Chet Holmgren has made significant strides in becoming one of the best young players at his position in the NBA.
Seeing how his fellow co-star has come around to having a strong season, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made a firm endorsement for Holmgren as All-Star Week is just a month away.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-Star Praise for Holmgren
Holmgren has dealt with injuries early in his professional career. He missed the 2022-23 season due to injury, played the entire regular season the year after, then played only 32 games during the Thunder’s title run.
This campaign saw Holmgren take a turn in the right direction. He has appeared in 36 of Oklahoma City’s 42 games so far, playing a major role in the team’s hot start as it defends its title.
Holmgren has become more active on the offensive side of the ball. He is averaging 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.6 assists per game. He is shooting 57.5% from the field, including 37.4% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.
Seeing career highs in scoring and shooting accuracy from Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander has enjoyed the growth from his star teammate. He even said as much following the Thunder’s 111-91 blowout win over the Houston Rockets on Jan. 15, per reporter Brandon Rahbar.
“Chet is most definitely an All Star. From the moment he stepped foot on the court with the basketball team, we’ve been #1 in the West. That’s no coincidence,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Holmgren took on the matchup against Alperen Sengun, who will likely be in the conversation for an All-Star selection for the second consecutive year. The former actually prevailed over the latter in this contest, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. Sengun only had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists.
What Lies Ahead for Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder?
Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed representing the Thunder in last year’s All-Star Week en route to winning MVP and leading the franchise to the NBA title. He would certainly have the pleasure of having Holmgren join him for the festivities while keeping their team in an elite status as title contenders.
Oklahoma City possesses the best record in the entire league with a 35-7 display midway through the 2025-26 season. They have a 6.5-game edge over the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference standings.
Rolling with five consecutive wins, the Thunder continue progressing through their four-game road trip. They take on the Miami Heat on Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET, and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 21 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
