To the rest of the OKC Thunder, Thursday's bout against the Minnesota Timberwolves may just be another matchup on their 82-game schedule. However, for Chet Holmgren, it's his final opportunity to prove that he belongs in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
Last week, the league officially announced the starters for the illustrious mid-season exhibition, and, to no one's surprise, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was selected for the fourth consecutive year.
Now, with the February 1 reveal for All-Star back-ups rapidly approaching, Holmgren has one more outing to solidify his spot in the contest for the first time in his career.
Chet Holmgren has one more game to make his case for All-Star nod
It goes without saying that Holmgren is amid a career-best campaign here in 2025-26.
Following an injury-riddled sophomore go-around, the 23-year-old has bounced back onto the scene in a major way, as he's boasting sensational, all-around averages of 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from distance.
On top of this, his efforts on the less glamorous side of the ball have been truly riveting, as he ranks third in the league in total blocks (85) and second in defensive win shares while boasting a ridiculous defensive rating of 102.7 and holding opponents to a mere 42.5 percent shooting from the floor.
Through the halfway point of the season, Holmgren is widely considered to be the favorite to take home this year's Defensive Player of the Year award.
With all this in mind, it's only right to assume that he fits the criteria to be sent to the Intuit Dome for February's star-studded event.
Fortunately, the numbers aren't the only ones speaking on behalf of Holmgren, as Gilgeous-Alexander, arguably the best player in the league, recently laid out a verbal argument for his running mate's claim to an All-Star nod, stating that it's no coincidence that the Thunder are the number one team in the NBA with him serving as a foundational piece.
It's a widely accepted trend that the top teams in the league, particularly the top team finds multiple players representing their franchise in the All-Star Game.
Last year, the Thunder were on the receiving end of this when they saw both SGA and Jalen Williams repping the blue, orange, and white out in San Francisco.
With Thursday's game against the T-Wolves serving as their last before Sunday's reserves announcement, expect Holmgren to try and make his final on-court argument for why he's deserving of his first-ever selection.