Chet Holmgren spent another August run showing off the kind of scoring package the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to see more often when the games count.
In a PLYRS UNTD session that included teammate Jared McCain and other NBA names, Holmgren was featured in a social media highlight reel that put his offensive tools front and center. The NBPA-sanctioned runs are built for this kind of low-pressure, indoor competition, and Holmgren made the most of the setting.
One clip had him grabbing the ball and taking it coast-to-coast before slipping past Tari Eason for a one-handed dunk. Another showed him using a pump fake to create space, then rising into a mid-range pull-up right in Trae Young’s face.
That kind of self-created scoring is exactly what Oklahoma City wants to keep seeing from Holmgren heading into the 2026-27 regular season and the NBA playoffs. His ability to generate his own offense is part of the equation as the Thunder try to chase bigger results after falling short of back-to-back ambitions, with his scoring drop in the 2026 Western Conference Finals standing out.
Holmgren’s summer has also come with a tougher spotlight. Even after a breakout year that earned him his first All-Star nod, All-NBA recognition and a runner-up finish for Defensive Player of the Year, he’s still dealing with criticism for his underwhelming playoff series against Victor Wembanyama. Until he flips that script in the postseason, that conversation is going to stick.
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Westbrooks Farewell Just Hit Thunder Fans Right In The Heart
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The outpouring was immediate, including a social-media farewell from DeMar DeRozan, who shared the Kings locker room with Westbrook last season before moving on to Denver on a one-year deal. DeRozan is expected to fill a Sixth Man role with the Nuggets, but for the moment the attention is on Westbrooks exit and the kind of respect he continues to command from peers across the NBA. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Have A Young Rotation Battle Fans Should Watch
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That puts names like Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara, and Bennett Stirtz squarely in the mix, and the intrigue is less about who makes the team than who can actually force his way into the nightly plans. Stirtz is the one to watch as a possible surprise, especially with the Thunder looking for more perimeter scoring and his college shooting profile suggesting there may be a path for him to matter sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Locked In A Title Piece At A Stunning Value
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The larger story here is the value Oklahoma City found in keeping a proven center without having to pay the absolute top of the market. Hartenstein chose to stay with a team that has won at the highest level, giving the Thunder front office another important piece of continuity as it tries to keep the window wide open in the years ahead. [Read more 🡒]