Chet Holmgren’s actual impact still gets overshadowed, as the jump he’s made this season will be imperative this postseason.
In each of his first three seasons, he has helped lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, including back-to-back No. 1 overall seeds.
Now, with two playoff runs under him, the 2026 NBA Playoffs give Holmgren the most to gain among his peers.
Holmgren Has the Most to Gain
In his first playoff action, during the 2024 Playoffs, playing every game (92 games in total) during his redshirt rookie season, he missed his first year due to a Lisfranc injury.
Holmgren’s real value was realized during Oklahoma City’s first run, before the team eventually lost in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks. The on and off numbers not only highlighted his impact, but also the lack of front-court depth outside of Holmgren.
During Oklahoma City’s run, Holmgren averaged 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 49.6% from the floor, 26% from beyond the arc, and 75.8% from the free-throw line. In 10 games, he averaged a +7.5 plus-minus.
Adversity has been the pinnacle of Holmgren’s early NBA career. After missing 39 consecutive games (from November 11, 2024 – February 5, 2025) due to a hip fracture, he would later return — clearly a step slow and not fully himself, anchoring the Thunder’s defense en route to capturing its first-ever championship.
During the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Holmgren averaged 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the floor, 29.7% from the 3-point line, and 78.4% from the free-throw line while averaging +7.3 plus-minus in 23 games.
Despite a short off-season, Holmgren stayed healthy and came into the 2025-26 season a better player. Resulting in becoming a first-time All-Star, a lock for All-Defensive first-team + second in Defensive Player of the Year, and potentially making an All-NBA team.
The eye test will show Holmgren’s improvements in his fluidity, strides in his play-finishing, and a leap defensively, with his ability to shut down the paint and defend in space, and a better understanding of how to utilize his length to cover and recover.
When the Thunder spoke to the media after Tuesday’s practice, Head Coach Mark Daigneault had the ultimate confidence in Holmgren, saying:
“We’re gonna get a better version of him in this year’s playoffs than we’ve had in previous playoff runs. I also don’t think this year will be his best year of basketball in his career.”
As the Thunder attempts to become the first team to repeat since the 2018 Golden State Warriors. If the Thunder completes the mission, Holmgren can put together a signature postseason. He can catapult himself into the upper echelon and cement himself as one of the best two-way players in the league.
Main Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
