OKC's Williams (ankle), Wallace (shoulder) to undergo surgery

OKC's Jalen Williams (ankle), Cason Wallace (shoulder) to undergo surgery

• ESPN News Services

Oct 26, 2026, 04:12 PM ET

Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Jalen Williams will undergo surgery for a dislocated left ankle and fractured fibula and will be out indefinitely, general manager Sam Presti announced on Monday.

Additionally, Cason Wallace will undergo surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will also be sidelined indefinitely. Both players are expected to miss several months, if not the entire season, although Presti said a recovery timeline won't be released until after the procedures.

It's a significant blow for a Thunder team hoping to win their second championship in three years. Williams was vital to their title run in 2025 and his absence for large chunks of the 2026 postseason due to hamstring issues played a large role in OKC's loss in the Western Conference finals.

Wallace, one of the league's premier defenders, signed a five-year, $139 million rookie scale contract extension before the season.

Williams suffered his injury while being fouled on a drive with 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's victory over the LA Clippers. He came down awkwardly on the leg, and it collapsed under him, his left foot bending out to the side at an unnatural angle.

He brought his hands to his mouth and then his head when he looked at the injury while sitting on the hardwood. A staffer quickly covered Williams' lower leg with a towel. Medical personnel rushed to attend to him as his teammates and Clippers players reacted in shock.

Williams was placed on a stretcher and wheeled off the court to a standing ovation. He gave the crowd two thumbs-up as he was taken off. The game was stopped for about five minutes before the Thunder went on to finish the victory.

Williams -- who entered Sunday having averaged 18 points in his first 250 NBA contests -- has been an All-Star and an All-NBA player already in his career. He is in the first season of a five-year, $240 million extension.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.