Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams found an unexpected source of entertainment during his team’s 2026 Western Conference semifinal sweep of the Luka Dončić-less Los Angeles Lakers.
Sidelined by a left hamstring strain, Williams watched teammate Ajay Mitchell step into the starting lineup and average 22.5 points per game on 56.3% shooting against LA.
During Thursday’s appearance on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast, Williams admitted he enjoyed monitoring Lakers fans’ anguish on social media after Mitchell’s big nights, prompting lively reactions.
NBA Fans React to Jalen Williams’ Blunt Comments on Ajay Mitchell’s Playoff Breakout vs. Lakers
“I don’t want to say I was happy I was out, but that was a fun series to be out for because every time you had a good game, I would go straight to Twitter,” Williams told Mitchell during Thursday’s joint podcast appearance.
Host Tommy Alter recalled Lakers fans wondering who Mitchell was as the 2024 second-round pick gave LA problems throughout the series.
Williams then recounted watching Mitchell’s Game 3 performance from the bench, when he scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half of OKC’s 131-108 victory.
“I just remember being on the sideline, yelling, ‘Oh my God!’ for like five minutes straight. I was like, ‘This is insane, bro,'” Williams continued.
Mitchell followed that performance with a playoff career-high 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting (63.2%) in Game 4, helping the Thunder complete the sweep with a 115-110 victory.
Williams’ comments quickly made the rounds on X, with one fan comically paraphrasing his description of how much he relished Lakers supporters’ exasperation.
“Jalen Williams says he scrolled through NBA Twitter after every game to see Lakers and Bron FC crash out when Ajay Mitchell was frying the Lakers in the playoffs,” the account quipped.
Another Thunder supporter found the situation amusing, writing that the emphatic sweep was “topped off by [a] J-Dub Twitter scroll sesh.”
One fan found humor in OKC’s collective attitude toward LA:
“The lack of respect the whole team has for the Lakers is so funny bro.”
Lakers fans had vastly different reactions, with one desperately awaiting an opportunity for LA to seek redemption vs. the Thunder:
“I need revenge against OKC like I need air.”
Another expressed frustration with Austin Reaves’ performance in the season-ending Round 2 series:
“Reaves so sad man, I’ll never forgive him.”
One user brought up OKC’s own postseason disappointment, pointing out that the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led squad “proceeded to get crumbled by the [San Antonio] Spurs.”
San Antonio ultimately eliminated the Thunder with a 111-103 victory in Game 7 of the West finals. Williams was sidelined with his hamstring injury, while Mitchell missed the game because of a right soleus strain.
Mitchell reflected on his first extended postseason run during the podcast, acknowledging the disappointment of getting injured against the Spurs.
“It was the most fun I’ve had playing basketball. And then, obviously, the San Antonio series, when I got hurt, sucked, but it was a cool experience for me,” Mitchell said.
The Thunder open the 2026-27 regular season Tuesday with a rematch against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.