Chet Holmgren can’t seem to shake the jokes after Oklahoma City’s collapse in the 2026 Western Conference Finals, and now even a teammate is getting in on it.
Jared McCain took a playful shot at Holmgren in a recent YouTube vlog, mocking the Thunder big man’s NBA 2K27 strength rating. Holmgren checked in at 45 in that category, a number that fits right into the online chatter about him being too slight to hold up against the league’s physicality.
The teasing came during a Thunder group trip to Dallas, where several players traveled together to work out at the TCU campus before spending time together off the floor. When Holmgren was asked about the team’s chemistry, he called it “top tier.” McCain didn’t miss the opening.
“It’s definitely better than Chet’s strength on 2K,” McCain joked with a smile.
Holmgren handled it well. He laughed along and even turned the moment into a challenge, offering McCain an arm-wrestling contest. The two ended up joking around rather than turning it into anything serious.
It was a lighthearted dig, but it landed because Holmgren has been taking heat all summer since a four-point Game 7 and Oklahoma City’s loss to San Antonio. His résumé still includes a championship, an All-Star nod, All-NBA recognition and a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up finish, but the latest postseason stumble has dominated the conversation.
For now, the noise isn’t going anywhere. Holmgren has to live with the memes until he changes the story on the court, starting with helping the Thunder get past the Spurs on Opening Night.
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