OKC Thunder fans will likely be rejoicing on February 15th, when they watch big man Chet Holmgren play in his first career All-Star Game.
The reserves were announced on February 1st, and the selection of the big man did not come without criticism, as Holmgren received the nod over numerous other big-time names across the Western Conference landscape.
Two of the most high-profile snubs were Kawhi Leonard and Alperen Sengun, both of whom built strong cases for All-Star recognition amidst career years.
Kawhi is looking like his prime self, averaging 27.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, and has almost single-handedly revived the LA Clippers' season.
Sengun, meanwhile, is looking like the second coming of Nikola Jokic, averaging 21.0 points to go along with 9.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists.
The NBA is sending a strong message in favor of the Thunder
Holmgren's selection over these stars sends a message to the rest of the league: the NBA is buying into the Thunder brand of basketball.
When comparing basic offensive numbers side by side, Holmgren doesn't appear to come close to these aforementioned ballers.
Head coach Mark Daigneault, however, has not required him to be an offensive guru.
He has asked him to buy into the Thunder's battle-tested philosophy of playing lockdown defense while maintaining offensive efficiency.
What doesn't show up on the basic stat sheet is how much of a defensive disruptor Holmgren has been in the post. Not only is he third in the league in blocks per game, but his defensive field goal percentage of 49.3 percent in the paint is the best in the NBA among players who have defended at least 200 attempts.
As a result, he has helped the Thunder allow just 40.3 points per game in the paint, the fewest in the league.
Chet has also been the definition of efficient on the offensive side of the ball.
While Sengun and Leonard clearly have the statistical advantage in terms of volume, Holmgren's field goal percentage of 56.6 easily bests their 49.5 and 50.0 percent clips, respectively.
Holmgren also has a true shooting percentage of 65.7, topping Kawhi's mark of 62.5 percent and Sengun's 55.4 percent by wide margins.
Hard-nosed play-style of Thunder has not gone unnoticed
The decision to send the Thunder's big man to All-Star Weekend over other deserving players is a message that winning matters.
Various factors play into a team's win-loss record, and winning requires more than just lighting up the box score.
While Thunder fans celebrate their seven-footer's first career All-Star appearance, the majority of the league is fuming over their team's lack of representation.
However, Homgren's bid is the NBA's way of reminding fans that basketball is more than just who can stuff a stat sheet -- it's about what a player can do to help his team win ball games.