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In two seasons, young big man Chet Holmgren helped the Oklahoma City Thunder claim the throne of NBA immortality after winning the 2025 NBA Finals. Despite that early success, he is not getting complacent with where’s at.
Holmgren has been resilient through the start of his NBA career, going through injuries as he missed the entire 2022-23 campaign because of it. He went on to play all of the 2023-24 season, helping the Thunder win 58 games and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
The 2024-25 campaign was rough for Holmgren, missing 50 games this time around. Despite this, he was healthy to end the season and for all of the playoffs, showcasing his skillset as a versatile center en route to championship success.
Holmgren has delivered a lot of promise to begin his career but knows he still has plenty of work to do. This summer, he has been spending time with shooting coach Drew Hanlen, who has worked with Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum, Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey among others.
Holmgren revealed he has been working on his outside touch throughout the offseason and leaned on Hanlen for pointers, according to NBA.com.
“I’ve been working on my shot all summer. Even before you, I got out of here with Drew,” Holmgren said. “Just continuing to work on that stuff. Working on being on balance, playing off of bumps, slowing down.”
Holmgren’s taken on Hanlen’s meticulous approach. Improving his shooting is the first of many goals he made for himself going into next season.
“The attention to detail,” Holmgren said. “Two people can do the same move, but it really takes perfection to really make the move effective. And he doesn’t let anybody slip up on the details. If he sees something, he’s going to say something.”
“Continue to improve. Continue to get better. I have a lot of personal goals, but if I don’t do that, none of that happens.”
“I’ve been working on my shot all summer… Working on being on balance, playing off of bumps, slowing down.”
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) August 26, 2025
What’s Next For Chet Holmgren, Thunder
GettyChet Holmgren #7 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder react against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on May 26, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Chet Holmgren knows full well that his rise as a star in the NBA is only growing. It only stops if he decides he’s content with his current skillset, something he showed he won’t let get in the way of his growth.
In the 32 regular-season games Holmgren played last season, he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and two assists per game. He shot 49% from the field, including 37.9% from beyond the arc, and 75.4% from the free-throw line.
Holmgren maintained his level of play in the postseason. He produced 15.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He shot 46.2% overall, including 29.7% from downtown, and 78.4% from the charity stripe.
Holmgren experiences his highs and lows throughout the first years of his young career. However, he showcased the resilience to overcome his obstacles while being persistent in getting better year in and year out. Defending their title, the Thunder will look forward to his growth when he suits up for his third season.
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