Jalen Williams went to the Taurean Prince School of describing rebounds to reporters.
Williams turned back the clock following a 121-119 loss to the Nuggets, in which Denver outrebounded Oklahoma City 63-43. The Thunder star, who has been critical of national media members, answered a rebounding question that would make the Baylor product proud.
The difference is that Prince’s season — and his college career — were over. The Thunder are only down 1-0 to a Nuggets team that just fired its head coach and ran roughshod over the Los Angeles Clippers in a win-or-go-home Game 7. They lost by just a field goal after being dominated on the glass at both ends of the court.
It wasn’t like Baylor losing to Yale.
But Williams lost the plot when asked how the Thunder could improve their rebounding moving forward.
“Box out. Go up with two hands and then grab that,” Williams said. “Don’t stand and watch. Box out again, and when you go up and you jump, make sure to grab it.”
Williams scored 16 points and hauled in seven rebounds, though he shot just 5-of-20 from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. It wasn’t a banner day at the office for the 24-year-old Santa Clara product. Nor was it a banner day at the office for NBA players with the first name “Jalen” talking with reporters. Though Jalen Brunson was a bit less condescending, even if Williams answered the question posed to him.
It’s curious that someone critical of the national media for not watching games would deliver such a generic, almost dismissive answer to a straightforward question. Sure, rebounding is more than just a box score issue, but Williams’ response felt more like a performance than an attempt to offer substance.
It’s not like he was asked, “How does Yale outrebound Baylor?”
Williams was more interested in recreating the viral meme; the details are eerily similar.
In a series where every possession matters, is this really the most effective way to address your team’s glaring weakness?
We’ll see.