OKC Thunder See Two in ESPN's Top 25 Under 25 List

The Oklahoma City Thunder see Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren crack the top-ten in the 2024-25 edition of ESPN's top 25 players under 25-years-old.

Apr 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) passes the ball to forward Chet Holmgren (7) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

A tradition unlike any other, ESPN's annual ranking of 25 players under 25 years-old. A list the Oklahoma City Thunder have dominated in recent years. Still, as Oklahoma City holds the No. 1 seed for now the second straight season, the Thunder remain the youngest team in the league. It is no surprised to still find its players littered all over this season.

However, you do not have to hunt and peck for the members of the Oklahoma City Thunder on this count down. The results are loud and in your face. Oklahoma City rosters two members of the World Wide Leader's top 25 ranking.

You even could make the argument it should have more representation. While it is a fruitless exercise to beat the drum for Cason Wallace to edge out Bilal Coulibaly at the end of the top-25, there is at least a debate that holds more merrit than Alabama's College Football Playoff gripes. Though, that is a low bar to clear.

Regardless, Oklahoma City sees its rising star Jalen Williams check-in at No. 9 on the list, sandwhiched between Alprene Sengun and Evan Mobley. The swingman has a case to be even higher, though Mobley, Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton, Holmgren, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama is nothing to sneeze at as they all find themselves ahead of Oklahoma City's swingman.

The Thunder's homegrown seven-footer, Chet Holmgren, ranks No. 5 on this list. The Gonzaga product will miss a large chunk of his second season with a hip fracture but is still worthy of this top-five honor. In fact, being placed below the two Magic Rising Stars is worthy of a contest.

Especially when this list is to project future outcomes. No one has a higher ceiling than Holmgren, as evident by his first two weeks of the 2024-25 season sans perhaps, Wembanyama. In terms of potential, it is a two-man race.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.