Inside Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams' 'crazy' journey to Thunder, NBA Finals from Fort Smith
Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams can't help but reminisce every time they host their annual youth camps in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
It's the city they've called home throughout their entire lives. It's where they went from playing in camps themselves to playing alongside each other at Northside High. And it's where they hope to bring back a championship as they now play together on basketball's biggest stage.
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Joe and Williams are teammates on the OKC Thunder, which is facing the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals.
"Being in this position with a guy like Jaylin is pretty cool," Joe recently said with a smile. "Moments like this don't happen too often. ... I think it's something that's probably not going to hit until later in life, but it's cool."
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Oklahoma City's Jaylin Williams (6) slaps hands with Isaiah Joe (11) after a play in the third quarter against the Grizzlies during Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs at Paycom Center on April 20. Williams and Joe were also teammates at Northside High in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Not your average Joe
Eric Burnett would leave family gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas at a moment's notice.
All it took was a text from Joe.
"Coach B, can I get in the gym?"
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Burnett never said no to those requests while he was Northside's head coach. Not even during holidays, Sundays, early mornings or late nights.
He made countless impromptu drives to the school just to unlock the doors for Joe, who was equally eager to unlock new levels of his game.
"He kept the gym open for me any time that I wanted it," Joe said. "I really appreciate that. He gave me the access to go in at any time and just better my game and keep growing."
That wasn't the only way Burnett opened the door for Joe.
Oklahoma City Thunder players Jaylin Williams (left) and Isaiah Joe (right) pose for a photo during their time together with Northside High in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Joe was only in the seventh grade when Burnett allowed him to start working out with Northside's varsity team, since his junior high didn't have an offseason program. But that's where any form of special treatment ended.
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Once Joe stepped onto the court, Burnett pushed him just as hard as the high schoolers. And the 5-foot-10, 13-year-old kid grew up fast as a result.
"I didn't make it easy," Burnett told The Oklahoman. "We had some tough workouts, and I think that really helped Isaiah for when he got to high school because he had already been there and done that. He was able to blend right in and do well for us."
Joe did more than just blend in once he reached high school. He stood out.
Joe led Northside to a Class 7A state championship over North Little Rock as a junior in 2017. He averaged 18.8 points and 4.5 rebounds, and he became the standard for Fort Smith hoopers.
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That included Williams, who joined the team the following season as a sophomore.
"(Isaiah) was the first person who I saw work at a high level," Williams said. "I was seeing him work out before school, go home, shower, practice, work out after practice and then come back to practice again. ... He showed me what I needed to do if I wanted to get to the level that he was on."
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Forming the perfect storm
Whether it was the backyard of his childhood home or Tilles Park, Williams grew up on concrete courts. But even that didn't stop him from sprouting at a rapid rate.
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The future pro stood at 6-3 as a freshman and would often play a game called "Jelly or Jam" with his father, Michael. "Jelly" meant Williams would go for a layup, while "Jam" meant he would go for a dunk.
Williams usually chose the latter, especially after he experienced a growth spurt. He stretched to 6-10 as a sophomore and instantly formed a lethal duo with Joe.
"It was hard to stop those two, especially when I put them in a pick and roll," Burnett said. "What are you gonna do? Because Jaylin shot 3s in high school, too. We could do a pick and pop or roll him to the basket and let him post up. And Isaiah was a really good passer who read things well, so I did a lot of two-game with them."
Northside reached the state title game again that season for a rematch against North Little Rock. But its dominant duo wasn't at full strength.
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Williams came down with strep throat and the flu about a week before the game. That caused him to lose 20 pounds and left him bedridden.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) celebrates a basket with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) in the second half of the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Friday, March 8, 2024.
Burnett did all he could to help Williams recover. He even walked down the street from the team's hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to buy the big man some crackers, soup and Gatorade.
But Williams only played about three minutes in the title game before he had to sub out, and Northside suffered a 64-51 loss.
"I tried my hardest to go out there and play," said Williams, who led Northside to a 2019 state title after Joe's graduation. "I gave it my all, but we lost. Looking back, I wish I could change everything. I wish I could've won another one, but everything happens for a reason."
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Maybe that reason is to win an even bigger championship together.
After spending their college careers at Arkansas without overlapping, the Fort Smith natives were reunited in the NBA. OKC selected Williams in the second round (No. 34 overall) of the 2022 NBA Draft, and it signed Joe that same year.
Now, the duo could help the Thunder win its first title in franchise history.
"I've thought about it," Williams said when asked about that possibility. "It's crazy to think about it, but I think it'll sink in if it does happen. Us being able to share that with the state of Arkansas and the city of Fort Smith, that's when it'll really hit me if it does happen."
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More: The Jalen Williams Way: How OKC Thunder forward paved a path to stardom, NBA Finals
Fort Smith's hometown heroes
Former teachers and coaches of Williams and Joe will sometimes make the three-hour drive to Oklahoma City to watch them play.
The kids they spent so much time around are now men, and most of Williams' body has been covered in tattoos. But his most prominent piece sits on his right shoulder.
It's a tattoo of Northside with a dual street sign that reads "Fort Smith" and "Arkansas." Below that are his high school and college jerseys, accompanied by the phrase "Hometown Hero."
Williams still wears his love for Fort Smith on his sleeve. So does Joe, whose face lights up every time he talks about where he's from.
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That's all it takes for the memories to start flooding in.
"It's very important," Joe said of his roots. "I was born and raised there. I always have to show love to the people that supported me along the way. Without my hometown, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I wouldn't be in this position."
More: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has brushed past legacy. NBA Finals will put him in elite company.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @JTheSportsDude. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Inside Isaiah Joe, Jaylin Williams' path from Fort Smith to NBA Finals
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