"Why are you being rude to Lisa Salters?" - Fans upset over OKC Thunder's Jalen Williams being 'disrespectful' toward Stephanie White's partner

OKC Thunder star Jalen Williams had his best performance of the playoffs on Monday in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, some fans were not happy with Williams during his postgame interview with ESPN reporter Lisa Salters.

Speaking to Salters after his 34-point outing, Williams was asked how the Thunder held off the Timberwolves in the final minutes of their 128-126 win. "J-Dub" had a short and straight-to-the-point answer, prompting laughter from Salters and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

"Just trust each other," Williams said. "Stacked possessions. ... That's all I got, you know what I mean? For TV? I don't know; just play hard, compete together, the game has ups and downs, you know, the typical thing I usually say."

Expand Tweet

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told Lisa Salters that she doesn't have to worry about a short answer from him, prompting the veteran reporter to playfully hit him with her notes on the head. However, some fans couldn't believe Jalen Williams' "disrespectful" answer and blasted him on social media.

While some fans were surprised by how Jalen Williams interacted with Lisa Salters, it's not a big deal considering how the veteran journalist was laughing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Salters has been in the industry since 1995 and has been part of ESPN since 2000.

The partner of Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White also interviewed Chet Holmgren, who had a huge block late in the game. The Thunder's "Big 3" came up huge, with SGA finishing the game with 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Jalen Williams scored 14 of his 34 points in the 4th quarter

One of the biggest criticisms of the OKC Thunder is Jalen Williams' performances and if he's equipped to be a real No. 2 guy on a championship team. Williams dashed the perception with his best game of the postseason on Monday in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Williams scored 14 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, providing clutch scoring to keep the Timberwolves at bay. Just when the hosts were getting closer to the Thunder, "J-Dub" would hit one big shot after another to help OKC take a 3-1 series lead.

The Thunder have an opportunity to close the series out at home on Wednesday. If they win Game 5, they'll be making their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012, when Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden were still with the franchise.

About the author

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry.

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

Know More

OKC Thunder Fan? Check out the latest OKC Thunder depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by Juan Paolo David