Oklahoma City Thunder X-Factor For The 2025-26 Season - Chet Holmgren

It’s hard enough to win an NBA title; it’s even harder to repeat as champion. Ask any player with a ring, and they will tell you. The Oklahoma City Thunder face that task this season, and one of the names that stands out as a potential game-changer is Chet Holmgren.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams command the headlines as the focal points of the team, especially SGA—who will once again be a frontrunner for MVP honors—Holmgren’s ability to impact the game on both ends of the court often goes underappreciated.

Standing 7’1” with a seven-foot wingspan, Holmgren provides the Thunder with the modern-day stretch big man that has become extremely valuable in today’s NBA. With his ability to protect the rim and also step out to the perimeter to guard smaller, more agile players, Holmgren’s bread and butter is his defensive flexibility. Averaging 6.5 defensive rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and nearly a steal per game, Holmgren’s versatile skill set is key to the Thunder’s defensive strategies.

Offensively, Holmgren’s ability to play in the paint, at the high post, or step out to shoot the long ball is vital to the Thunder’s offense. A pick-and-pop/lob threat with SGA allows the Thunder’s point guard to be creative with the ball while opening up the floor. While his numbers took the slightest dip in his sophomore season with the arrival of Isaiah Hartenstein, Holmgren’s ability to score from multiple positions and also put the ball on the floor helps to improve OKC’s offensive spacing dramatically, making them significantly harder to defend.

The question that always follows Holmgren and one that will have a severe impact on the Thunder’s ability to repeat as NBA Champions is whether the third-year big man can remain healthy. After missing his entire true rookie season, he played 82 games during his first year in the league, only to be sidelined for 50 regular-season games last year. Although the Thunder have depth up front, losing Holmgren for an extended period can seriously affect their entire defensive playbook. 

For a team looking to secure its second straight title, Holmgren provides elite-level production in a complementary role, the sign of a true X-factor. While he doesn’t demand the ball or need multiple touches to impact the game, Holmgren can drop 20+ points on any given night—taking over the offense—or play a supporting role and dominate the game defensively. If he can find a way to stay on the floor, the Thunder’s path to back-to-back titles will be that much smoother.