The Oklahoma City Thunder have a number of rising stars on their roster to support superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and one of them is 7-foot-4 Chet Holmgren.
After a redshirt season due to an injury suffered before his freshman year, Holmgren took the court for the first time in the 2023-24 NBA season. He played in all 82 games, averaging 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 37 percent from 3-point range.
Holmgren’s rise to prominence in the lineup, along with a surge from Jalen Williams and an MVP-level season from Gilgeous-Alexander, propelled the Thunder to a 57-win season in Oklahoma City and a top seed in the Western Conference.
Going from 10th to first in the span of one offseason gave the Thunder their first playoff experience since their rebuild, which proved invaluable. The contending team was now tested, losing in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks, who reached the NBA Finals.
Still, the young Thunder team got a taste of the NBA playoffs as it enters a season with expectations under its name. Holmgren, during an appearance on Podcast P With Paul George, he explained the difference the playoffs bring in terms of atmosphere.
“The regular season is always so exciting. Every game was a sellout. The fans were really into it, they were cheering loudly. A big thank you to our fans. I love our fans,” Holmgren said. “But then in the playoffs, you get the same jerseys, the same color and all that. As soon as you go out for pregame, the pregame playlist is all hit songs.”
The games get real in the playoffs. The stakes are high and players are fighting to add to their legacies, with franchises looking to add a Larry O’Brien to their trophy case. Fans around the league rally behind their favorite team to create a very, very desired atmosphere.
Oklahoma City has hosted one of the best crowds since the franchise moved to the city. The Thunder fans are among the best in the league. The pregame music playlist played a role in improving the Thunder’s mood, Holmgren joked.
“In season, we listen to sad Drake songs and stuff,” Holmgren said. “I’m like, ‘What am I trying to do for the game!'”
With an improved roster heading into a new season, the Thunder should have a strong regular season outing and will likely host another playoff run with championship aspirations next season.
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