willingness to adjust from college stars to complementary NBA contributors.

‘They don’t always get the stats, but they make the difference,’ he said.

He also called the Thunder fan base ‘unreal,’ describing Paycom Center’s energy during the Finals as electric.

School pride runs deep

This isn’t the first time Perry High has spotlighted a former student on the national stage. The school held a similar ceremony for Brock Purdy before he started at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.

For now, Gilbert is firmly behind Williams and the Thunder as they head into Game 6 with a chance to clinch the franchise’s first championship since relocating to Oklahoma City.