The Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to hold off the surging San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference’s top seed. To do so, they’ll need first-time All-Star Chet Holmgren to continue his rise.
In the aftermath of the Thunder’s win on Friday over the Denver Nuggets, Holmgren’s appearance was humorously called out by Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
Charles Barkley Takes a Hilarious Shot at Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren
Barkley took a humorous jab at Holmgren while interviewing Thunderb guard teammate Alex Caruso after the game. Holmgren walked into the frame, prompting Barkley to say: “Alex, number one, tell Chet to put a shirt on. His body is not good enough to be walking around chest free.” Caruso agreed, adding: “It’s a bad look.”
Charles Barkley ROASTED Chet Holmgren for walking around shirtless ðŸ˜
“Tell Chet to put a shirt on. His body not good enough to be walking around chest free.”pic.twitter.com/R3WUu43fl8
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) February 28, 2026
Holmgren’s thin frame was one of the major concerns scouts had about his ability to reach his full potential coming out of college. The Thunder felt confident drafting him second overall in the 2022 draft. However, he missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn Lisfranc ligament in his right foot, raising further questions about his durability.
Holmgren debuted the following season and played in all 82 regular-season games, silencing doubters. While he remains thin, he has added weight, going from 195 pounds to 208 pounds. His determination and competitiveness have served as equalizers when he appears overmatched physically.
Holmgren had another impressive outing in the Thunder’s 127-121 overtime win over the Nuggets, scoring 15 points and grabbing a career-high 21 rebounds to complement Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 36 points and nine assists.
He has been a capable defender against Nuggets franchise star Nikola Jokić throughout his career, despite giving up 80 to 90 pounds in size. On Friday, Jokic was held to 23 points on 9-for-25 shooting.
His strong season continues, as he is averaging 17.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3% from the field. He has also been a defensive force, averaging 2.0 blocks per game and ranking third in the NBA with a 103.5 defensive rating. Holmgren has helped the Thunder stay competitive when reigning league MVP Gilgeous-Alexander and fellow star Jalen Williams have been sidelined.
As Holmgren continues his stellar play, humorous jabs about his frame, like Barkley’s, may persist, but the serious doubts are fading.
