“The Way Dirk Nowitzki Did”: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Doesn’t Shy Away From Praising Chet Holmgren’s Potential

Chet Holmgren could very well have been one of the best No. 1 picks in NBA Draft history had Paolo Banchero not been in the same class as him. It’s why the OKC Thunder got him at No. 2, and they are certainly glad in hindsight. His ceiling is massive, and he’s still young, and that on its own warrants comparisons with all-time greats.

A recent ESPN feature took a deep dive into Holmgren and the OKC Thunder, looking at the path the big man has taken to get to where he is today. Even his teammate and reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, chimed in on the conversation, comparing Chet to an icon of the league.

Holmgren has had an interesting path in the NBA up to this point. He started his rookie season by not playing at all after suffering an injury during a Summer Circuit game. When he came back in year two, he played in all 82 games and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Victor Wembanyama. Then last season, he played in only 10 games to start the year before breaking his hip. Holmgren ended up coming back and logging 32 games played in total. It was only slightly more than he ended up playing in the postseason (23). And his presence was felt, as he recorded the most blocks in an NBA Finals Game 7 ever.

Throughout the playoffs, however, Holmgren looked noticeably off. This was understandable due to his recovery from a hip injury. But when he watched himself on film after the playoffs, he didn’t like what he saw.

“The worst person to talk to about his good performances is him. He’s a perfectionist,” head coach Mark Daigneault told ESPN.

Just 10 days after winning the NBA championship, Holmgren was back in the gym working on his game. He wanted to build back specific areas of his game that he felt he lost by the end of the season. Things like his explosiveness, shooting, and overall pop. 

It’s this drive and hunger to become great that Daigneault and the OKC team appreciate. 

“He just doesn’t fade physically. His moves are stronger throughout the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of Chet. “Naturally, he’s going to walk into 15, 17 points a night. Then as he continues to get stronger, he will develop his low post and midpost game, kind of the way Dirk Nowitzki did.”

In all honesty, if Holmgren matches Nowitzki’s career, he’s surely going to be a Hall of Famer. In terms of championships, he’s already matched the German legend. Now, he has to try and get close to him in terms of impact. Nowitzki played in over a 1,000 games across 21 years and averaged 20 ppg.

This season, Holmgren is averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. His shooting numbers are also up across the board. This has allowed the Thunder to post a franchise-best 20–1 record to start the year.

At the end of the day, though, Holmgren needs to keep improving and getting better. He was paid a ton of money after winning the championship and will be making $54 million by 2030. On top of this, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams will also be paid a hefty amount. In fact, in two seasons, the three will combine for $150 million of the team’s payroll.

The Thunder undoubtedly want to win another and establish a dynasty, and it’s not like their core stars are going to be going away anytime soon. With a treasure trove of draft picks and other controllable assets, OKC should remain one of the dominant teams through the end of the decade.