3 Thunder players who exceeded expectations on the way to No. 1 seed

Chet Holmgren

Chet Holmgren had an instant impact as soon as he burst onto the scene for the OKC Thunder. 

The second pick of last year’s draft, Holmgren played his first NBA game this season after being sidelined all 2022-23 with injury and defied any health-related concerns along with people’s expectations stemming from his lean stature. 

The 7-foot-1 big played and started in all 82 games, making him and teammate Cason Wallace the only rookies to play the entire season. These not only dismissed the expectations about his body not holding up in the league but also proved his worth as a long-term investment for the Thunder. 

Holmgren registered impressive averages of 16.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, adding elite rim-protecting and floor-stretching dynamics to the Thunder’s two-way ethos. 

He also made the most three-pointers in a rookie season for the team with 129 makes. Holmgren also passed franchise legend Russell Westbrook for the most points as a rookie in franchise history with a total of 1,357. 

The thing about Chet is that people know he's good. Of course, few understand and appreciate how great he is for the Thunder, as he played a key role in lifting them to the number one seed in one of the toughest Western Conference races in recent memory. 

Certainly, Holmgren and the rest of the Thunder have a lot of expectations to succeed sooner rather than later.