Oklahoma City Thunder (2022–present)
Holmgren was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, making him the highest-selected draft pick ever taken out of Gonzaga and the highest-drafted pick from the state of Minnesota, topping Kevin McHale, who was taken third overall in 1980. Holmgren joined the Thunder's 2022 NBA Summer League roster. In his Summer League debut, Holmgren scored 23 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and six blocks in a 98–77 win against the Utah Jazz. He also broke the record for the most blocks in a single Summer League game. On July 5, 2022, Holmgren signed a rookie-scale contract with the Thunder. However, on August 25, it was announced that he would miss the entire 2022–23 NBA season due to a Lisfranc injury in his foot that occurred during a Pro-am game.
On October 25, 2023, Holmgren made his NBA regular-season debut, putting up 11 points and four rebounds in a 124–104 win over the Chicago Bulls. On October 27, Holmgren put up 16 points, 13 rebounds, and seven blocks in a 108–105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, breaking the franchise record for most blocks in a single game by a rookie. On November 18, Holmgren put up a career-high 36 points along with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks, and two three-pointers in a 130–123 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to put up at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block, and two three-pointers made in a game. On December 4, Holmgren was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October/November.
On April 25, Holmgren led the Thunder to a 124–92 Game 2 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round, recording 26 points and seven rebounds. He became the first rookie in NBA playoff history to score 25 or more points and put up a +25 plus/minus ratio in a game, and was the first rookie in Thunder franchise history to score at least 25 points and grab five rebounds in the playoffs. Oklahoma City would go on to lose to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals, despite Chet Holmgren’s 21 points in the 117–116 closeout loss in Game 6.
On November 10, 2024, in a game against the Golden State Warriors, Holmgren took a hard fall on his right side after challenging an Andrew Wiggins drive. He was subsequently diagnosed with a right iliac wing fracture in his pelvis and returned to play on February 7, 2025. Holmgren made 32 starts for Oklahoma City during the 2024–25 NBA season, averaging 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. Holmgren and the Thunder reached the 2025 NBA Finals, where they won in seven games over the Indiana Pacers, with Holmgren recording 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks in the decisive seventh game. His fifth blocked shot of the night, recorded in the fourth quarter, set a new record for the most blocks in an NBA Finals Game 7.
On July 9, 2025, Holmgren and the Thunder agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $250 million. On October 26, 2025, Holmgren put up 31 points on a career-high six three-pointers made, along with 12 rebounds, three steals, one assist, and one block in a 117–100 win over the Atlanta Hawks. On February 1, 2026, Holmgren was named to his first All-Star Game as a Western Conference reserve. On February 27, Holmgren recorded 15 points, a career-high 21 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in a 127–121 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets. At the end of the regular season, Holmgren was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year Award voting. Holmgren was also selected to the All-NBA Third Team, earning his first career All-NBA appearance. In the playoffs, Holmgren and the Thunder were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the Western Conference Finals. In the decisive Game 7, Holmgren scored just 4 points on two field-goal attempts in a 111–103 loss.
