OKC Thunder Must Maximize Chet Holmgren's Interior Touch

Chet Holmgren brings consistent defense and shooting to the Thunder table, yet his finishing ability might be his most special trait.

Feb 6, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) shoots a layup against Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

After missing his scheduled rookie year with a Lisfranc injury, Chet Holmgren displayed why the Thunder valued him so highly throughout his first season in Oklahoma City. The 2022 No. 2 pick helped boost the team's defensive rating to the fourth-lowest in the league with excellent rim protection, drop coverage and perimeter switchability.

On the other end, he transformed the Thunder's offense into a five-out system, attempting the fifth-most 3-pointers and making the third-most triples of all centers last season. He thrived on catch-and-shoot looks above the break, where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey found him on half-court pick-and-pops and running behind flare screens in transition.

Holmgren is a great outside shooter for his position, but he excels even more on rim attempts. His 7-foot-1 height and 7-foot-6 wingspan give him clear physical advantages, and his mobility, positioning and touch make containing him down low a monumental task. Holmgren also improved his rim finishing as the season went along.

Month	Rim Shooting Totals	Rim Shooting Percentage
October	6-for-8	75.0%
November	38-for-51	74.5%
December	37-for-50	74.0%
January	39-for-52	75.0%
February	35-for-44	79.5%
March	40-for-50	80.0%
April	33-for-42	78.6%
May	21-for-24	87.5%

Those numbers add up to 77.6% on 321 attempts, or 1.55 points per shot. The rookie even made a higher percentage on rim shots last season than three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic. With that efficiency in mind, Holmgren shooting just 3.5 rim shots per game undersells his finishing ability.

Multi-year sample sizes are more reliable for a player's skill level than just one season. Holmgren went 105-for-125 at the rim in his freshman year at Gonzaga, good for 1.68 points per shot. His driving and off-ball instincts led to plenty of good interior looks playing next to Drew Timme, who averaged a team and West Coast Conference-high 18.4 points per game on 62.8% true shooting.

Holmgren's last two playing seasons shared many similarities despite the large gap in opponent quality. 2021-22 Gonzaga and the 2023-24 Thunder were great teams on both ends of the floor and won their conferences. Holmgren flourished in a secondary offensive role for both teams, even though his high school prospect ranking and NBA draft selection typically favor first options. He even had an identical 21.6% usage rate in his only college season and first professional campaign.

Above all else, Holmgren has dominated at the rim on every level. It is now up to Oklahoma City to maximize his interior touch this upcoming season and beyond.

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