Isaiah Joe reacts to reuniting with former teammate Jaylin Williams in OKC
When the Oklahoma City Thunder signed Isaiah Joe over the weekend, it meant the third-year guard would reunite with high school teammate Jaylin Williams.
Joe was drafted with the 49th pick in 2020 by the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 3.7 points and one rebound on 34.9% shooting from 3-point range in 96 appearances with the Sixers over two years before the team released him on Oct. 13.
The Thunder moved quickly to sign Joe to a three-year, $6 million contract after a solid run with the Sixers. He was likely the victim of a roster crunch in Philadelphia and now projects to have the opportunity to play for the rebuilding Thunder.
He is happy to join Williams, via Clemente Almanza of Thunder Wire.
It is a small world, isn’t it? Me and Jay Will grew up together. He has always been a couple of years younger than me so the one chance we got to play with each other was in high school when I was a senior and he was a sophomore (in 2018). Being able to bond back with him and go through this process with him is going to be amazing.
Joe and Williams played together at Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. They helped lead their team to the state championship that year but lost. It is something that still haunts them to this day, as Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault brought up.
I was with Isaiah yesterday and Jay Will was in the hallway and I was like, ‘Did you guys lose a game?’; two NBA players on a high school team. They said they lost in the state championship so it was a sore subject. But they like each other; good guys. It is pretty cool for them, obviously.
They each went on to play college at Arkansas. Joe played during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons while Williams was there for two years after Joe left for the NBA. Joe never made it to the NCAA Tournament but Williams went twice, advancing to the Elite Eight each time.
The two players now enter a much different situation with the Thunder.
The team continues its rebuild this year as Williams is one of four rookies on the roster. He was the 34th pick in the NBA draft after a stellar two years with the Razorbacks and figures to play a large role with the Thunder this season.
Joe has been impressed by Williams over the years.
Jay Will is a great person. He has got a great attitude, is a humble kid and works hard. He carries himself professionally so just being able to put in the work with him again is going to be amazing. On the court, he is a killer. He takes a lot of charges and does the little things so that is one thing growing up and playing with him you take notice of.
The upcoming season will certainly be a great experience for Joe and Williams to share the court together in the NBA. They will be looking to help the Thunder reach the next step in their development after a few recent down years.
OKC tips off the season Wednesday with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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