OKC Thunder: Can Chet Holmgren Make an All-Defensive Team?

Chet Holmgren is in a position to join some elite company next season.

The rookie big man could become just the sixth player in NBA history to be selected to an all-defensive team. He would be the first to do so since Tim Duncan made it in 1998.

Last season, OKC was in the middle of the pack defensively. Part of what held the Thunder back was their need for an interior presence. The Thunder were near the bottom of the league in blocks. Forwards Aleksej Pokusevski and Darius Bazley helped protect the rim at various points throughout the season, but did not provide an intimidating presence.

Holmgren should be a significant upgrade over Jaylin Williams as the starting center, especially on defense. Holmgren’s 7-foot-1, 208-pound frame will help the Thunder match up better with the rest of the league’s centers.

In his one season at Gonzaga, Holmgren averaged 3.7 blocks. While the rookie will likely not reach that number with the Thunder next season, he may be among the league’s leaders in that category.

While a high block number would raise Holmgren’s all-defensive chances, he could entirely transform the Thunder’s defense. He will have his struggles with smaller, quicker guards, but he is a safety valve that did not exist last season. When an opponent gets past the perimeter defense next season, instead of an easy layup or a light contest, Holmgren will be there to affect those shots.

Minor differences like altering a few more shots at the rim each game could change the Thunder’s season. With how active the Thunder are at forcing turnovers, Holmgren’s presence could turn them into a top defense.

Most importantly, Holmgren will help the Thunder finish defensive possessions. Last season, the Thunder ranked 29th in defensive rebound percentage. Holmgren is a skilled rebounder and may help turn the Thunder into an elite rebounding team.

With his versatile defensive skills, Holmgren should find himself in the discussion for an all-defensive spot if all goes well next season. However, after missing all of last season due to injury, staying on the court could be his biggest obstacle.

Next season under the new collective bargaining agreement, players must play at least 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season honors. Assuming Holmgren can stay healthy, that 65-game threshold could be his ticket to an all-defensive team.

Under the new CBA, all-defensive teams will also be position-less. This means Holmgren only has to be one of the 10 best defenders overall, according to voters, rather than being locked into competition at his position.

If Holmgren earns an all-defensive selection next season he would join Duncan, David Robinson, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only rookies to do so in NBA history.

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