Why OKC Thunder’s Two Stars in ESPN Top 50 Might Still Be Underrated

Oklahoma City has a big season ahead, as a quest to defend the title begins in a little over a month. The strength of this team is the depth of the roster, there's no doubt about it. But the individual talent on the roster is eye-popping, too.

ESPN has been rolling out player rankings for the upcoming season, and Oklahoma City's players have been active. As they debuted most of the Top 50 on Wednesday, both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams were included, and rightfully so.

Both players had a huge hand in the Thunder's NBA Finals run, and both players silenced plenty of doubters along the way too. Even though they are now getting the respect they deserve, each of them might still be underrated, and both for completely different reasons.

First, Holmgren slotted in at No. 24, which at first glance might appear pretty high for someone who missed most of the regular season last year. Anyone that follows Thunder basketball knows just how important and impactful he is, though.

It’s impossible to describe the impact he has on the defensive side of the ball, whether that’s blocking shots at the rim or simply altering them with his contests. Holmgren changes the entire defensive scheme when he’s on the floor and opposing offenses have to gameplan against him. Few players across the league have the impact he has defensively.

“Holmgren played a major role in Oklahoma City's championship run despite missing three months of the season with a fractured pelvis,” Tim MacMahon wrote. “He has proved himself as one of the most dominant defensive presences in the NBA, averaging 2.3 blocks per game during his career, and is scratching the surface of his offensive potential as a 7-footer with perimeter shooting touch, ballhandling skills and vision. Oklahoma City went 14-2 when Holmgren scored at least 20 points last season, including the playoffs.”

His offense is impressive, too, although he struggled to find his shot in the playoffs. Before he was injured, though, he looked like a potential 20-point, 10-rebound a game player, and he still has room to grow. 

Taking into account everything he brings to the floor on both sides of the ball, he could vault even higher up the board next season. Oklahoma City clearly saw what ESPN saw, because they paid him like a Top 30 player in the NBA, too. His impact is incredibly noticeable, and he’s quickly turning into one of the best young centers in the NBA.

Jalen Williams, on the other hand, slotted in at No. 11 — which feels like the perfect spot for him. His ranking doesn’t fall into the category of underrated — but the public response to his ranking proves that he is still wildly underrated as a player.

“Williams, a mid-major prospect who flew under the radar until late in the draft process, has improved by leaps and bounds in each of his three NBA seasons, elevating to elite status in his third year,” MacMahon wrote. “His contributions to the Thunder's title run -- especially his 40-point performance in the pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals -- would have been impressive under any circumstances. The fact that he played the entire postseason with torn ligaments in his shooting wrist that required surgery, never uttering a peep of complaint, will forever be part of the franchise's lore.”

Williams completed the trifecta a season ago, being named an All-Star, making an All-NBA team, and snagging a spot on an All-Defensive team too. Media outlets and NBA writers understand what Thunder fans know — Williams is a legitimate Top 15 player in the NBA, but the average fan seems to be taking a bit longer to warm up to the idea.

His rapid ascension is hard to even fathom, and he has room to get even better. His offensive game is impressive, but what's pushing his status into Top 10 category is his defense. He's already one of the best all-around defenders in the league and has been asked to guard every position.

It's clear that Oklahoma City is in great hands and paying the right players. And it's almost expected that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will finish out the Thunder's list of Top 50 players with a spot in the Top 2.