OKC's JDub had several injections for injured wrist

Oklahoma City Thunder prima guardant Jalen Williams said helium took astir 30 painkilling injections successful his injured close wrist to get done his team's caller title run.

In a video posted to his YouTube page connected Tuesday, Williams said helium had been dealing with a sprained close wrist for overmuch of the season. Then helium felt his close scapholunate ligament teardrop and his manus was "on fire" aft getting tied up with Phoenix Suns' prima defender Devin Booker portion chasing a escaped shot connected April 9.

Over the adjacent 11 weeks arsenic the Thunder won 4 bid to assertion the NBA title, the team's grooming unit utilized assorted and elaborate taping techniques, astir of them hidden nether an limb sleeve, to negociate the injury. Williams said helium got lidocaine injections earlier each crippled successful his wrist and respective times conscionable to practice. He besides had aggregate cortisone shots. He took truthful galore needles, helium said, helium developed a callous astatine the injection site.

Williams had country to close the wounded past week.

"I got 28 oregon 29 shots successful my manus passim the playoffs," Williams said connected the video. "And I was like, 'That can't beryllium for nothing. We person to win.' So, that was my mentality."

Williams, who said helium utilized the representation of Kobe Bryant and his well-known past of playing done wounded arsenic motivation, had to alteration his leap changeable signifier to support the shot much connected his fingertips truthful helium didn't person to trust connected his wrist arsenic much. He went done respective shooting slumps successful the postseason portion managing the wounded and said helium had the astir issues against the Denver Nuggets successful the 2nd round, erstwhile helium aggravated the wounded respective times. He changeable conscionable 38% during that bid and 23% connected 3-pointers and went conscionable 10-of-43 shooting successful Games 4 to 6.

After helium struggled successful a bid nonaccomplishment successful past year's 2nd round, Williams said it was hard to perceive disapproval of his show and enactment soundless astir the grade of the wrist wounded truthful arsenic not to extremity disconnected opponents.

"I didn't privation to archer the satellite that I was hurt, and truthful the satellite conscionable ganged up connected maine astir however I wasn't acceptable for the moment. Which evidently is incorrect now," Williams said. "But that was the astir annoying thing, due to the fact that quality quality is you privation to conscionable shriek that you're hurt. But I was capable to fastener successful and not usage that arsenic an excuse."

Williams had respective important immense performances successful the Thunder's title tally including a 40-point Game 5 successful the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers that gave the Thunder a captious 3-2 lead. He besides had 34 points successful Minnesota successful a pivotal Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

"We won a championship, you tin accidental immoderate you privation to accidental now," Williams said. "I volition beryllium getting my ringing sized present shortly."

Thunder president Sam Presti praised Williams aft the Finals for playing done the symptom and ne'er utilizing it arsenic an excuse.

"He powered through. He showed unthinkable intelligence endurance and information successful himself," Presti said. "I truly thought it was beauteous awesome that helium conscionable kept moving on with nary excuses and evidently played his champion hoops down the agelong of the season."