Jalen Williams calls Kobe Bryant the NBA's GOAT

Considering how vocal he's been about his fandom, it shouldn't be shocking to learn Jalen Williams believes Kobe Bryant is basketball's greatest of all time. The NBA champion trended on social media this past week for a side-by-side photo.

Williams answered questions of whether he was a good enough second-best player on a title contender with a resounding yes during the playoffs. The 24-year-old stepped up to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His championship run was highlighted by a 40-point performance in the 2025 NBA Finals Game 5.

What makes Williams' run even more mythical is the quiet battle he endured. After he sustained torn wrist ligaments late in the regular season, he played through swelling and pain for two months in the playoffs. He'd receive pain-numbing shots before every playoff contest.

It was obvious Williams was playing through an ailment. His wrist was heavily wrapped. But the 24-year-old kept quiet about the injury. Anytime he was asked about it, he'd have a strong poker face. After Sam Presti announced his wrist surgery, he finally talked ad nauseam about the grueling day-to-day process.

Earlier this week, Williams took a photo of himself in pajamas, attempting a one-handed free throw with his hand cast. It's the same pose Bryant hit when he dealt with a hand fracture in 1999. The 24-year-old posted both photos on social media. It caused some backlash, but none of substance.

After Williams fired back at his haters by saying he's closer to Bryant than they are to him, he also proclaimed that he thinks Bryant is the best of all time. Williams wrote in a reply: "he da goat."

That's a popular opinion among some basketball circles. Bryant brought home five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. That type of success on the NBA's biggest franchise will create a huge following. Even if there are a handful of players with better resumes, Bryant's fans will argue to the end of time that he's the greatest ever. Add Williams to that group.

he da goat

— therealjalenwilliams (@jdubwttp) July 25, 2025

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jalen Williams calls Kobe Bryant the NBA's GOAT