Why Jalen Williams ignores Stephen A. Smith, critics: 'I don't really care. I got a ring'

After winning an NBA championship, Jalen Williams has been given the chance to run plenty of victory laps. While he's done so with some, others he has left open — such as national talking heads who doubted his credibility as the second-best player on a title team.

Williams was asked to address any of his critics. He continues to enjoy an offseason filled with celebration as he recovers from wrist surgery. The 24-year-old recently appeared on the "Out The Mud" podcast with Zach Randolph and Tony Allen to talk about several subjects.

Egged on by Allen to shut his doubters up, Williams went the other way. He said doing that would admit he cared about their words from the start. Instead, he downplayed the outside noise when the Thunder were the center of the NBA world during their playoff quest.

"That's the media. I'm never going to be perfect to anybody and I'm not. I don't really need the league to give me flowers. I don't really care. I got a ring," Williams said. "Even the Stephen A. thing, he goes from inconsistent to now we're the top-one duo. I understand how it go. I understand how the game go. There's gotta be something to talk about."

Williams said he's cognizant of the NBA business. It's a gravy train that everybody is trying to rob their own piece. For media personalities like Smith, that means needing to grab the attention of the average fan by any means necessary. Even if that means looking like you're talking out of both sides of your mouth or rubbing some players the wrong way. Attention is all that matters.

"It's like the news. The news is always negative. There ain't never no positive news on," Williams said. "I'm not dumb. I got social media."

That's probably the right approach to have for Williams. He's one of the best players in the league, which means there's an endless amount of feedback about his game — both good and bad. You can't get yourself too soaked up in it or risk letting it influence how you play on the court.

Jalen Williams on his critics:

"That's the media. I'm never going to be perfect to anybody and I'm not. I don't really need the league to give me flowers. I don't really care. I got a ring."

Also specifically called out Stephen A. Smith

(via @OutTheMudTL) pic.twitter.com/WkoypPhNIS

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) August 28, 2025

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Why Jalen Williams ignores Stephen A. Smith, critics: 'I got a ring'