When the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the reaction was mixed. He was the most physically unusual prospect in years — 7-foot-1, 195 pounds, with a wingspan that made him look like a human coat hanger. He missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury. Skeptics wondered if his frame could hold up to the physical demands of an 82-game NBA season.
Three years later, Holmgren is the defensive anchor of the best team in the NBA and a Finals starter. Here is how it happened.
The Injury Year and What It Built
Missing the 2022-23 season was devastating in the moment but may have been the best thing that happened to Holmgren's development. He spent the year adding weight — going from 190 to 205 pounds — working on his footwork, and studying film obsessively. Players who miss significant time early in their careers often return with a more refined understanding of how to use their physical tools because they have had to think about the game rather than just react to it.
When Holmgren returned in 2023-24, he was immediately one of the best shot-blockers in the league. His 2.4 blocks per game ranked third in the NBA despite playing only 29 minutes per night. More importantly, his positioning and timing were already at an elite level — he was not just blocking shots, he was altering them, forcing opponents into difficult angles and contested finishes.
The Offensive Evolution
What separates Holmgren from most defensive-first big men is his offensive versatility. He shoots 38.4% from three on high volume, making him a genuine floor-spacer at the center position. This is not a minor detail — it is the reason OKC's offense functions at an elite level. When Holmgren is on the floor, opposing centers cannot sag into the paint to help on SGA drives. They have to respect his three-point threat, which opens driving lanes for every guard on the roster.
He has also developed a reliable mid-range game and the footwork to score in the post against smaller defenders. He is not a primary post scorer, but the threat is real enough to demand attention.
The Defensive Impact
Advanced metrics consistently rank Holmgren among the top five defenders in the league. His Defensive Box Plus/Minus of +4.2 leads all centers. He protects the rim, switches onto guards in pick-and-roll situations, and communicates defensive rotations at a level usually associated with veterans in their late 20s.
His most underrated defensive skill is his ability to contest without fouling. He averages only 2.1 personal fouls per 36 minutes — exceptional for a rim protector. This keeps him on the floor in foul trouble situations that would bench most big men.
The SGA Partnership
The Holmgren-SGA partnership is the foundation of OKC's success. They complement each other almost perfectly. SGA's isolation scoring draws defensive attention and collapses defenses; Holmgren's pick-and-pop shooting punishes the help. SGA's playmaking creates open looks for Holmgren cutting to the rim; Holmgren's rim protection covers for the defensive lapses that SGA's aggressive gambling on steals occasionally creates.
They have played together for two full seasons and have developed the kind of intuitive on-court communication that usually takes five or six years to build. In crunch time, OKC runs their two-man game with a confidence that suggests they have already seen every coverage an opponent can throw at them.
What the Finals Mean for His Legacy
Holmgren is 23 years old and already in the NBA Finals. If OKC wins, he becomes one of the youngest champions in league history and the centerpiece of what could be a dynasty-level team. Even if they lose, his trajectory is clear: he is already one of the five best centers in the NBA and improving every season.
The skeptics who questioned his frame, his durability, and his ability to compete physically against the league's best have been answered. The question now is not whether Holmgren can survive in the NBA — it is how many championships he will win.