Each year, ESPN reporter Zach Lowe publishes a piece dubbed “The Luke Walton All-Stars” to recognize journeymen and role players in the league who have carved out a role for themselves and made an imprint on their team.
In this year’s rendition, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams made the team.
Well, “forward” might not quite be the right distinction. It’s not totally clear what position Williams plays, especially after he started at point guard on Tuesday and did reasonably well at it.
“I don’t even think I have a position anymore,” he said to Lowe.
That’s what has helped Williams become a perfect role player for this Thunder team that is trending toward relatively positionless basketball. His ability to guard anyone he was assigned to and switch onto any position made him a valuable piece of OKC.
He was so valuable that not only did teams come calling at the trade deadline, according to Lowe, but he was not traded even during a tanking season.
Prior to Williams’ senior year, his TCU coach Jamie Dixon told him that he only had one high-level skill. That would have to change if he wanted to reach the NBA. Lowe wrote:
“‘You have one NBA skill: rebounding,'” Dixon told him. “‘You can make the NBA if you become a 40% 3-point shooter.'”
He made 39.5% of his looks from deep as a senior, found a spot as an undrafted free agent, and was traded to the Thunder last offseason.
Williams took that leap from rebounder and hustler to true basketball player this year. His 44.4% 3-point shooting is the best on the Thunder, and his 2-point percentage of 56.8% is fourth-best, behind two centers and George Hill (excluding Darius Miller, who attempted six total shots inside arc this season).
Kenny Hustle, who played every Thunder game until he was forced to sit so the team could get playing time for players they were still evaluating, has found a role in the league that will last.
He should have no issue securing a second contract once this one is over following the 2022-23 season.
He’s not just a role player. He’s a Luke Walton All-Star.
