The NBA announces Chet Holmgren as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist
The most elite defenders of the 2025-26 NBA season include San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson and Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren is coming off an NBA All-Star appearance for the first time in his young career. He is seeking his second straight NBA championship, becoming the fourth Zag to win an NBA title last summer (Adam Morrison of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, Ronny Turiaf of the Miami Heat in 2012 and Austin Daye of the San Antonio Spurs in 2014).
Announcement
In 69 games as a starter for the Thunder, the 7-1 talent averaged 17.1 points on a shooting split of 55.7 percent from the field, 36.2 percent on three-pointers and 79.2 percent from the charity stripe. His 8.9 rebounds per game are tied for No. 11 in the NBA, while his 1.9 blocks per game are tied for No. 2. StatMuse lists a defensive rating of 104.1 for the emerging basketball star.
Early in the first round of the 2o26 NBA playoffs, Phoenix Suns No. 8 forward Dillon Brooks made it clear that he would bother the man from No. 1 seed Oklahoma City throughout the series. Holmgren had the last laugh in the 119-84 Game 1 victory, dropping 16 points on 5-10 shooting, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
Arden Cravalho is a graduate of Gonzaga University in the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho