NBA Fines Jalen Williams $25,000 for Wearing Profane T-Shirt After Game 7 Win
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams was hit with a $25,000 fine on Monday for wearing a T-shirt with profanity on it after the team's 125-93 Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets. The shirt in question had the phrase, "F*** art, let's dance" written in red letters across the chest.
Despite not using the profanity, which usually earns such a fine from the NBA, the league's front office considered the choice of clothing as the same type of offense and assessed the fine.
Williams, 24, had a strong performance in the game, averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game this season, all of which are career-highs. He has one year left on his initial four-year, $20.2 million rookie deal.
The Thunder will now face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals starting with Game 1 on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. The Thunder opened as big -375 favorites to win the series on BetMGM, which made them the biggest favorites in the conference finals in franchise history. The Thunder were underdogs in their last four conference finals appearances, with their closest coming in 1996 when the then-Seattle SuperSonics were -270 favorites against the Utah Jazz.
Despite the fine, Williams' strong performance and the Thunder's status as heavy favorites in the Western Conference finals have fans excited for what's to come. The team will be looking to make a deep run in the playoffs and potentially secure a spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.
