Kenrich Williams Reveals What Makes Chet Holmgren Such an Impactful Defender

The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting ready to take on the Phoenix Suns on Friday night in the Paycom Center. Ahead of that clash, Kenrich Williams met with the media at this morning's shoot around.

When the veteran forward was asked what the most overlooked part of defense is at the NBA level, he said "Because the game is so offensive heavy, guarding without fouling. If you can do that, you become a solid NBA defender. The game is very offensive-heavy, it is definitely harder for defenders to defend in the NBA, so I would say just guarding without fouling."

That is a skill that usually takes time to develop. As a young player is adjusting to the high-level scorers, the pace of the league, athleticism and court spacing it is easy to get beat and lead to being out of position and thus fouling. It is so rare for rookies to be impactful on that end of the floor, and even more rare for two plus-defensive rookies to be on the same team.

I asked Kenrich Williams what’s the most overlooked part of defense in the NBA, “defending without fouling” pic.twitter.com/Lfbo6B5bp0
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) March 29, 2024

However, that is what the Oklahoma City Thunder have with Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace. Holmgren, who has played 72 games this season as the anchor of the Thunder defense fouled out of his first NBA game on Wednesday against the Rockets. Williams praise the Gonzaga product's ability on Friday morning.

“He’s done an amazing job. It’s been night and day since my first four years here. Just having that presence at the rim like Chet [Holmgren] has been for us this year," the forward said.

Holmgren only fouls 2.4 times per game, while Wallace is hit with 1.6 citations per tilt. The two certainly fall under Williams' rule for solid defense at the next level.

Other Shootaround notes:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is listed as doubtful for Friday's contest with the New York Knicks, went through a two-on-two workout with Thunder staffers at shootaround.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander running through some two-on-two work with the Thunder staff. pic.twitter.com/DHCh2TtOUQ
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) March 29, 2024

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is doubtful tonight with a quad injury, getting shots up at shoot around. pic.twitter.com/OC3ToT87S4
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) March 29, 2024

Williams discussed his first time meeting the OKC Thunder bench boss was at a local Hotel where Mark Daigneault caught him by surprise, "I didn't know who he was, to be honest with you," but the TCU product quickly bought into what the young coach was selling.

Kenrich Williams, talking about his first interaction with Mark Daigneault, said “I didn’t know who he was, to be honest with you.”

Says he soon realized he “checked every box as a coach. Even outside of coaching, just personality-wise, he checks every box.”
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) March 29, 2024

“[Mark Daigneault] checked every box as a coach. Even outside of coaching, just personality-wise, he checks every box,” Williams said. He shared the same sentiment that a member of Daigneault's first-ever G League team expressed.

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