OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 9: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates after a slam dunk during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Paycom Center on March 9, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

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As he has tried to leap forward with his towering 7-foot-1 frame, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren realized those jumps don’t always happen immediately.

“My understanding of urgency with patience has gotten a lot better,” Holmgren said. “Early on, I would try to win the Super Bowl on every single play.”

Understood. Holmgren prides himself on displaying championship habits. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called Holmgren “the ultimate winner” after earning the consensus National High School Player of the Year (2021), leading Gonzaga to a Sweet 16 appearance as college basketball’s best defender (2022) and becoming the Thunder’s prized No. 2 pick (2022).

Then, Holmgren discovered that growth doesn’t always move in a linear fashion. He missed his entire rookie season after rupturing a tendon in his right foot in a summer-league pro-am game and needing surgery immediately afterwards. Following a fully healthy campaign in 2023-24, Holmgren then missed 50 more games last season partly because he fractured his right hip and pelvis following a mid-air collision.

Since then, Holmgren’s patience has paid off. Last season, Holmgren still played a pivotal role in helping the Thunder win their first NBA championship. This season, Holmgren has averaged a career-high 17.1 points on 55.7% shooting, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. Holmgren finished second behind Spurs center Victor Wembanyama for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. And the top-seeded Thunder may sweep the Phoenix Suns in their first-round playoff series in Game 4 on Monday partly because of Holmgren’s strong two-way presence.

“I can be and should be a lot better in a lot of areas. But I’m continuing to trust the work that I do over the summer and the work that I do during the season,” Holmgren said. “Then credit to my teammates and coaches for putting me in a good position to go out and be successful. The game will be a lot harder without playing with guys that want to play the right way and do things the right way.”

After all, the Thunder appear ready to defend their NBA championship for other reasons. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appears to be the favorite to win the NBA’s regular-season MVP award for a second consecutive season. OKC has enough wing depth to absorb Jalen Williams’ various injuries, including the past two games with a strained right hamstring. The Thunder have leaned on Isaiah Hartenstein both to complement Holmgren and offset his 13-game absence related to his back (seven), unspecified illnesses (three), right hip (two )and shin (one).

Nonetheless, Daigneault likened Holmgren’s two-way presence as “rocket fuel.” Gilgeous-Alexander argued “it’s no coincidence and no fluke” that the Thunder became a playoff contender immediately after drafting Holmgren.

“Chet helps everybody,” Daigneault said. “He’s cleaning up people’s messes at the rim and on the defensive end. He creates space on offense with his perimeter spacing and his vertical spacing with rolls and his versatility. He’s an enhancer of his teammates.”

Holmgren has enhanced his teammates in various ways. He and Hartenstein complement each other with their post-up game, passing and rim protection without getting in each other’s way. Hartenstein makes his backcourt and wing teammates more comfortable with taking defensive risks because he can block and alter shots consistently. Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren have both received open shots off the pick-and-roll because defenders often face an impossible decision on which player to cover more.

“The biggest thing with Chet is Chet can do that every night he goes out there,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Some nights, we don’t need him and he doesn’t do it and he figures it out another way. But Chet is always available and ready for whatever the team needs to win games.”

In fairness, Holmgren suffered major injuries for reasons beyond his control. He twisted his right ankle while defending Lakers star LeBron James during a pro-am game. Holmgren fractured his right hip last season after former Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins collided into him while he was airborne. No one was at fault for those plays.

Regardless, Holmgren has prioritized strength training and recovery during the offseason and throughout the offseason to maximize his best chances to stay relatively healthy. The 208-pound Holmgren also doesn’t shy away from contact. Even as the Thunder absorbed their opponent’s best shot with effort and physicality, Holmgren entered the postseason with strong reviews about his durability.

“I feel pretty good,” Holmgren said. “Nobody feels perfect right now. If you’re feeling perfect, you’re not playing hard enough. Everybody Is aching some pain somewhere and dealing with something. But I would definitely say I’m on the lighter end of things like that. I feel pretty good.”

Holmgren can say the same thing about his play.

The Thunder noted that Holmgren and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić are the lone NBA players this season to average at least 17 points and eight rebounds while also shooting at least 55% from the field and 35% from 3-point range. OKC added Holmgren has held opponents to a 44.9% mark on shots at the rim.

Holmgren maintained that he has “a long ways to go” with his development. Holmgren has still helped the Thunder’s chances to defend their NBA title by becoming more patient with creating those championship habits.

“Now that I’ve played a lot of games, I understand a lot more with just putting pressure on other teams for over 48 minutes,” Holmgren said. “They’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to find cracks. You’re going to find opportunities. So it’s not always about trying to force anything on one single play. It’s more so about having the right amount of pressure that you put on the other team.”