Why OKC Thunder Chet Holmgren Should Make All-NBA Team

Chet Holmgren wasn't happy with the film as he watched back the Oklahoma City Thunder's finals run back last Summer. Everyone else was ecstatic. His historic Game 7, which featured 18 points, eight rebounds, a steal and a jaw-dropping five blocks helped put the Thunder past the Pacers en route to the organization's first championship.

Holmgren near he could be better. Though, everyone else was just impressed to see the seven-footer on the hardwood after fracturing his hip back in November a never before seen NBA injury which Sam Presti described as the most pain he has ever seen a player in.

"When Chet got injured, [Jaylin Williams] and [Isaiah Hartenstein] are the ones that helped him off the floor. In all my years doing this, I've never, ever seen a player in that much pain. I mean, it was really tough. Hart and J-Will stayed with him the whole time in the back, and it was uncomfortable. It was uncomfortable because when someone is in that much pain, it's hard to be a bystander. You know what I mean?," Presti recounted back in June.

To be a defensive anchor on a title team after that adversity is impressive. Though, Holmgren lived up to his personal assessment. He returned to the 2025-26 campaign a better player.

This season the Gonzaga product has posted a career high 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.9 blocks and half a steal per game while shooting a career best 55% from the floor, 36% from beyond the arc and 79% from the charity stripe.

Holmgren played in 69 games this season for Oklahoma City, helping guide the Thunder to the best record in the NBA for the second straight season and their third straight No. 1 seed. each year that the Thunder seven footer has logged a minute in the Bricktown Ballers have sat atop the West.

In the Thunder's injury riddled season, Holmgren has played in the third most games during the 2025-26 campaign.

Holmgren ranks in the 92nd percentile in half court offense and has been a stellar play finisher turning in 1.306 points per possession as a pick-and-roll man, 1.4 points per possession as a cutter, 1.2 points per possession in transition and over a point per possession on post up chances. Holmgren shoots 38% on catch-and-shoot.

The Gonzaga product only lets up 46% shooting at the rim ranking in the 93rd percentile as an elite rim protector, He ranks in the 88th percentile in the entire NBA as a defender according to synergy and has played at a truly historic level on that end of the floor and if not for Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama would be a lock for Defensive Player of the Year.

Holmgren is a lock for first team All-Defensive. Though, he has a strong case to make All-NBA outright.

With the new 65 game rule, that leaves a ton of typical shoe-ins for the honor out of the picture. When trying to cast your ballot for the third team All-NBA roster, who else would you put on the third team?

Currently, my unofficial ballot features Jalen Duren, Holmgren, Jalen Johnson, Tyrese Maxey and Deni Avdija. The first two squads after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic (Pending Expection) and Jaylen Brown. The second team is littered with Donovan Mitchell, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant and Jamal Murray.

This would be the Thunder's second straight season with two All-NBA players on its roster.