NBA Announces Chet Holmgren as Defensive Player of the Year Finalist

TL;DR

Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a finalist for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game during the 2025-26 season.

Key points

Chet Holmgren is a finalist for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
He averaged 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds in the 2025-26 season.
Holmgren had a strong performance in Game 1 of the playoffs.

Chet HolmgrenOklahoma City ThunderSan Antonio SpursDetroit Pistons

Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) gestures after scoring against the Phoenix Suns in the second quarter during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images The most elite defenders of the NBA’s 2025-26 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’s on the chase for a second-straight NBA championship, becoming the fourth Zag to win an NBA title last summer (Los Angeles Lakers’ Adam Morrison in 2009 and 2010, Miami Heat’s in 2012, and San Antonio Spurs’ in 2014). Through 69 starts 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 at the charity stripe. His 8.9 rebounds per game rank 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 world’s up-and-coming basketball star. At the start of the first round of the 2o26 NBA Playoffs, No. 8-seeded Phoenix Suns forward made it clear he was going to annoy No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City’s man in the middle during the entirety of the series. Holmgren got the last laugh in Game 1’s 119-84 victory, dropping 16 points on 5-10 shooting, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. **Arden Cravalho** is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a\_cravalho

Q&A

Who are the other finalists for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2026?

The other finalists include Victor Wembanyama from the San Antonio Spurs and Ausar Thompson from the Detroit Pistons.

What were Chet Holmgren's stats during the 2025-26 NBA season?

Holmgren averaged 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 55.7%.

How did Chet Holmgren perform in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs?

In Game 1, Holmgren scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded two steals and two blocks in a 119-84 victory.