Jaylen Williams urges fans not to panic over recent struggles - 'We're not superheroes'

OKLAHOMA CITY — For a team that started the season with a near perfect 24-1 record through 25 games, watching Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder losing back-to-back games — six in 12 outings — was a cause for concern for some fans. And after The Thunder responded with a thrilling overtime win against the Utah Jazz, Williams took time to remind everyone of the mortality of the defending champions despite their historic start.

Williams didn’t hold back in his opinion of how the Thunder are doing recent struggles are proof that the defending champions go through the same ups and downs that any NBA team goes through during an 82-game regular season.

“It’s all about perspective. This doesn’t sound cocky, but we’re winning – just the last three years – we’re winning so much, when we have the normal human part of losing a game or two that we shouldn’t have lost, the world goes crazy,” Williams said. “What we do internally is a good job of just going out there and playing. We’re not superheroes. We have human moments. We’re human. We only get tired physically and mentally during the season.”

“And I feel like it showed, just in that part, and it’s something that we just have to work on and get better at. It’s just part of the game. Every team this year has lost a few games that they’d like to get back, and we understand that. How much can you limit during the season and how much better can you get because of it? We can win either,” William we can win.

Jaylen Williams on OKC’s recent losses: “It’s all about perspective. This is going to sound cocky, but … we win so much that when we have the normal human part of losing a game or two that we shouldn’t have, the world goes crazy…
We are not superheroes. We have human moments” pic.twitter.com/9Jzurk3Oki
— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) January 8, 2026

Jaylen Williams finished with 17 points in the Thunder’s 129-125 overtime win against the Jazz. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led with 46 points. Chet Holmgren had 23 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

Mark Daigneault reacts to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s clutch shot

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket in front of Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (30) during the second half at Pejko Center — Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Coach Mark Deno responded to The Thunder’s recent struggles amid back-to-back losses To the Suns and Hornets with gratitude for his team’s ability to respond with a tough win against the Jazz. Avoiding a three-game skid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder down the stretch to erase an eight-point deficit, including the game-tying shot to send the game into overtime.

Gilgeous-Alexander kept the Thunder’s hopes alive. He then helped close out the Jazz with a four-point overtime victory. After the game, Daigneault reflected on SGA’s soft-spoken approach to clutch torques.

“The most impressive thing is how natural he looks regardless of the circumstances. He looks like the same player every minute of the game and every second of the game, until the last seconds,” Daigneault said. “It doesn’t waver. It looks the same in terms of tempo. Everything is even, even in moments of pressure.”

“That’s why he’s such a big pressure player, and he was huge tonight. That was a big play. I mean, he made other plays, but the play down the stretch was great.”

Marc Daigneault on SGA’s impressive fourth quarter: “The most impressive thing is how natural he looks regardless of the circumstances. He looks like the same player every minute of the game…
Everything is consistent even in moments of pressure… tonight was huge. It was a big game.” pic.tvitter.com/BcKJiDU0jj
— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) January 8, 2026