OKC Thunder Extends Rising Star Chet Holmgren

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of a busy offseason. Not long ago, the Thunder staked its claim to its first NBA championship, defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City got off the parade floats and headed into the war room to conduct the 2025 NBA Draft. After introducing the rookies to the local media, it was onto the real work of the offseason.

After already swinging a trade to lean Dillon Jones in Washington and re-signed bench standouts Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell, along with extending superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The extensions didn't stop there though.

The latest, a long-term pact for the lone top-five pick on the Thunder's championship roster, Chet Holmgren. As first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN, Holmhren will be signing a fully guaranteed five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $250 million

The Gonzaga product was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and has only played a year and a half of NBA basketball after suffering a pair of fluke injuries. One, a Lisfranc Fracture in August of 2022, the other on Nov. 10 against the Golden State Warriors as Holmgren splattered on the floor to fracture his hip.

Holmgren attacked the rehab process hard to get back on the floor sooner than expected during the 2024-25 campaign, providing a massive boost to the Thunder's historically great defense during the NBA Playoffs with glimmers of his old self offensively popping through now and again.

Now, the rising star is locked up under club control with the hope that he continues to develop and reach his ceiling as a unicorn player on both ends.

Already, Holmgren represents one of the best defenders the NBA has to offer with his elite rim protection and ability to defend in space at his size. Further removed from his hip fracture, his 3-point shot should come back around.

At times throughout his career, Holmgren has looked like a legit threat off the catch as a scorer for the Thunder. If he returns to form in that setting, the sky is the limit for the Oklahoma City big man.