After a heart-breaker Game 1 loss by just one point, Williams spoke with ESPN about the importance of reflection and “not panicking.”
“We always talk about winning the days in between,” he said about his team prepping for Game 2. “Not everything’s as bad or as good as it seems in the moment. We are able to reflect and see what we can do to be better next time.” The Thunder went on to lose two more games but win four in the best-of-seven series.
On a more personal note, Williams continued that spirit of perseverance by working through injury. After the series, Williams revealed that he’d suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist during a spring playoff game. Despite the pain, Williams didn’t miss a single game and even altered his game to continue playing. “I basically changed my jump shot to shoot in a way that required touch and only used my fingertips,” he said.
The Thunder’s championship title made Williams the third Bronco ever to win the NBA Finals. Kurt Rambis ’80 was a four-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Dennis Awtrey ’70 won once with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979.
Watch the court for other Bronco pros as the 2025-26 season gets underway this fall, including the Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski ’25.