The OKC Thunder may have established All-Stars in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams leading the charge in the ball club's pecking order, but there's a case to be made that big man Chet Holmgren is the key to the team unlocking their full potential.
Recently, the folks at ESPN dropped the 50 through 11 section for their rankings of the top 100 players currently in the NBA.
To no surprise, Oklahoma City was well represented among the 89 names currently listed, as five members of their reigning championship roster fell inside the top 65.
Holmgren personally ranked in at 24 overall, with reporter Tim MacMahon specifically highlighting his status of being "one of the most dominant defensive presences in the NBA" as a major factor in his top-25 placement.