Two Thunder Stars Rank Lower Than Expected In NBA Player Ranking

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have something to prove this season after seeing their NBA player rankings.

Apr 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) screams after dunking against the Phoenix Suns in the first half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Did a disappointing season make the Thunder players seem less dominant?

The NBA’s player ranking has continued, this time revealing players ranked numbers 50-11. The Thunder are fortunate enough to have two players in this ranking, but where they fall doesn’t seem quite right. 

No. 25 Jalen Williams

Now, it makes sense that Williams would slide down the list a bit due to injuries this past season, but sliding from No. 11 last year to No. 25 seems to be overkill. There is no reason to believe that a fully healthy Williams isn’t one of the best players in the world, and he will be looking to prove that this upcoming year. 

Even after being riddled with injuries last season, Williams still showed flashes of greatness in the time he played. The star wing averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, numbers any team would dream of a key player putting up. 

The slide in ranking could be because Williams does have a reputation to uphold after being named to the All-NBA Third Team during the 2024-25 season, and couldn’t live up to the hype due to these injuries. Williams will be looking to prove this season that his ranking is nowhere near the right spot for him, and that he is only going to continue to get better. 

No. 24 Chet Holmgren

One spot above his star teammate is Holmgren, and his spot also seems to be disrespectful. Holmgren ranked at this exact same spot going into last season and was placed here again, even after having a much better overall season. 

Holmgren made a jump this past season, averaging 17.1 points per game, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. This improvement in the big man’s play seems as if it should be rewarded with a better rank, yet it stayed exactly the same.

 One reason for this could be the performance Holmgren put up in the Western Conference Finals, something that has seemed to loom over him all offseason. One bad series doesn’t seem like it should overpower a whole season of improvement, but unfortunately, how you end the season is all that matters. 

Both Williams and Holmgren had unfortunate things happen during their season, but both have the ability to push past it and shine this coming year. While having two players in the top 25 is something to brag about, OKC knows that these two stars can be even better when this list is revealed next year.