Chet Holmgren's Health to be Paramount in Upcoming Season for OKC Thunder

A hot topic of the young Oklahoma City core has continuously surrounded Chet Holmgren.

As a 7-foot-1, versatile hybrid big, he's always been on the frailer side—not the weak side, but the frailer side. Think of the likes of Kevin Garnett, Kevin Durant. He's that type of guy. Thin but not a liability, skinny but not inept, he's always shown he's had that dog in him since his Gonzaga days—quite literally as a Bulldog.

But even though Garnett and Durant were always at the top of their respective competitive fields in their hay day.

Garnett with a significant injury on his right knee back in 2009 took him out for the rest of the season and the playoffs, a year where the Boston Celtics could have rivaled the Los Angeles Lakers once again. But without him, it was an uphill battle as the Orlando Magic knocked the Celtics out in the second round of the playoffs.

Durant, when he suffered a Jones fracture on the Thunder in 2014, and again when he tore his achilles back in 2019, now he's still competing at a high level—coming into this season as a Houston Rocket.

Saying this, Holmgren has already suffered two serious injuries in his short span of two seasons being on the floor in the NBA. What would have been his first season in the league back in 2022 was cut off entirely due to a Lisfranc fracture he suffered in a Pro-Am game, opening discussion for his longevity and if he could handle the physicality in the NBA.

Coming off that injury in his rookie season, Holmgren silenced those doubts. He'd play in all 82 games in 2023-24, putting out an impressive rookie campaign with 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks on average. He'd competed in a full season plus some games in the postseason, showing he was capable of standing tall and staying available.

The next season, a year ago, Holmgren suffered another serious injury—a right iliac wing fracture which sidelined him from early November up until early February. He'd bounce back when he returned, but his absence for that period was felt. And again, it raised questions about his durability as a 208-pound forward.

Now, heading into Oklahoma City's 2025-26 campaign following a championship-winning season, this is set to be a breakout year for Holmgren. A year that separates himself even further from his peers—but for that to happen, he needs to stay on that floor donning that Thunder uniform.