In an interview with Complex, Chet Holmgren didn’t let up when talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s young core.
When asked about them reaching the heights of the Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden era, Holmgren absolutely believes the current Thunder can match their success, too.
“Obviously I believe in the players we have on this team, I believe in the coaching staff, I believe in the organization as a whole so the answer is an obvious yes. I think we can reach really high heights. At the end of the day, it’s going to come down what the guys in the locker decide to come together and achieve. It’s not going to be an overnight thing. We’re having early success, but just because we’re having success doesn’t make it easy for the next 10 years. We’re still going to have to work hard and work through different challenges. That’s something that we’ll strive to do. We got a lot of high-quality characters in our locker room so I’m excited to get out there and work with those guys.“
These are some pretty high standards to set. The Thunder were one of the most successful teams in the league during the 2010s because of that trio. The Thunder made four Western Conference finals and one NBA Finals appearances in a six-year span that decade.
The Thunder drafting three consecutive MVPs is a feat that’ll likely never be repeated, but it’s music to fans’ ears to hear Holmgren think the Thunder can have a similar run of success of being a title contender for several seasons.
With how the Thunder have played this season, it’s hard not to think that. They are in the midst of an unexpected playoff push with the youngest roster in the league after being projected to land a top lottery pick. The Thunder are doing this without a single top-five pick on their roster.
The full Complex article can be read here. I’d strongly recommend reading it if you haven’t already. It’s a great interview by Holmgren as he continues to rehab from his season-ending Lisfranc injury.
The Thunder are loaded with young talent, and Chet Holmgren believes they can reach the same level of KD, Russell Westbrook and James Harden 👀
LINK FOR FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/xkRwOggzMb pic.twitter.com/rmCaFRHDXE
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 20, 2023
