All-Star Chet: Why Holmgren’s Ascension is Vital for OKC

Over the years, Oklahoma City has seen a variety of big threes. It started with the trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden (who was then replaced by Serge Ibaka). Eventually, Durant would go on to leave the Thunder in 2016, prompting a soft rebuild. That saw the new big three of Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony for a brief period.

Then came the current era of Thunder basketball. This one ended up as the most successful trio for the franchise. However, it also has the potential to have all three players as All-Stars in the coming season. Chet Holmgren’s case is definitely one for the ages at this point for OKC.

An Overdue Stardom

Oklahoma City’s unicorn center is one of the generational talents in the game. His budding rival Victor Wembanyama has already earned an All-Star nod for the first time last season, but Holmgren won a championship. Still, an All-Star status is a big plus to boost Chet’s standing in the rivalry talks.

After all, Holmgren’s All-Star potential is gaining traction among many fans and critics alike. He averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 32 regular season games. It is worth noting that he missed 39 games due to a pelvic injury, yet returned to finish the regular season.

He even ended up as a promising performer in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Holmgren also set the record for the most blocks in a decisive NBA Finals Game 7, where he had five blocks along with 18 points and eight rebounds. That kind of performance has the makings of a star all over it.

Does Holmgren Deserve to be a Star?

That’s the million-dollar question. Holmgren is entering his third year in the NBA, and any hopes of an All-Star run is definitely in the making at this point in time. Comparing him to Wembanyama, who equally had an abrupt second season, the Thunder center certainly has a lot of potential to offer. At this point, we all know that these two centers are going at it for the years to come.

That being said, Holmgren is due for a break as an All-Star this year. We saw him in MVP talks at the beginning of last season, so one can say that he can continue that trend to begin the next campaign. After all, he is still young and has a lot of room to grow, so the expectations are there.

If there’s one player who deserves a run at the All-Star status, it is definitely Chet Holmgren. That is going to play a huge role in the Thunder’s repeat chances at the NBA title, just as how J-Dub’s rise to prominence last year paid off.