Success in the NBA is defined differently depending on who you ask. For some players, simply making it to the league is enough, while others play with the goal of maximizing personal fame and glory.
In the eyes of Thunder center Chet Holmgren, his only motivation is winning. With his team just one win away from their second-straight Finals, he explained that he wouldn’t trade this opportunity for anything, not even the chance to lead a team of his own.
“Ego has been the downfall of many people’s careers,” said Holmgren, via Fred Katz. “I feel like ego gets in the way of maximizing the moment and also understanding. Basically, what you’re asking me is, would I trade what we just accomplished last year and the opportunity that we have (this year) and the group that we have? Would I sacrifice that to shoot 20 shots a game? I don’t think so.”
Many plays have made the mistake of chasing stats over rings, often without realizing what they gave up. For Holmgren, as a former 2nd overall pick, it would be easy for him to demand a bigger role or give in to temptations and go out on his own. But he knows that staying with the Thunder will give him his best chance at winning championships, and that’s why he’s never been so locked in.
Even against someone like Victor Wembanyama, who is considered his biggest rival, Chet will not fall into the trap of trying to outshine his matchup. He’s going to play in the flow of the game and not let Victor motivate his actions. Interestingly, the comments come in light of the Spurs star’s unprecedented refusal to take questions after the Game 5 loss.
“The way I see it, when you’re in it, you have to look at it as Thunder vs Spurs,” said Holmgren. “We’re trying to win these games. They’re trying to win these games. That’s how you have to attack it.”
At 24, the All-Defensive first team center is still growing as a player and leader, but there is no doubt that he has the right approach in this series. After helping his team to the title last year, he got a taste of ultimate victory, and he’s willing to do anything in order to experience that again.
The good news is, with his team up 3-2, Chet only needs one more win to make a return trip to the NBA Finals. The bad news is that the Knicks are already waiting in the next round, meaning there’s still much work to be done. Between Holmgren, Shai, and Jalen Williams, OKC will be favored to win it all, but they will not take the competition lightly.
Chet, like the other Thunder players, is keeping his ego in check to maximize team chemistry, and it’s worked wonders in the past. Whether or not it will be enough to win their second-straight championship remains to be seen, but it’s the kind of mentality you want all-star players to have, and it’s a good sign of where Holmgren’s career trajectory is headed.
