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Oklahoma City Thunder Keep Solidifying Long-Term Core With Kenrich Williams Extension

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2 years ago

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Oklahoma City Thunder Keep Solidifying Long-Term Core With Kenrich Williams Extension


“He could also be amongst his friends, simply from my observations, essentially the most revered man within the locker room,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated of Kenrich Williams throughout his first season with the staff.

After two years of carving out a job as a top quality contributor on the courtroom and impactful chief off of it, Williams has earned a four-year, $27.2M extension with Oklahoma City. He turns into simply the second undrafted participant to signal a deal this summer season, following within the footsteps of his teammate Lu Dort.

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This units Williams as much as be even nearer to retiring as a member of the Thunder, which is one thing he’s stated he needs to do a number of instances.

“I need to be right here with the Thunder. This may sound far fetched, however I want to retire right here with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder,” stated Williams earlier this 12 months.

With that in thoughts, this path to his first main payday was something however linear. The 6-foot-6 wing was by no means an enormous recruit, beginning his collegiate profession at a junior faculty earlier than ending TCU. After going undrafted in 2018, he earned a contract with the New Orleans Pelicans following a formidable NBA Summer time League stint with the Denver Nuggets.

In his first two seasons with the Pelicans, Williams was extraordinarily inefficient. He shot simply 37.1% from the ground and 30.4% from past the arc. Williams produced simply 4.9 factors and 4.8 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per recreation throughout these two seasons in New Orleans.

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From there, he would get a recent begin. Williams was primarily used for wage matching functions in a commerce that despatched Steven Adams from Oklahoma Metropolis to New Orleans. To facilitate this deal, Williams was signed to a three-year, $6 million deal on his option to the Thunder.

In a brand new metropolis with a special function, Williams instantly thrived in OKC. In his very first season with the staff, he doubled his scoring output from the season prior as he produced 8.0 factors per contest. He additionally grew to become a way more environment friendly shooter, flattening 44.4% of his triples and 53.3% of his pictures from the ground general.

Williams grew to become a vocal chief on the younger Thunder roster, but in addition was having an incredible influence on profitable.

This received the eye of many groups across the league. Throughout each of Williams’ seasons in Oklahoma Metropolis thus far, rival groups have tried to commerce for him. Thus far, Thunder GM Sam Presti hasn’t budged.

Actually, Presti as an alternative determined to increase Williams for 4 years. This formally makes the two-way wing part of the longterm core in Oklahoma Metropolis.

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There’s solely a handful of gamers on the Thunder roster which might be beneath contract for no less than 4 extra years, with Williams being the most recent on that listing. He joins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams and Ousmane Dieng. It’s additionally doubtless that Josh Giddey and Tre Mann earn rookie extensions three years from now and proceed to be a part of the group.

As such, an actual core is starting to type OKC. It’s one which has great upside and might be a contending squad in a couple of years.

One of many hardest gamers within the league, Williams is a professional two-way menace that has the flexibility and positional measurement that each staff needs. He’s earned each greenback of this extension and can solely proceed to be impactful with the Thunder for the rest of the rebuild and past.

Even then, he’s going to be on a manageable deal that shall be straightforward to commerce for property if wanted down the highway. For either side, this four-year, $27.2M extension made a ton of sense.





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Oklahoma

Live Updates: No. 7 Alabama Football at Oklahoma

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7 hours ago

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November 23, 2024

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Live Updates: No. 7 Alabama Football at Oklahoma


NORMAN, Okla.–– Alabama has one final road test to pass in the regular season if it wants to compete for an SEC title and make it back to the College Football Playoff.

The No. 7 Crimson Tide plays at Oklahoma on Saturday night in the first matchup as conference foes in the SEC. BamaCentral will have coverage all night from Norman. Follow along for updates.

BE SURE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER FOR THE LATEST UPDATES

(latest updates at the top)

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Who: Alabama (8-2, 4-2 SEC) vs. Oklahoma (5-5, 1-4)

When: Saturday, Nov. 23, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium

TV: ABC/ESPN+

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Tyler Watts).

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Series: Oklahoma leads 3-2-1

Last meeting: Alabama defeated the Sooners in the Capital One Orange Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff 45-34. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns while the Crimson Tide rushed for 200 yards across 42 carries between Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris and Najee Harris.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide dominated Mercer 52-7 at home behind three touchdowns from Jalen Milroe and two touchdowns from Ryan Williams. The Alabama defense forced three more turnovers as they’ve now forced 16 in the last five games, making life challenging on opposing offenses.

Last time out, Oklahoma: The Sooners were off this past week, but went to Missouri two weeks ago and lost 30-23 after losing a fumble for a touchdown in the game’s final minutes. Oklahoma’s played five conference games and only won at Auburn this season.



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Staff predictions: Our picks for No. 7 Alabama at Oklahoma

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16 hours ago

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November 23, 2024

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Staff predictions: Our picks for No. 7 Alabama at Oklahoma


After falling twice away from home already this season, No. 7 Alabama will look to avoid a potential trap game in its final road trip of the regular season. The Crimson Tide (8-2, 5-2 in the SEC) will visit Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5) for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

This will be the seventh matchup between Alabama and Oklahoma. The Sooners hold a 3-2-1 advantage in the series, but the Tide won the most recent meeting, recording a 45-34 victory in the 2018 Orange Bowl. Alabama is currently a 14-point favorite for Saturday’s game, according to the Caesars Sportsbook.

Here’s how Tide Illustrated’s staff thinks the game will play out.



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Oklahoma State Offers 2026 Bixby DB Braeden Presley

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24 hours ago

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November 23, 2024

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Oklahoma State Offers 2026 Bixby DB Braeden Presley


The stark reality of the Cowboys future on the gridiron is up in the air.  Can Oklahoma State bounce back in 2025 following one of the worst football seasons in years?  Will the Pokes return next season and play with a chip on their shoulder?  Only time will tell and the best way to improve the football team is for the coaching staff to hit the recruiting trail hard.

Oklahoma State will say goodbye to one of the greatest statistical wide receivers to ever wear the Cowboy orange.  Senior Brennan Presley has been the cornerstone of the receiving core for the past four seasons.  He is the all-time receptions leader in Oklahoma State history and has caught more than two passes in nearly every game since his sophomore season.

The offense won’t be the same in 2025 with Presley snagging catches across the middle, but the fans of Cowboy football won’t have to wait long as a familiar name will be entering the mix straight out of the class of 2026.

On Thursday, Oklahoma State looked to make it the Presley trifecta when they offered the youngest of the bunch, 2026 Bixby star Braeden Presley.  Older brothers Brennan and Braylin both committed to Oklahoma State out of high school.  Brennan hung around to become the all-time receptions leader in school history while Braylin transferred to Tulsa.

Braeden is the biggest brother of the bunch and measures in at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, according to 247Sports.  He is unranked at the moment but still has a full season of football yet to play.  The interest continues to grow for Braeden who has drawn offers from Tulsa, Boston College and Kansas.

Oklahoma State joined the mix on Thursday and is hoping to use its family ties to lock up their third straight Presley.  Little is known about Presley on the field, and he has proven this season that he is a jack of all trades.  He has logged a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and passing touchdown this season for the Spartans of Bixby.

A majority of his highlights have come on the defensive side of the football.  He has 27 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble in 2024 for a Bixby team who is searching for yet another Class 5A State Championship.

The fans of Oklahoma State football may not have to wait very long to have a Presley once again under the lights of Boone Pickens Stadium.

Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.





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