SGA orchestrates offense, Holmgren anchors defense. Discover why the Thunder's dynamic duo defines true NBA impact and deserves All-Star recognition.
The All-Star Game is often framed as an individual honor, but the teams that truly shape an NBA season are defined by something deeper than boxscore dominance. They have an identity.
This year, few teams embody that idea more clearly than the Oklahoma City Thunder, and All-Star voting is the perfect opportunity to recognize not just greatness, but impact. If you’re voting for what actually matters, you’re voting Thunder starting with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the easiest name to circle. At this point, his case barely needs selling. He has become one of the league’s most consistent offensive forces, a player who bends defenses without relying on volume three point shooting or whistle hunting narratives, despite what social media says.
Night after night, Gilgeous-Alexander controls the tempo of games, getting to his spots with surgical precision and making the right read whether the defense collapses or stays home. The Thunder don’t just score because he scores , they score because he organizes everything around him.
What separates Gilgeous-Alexander in the All-Star conversation is how portable his excellence is. His efficiency doesn’t spike only when the offense is built entirely around him; it travels across lineups, matchups, and game scripts.
He can dominate in isolation late, but he’s just as lethal initiating early offense or punishing rotating defenses. That adaptability is a major reason Oklahoma City doesn’t rely on any one style to win. He is the engine, but he’s also the stabilizer, the player who ensures Oklahoma City’s identity doesn’t fracture when the game tightens.
If Gilgeous -Alexander is the Thunder’s compass on offense, Chet Holmgren is their foundation on defense, and that foundation is the reason this team works at the level it does. Holmgren’s impact often doesn’t announce itself loudly.
It shows up in altered shots, abandoned drives, and possessions that never fully materialize because the rim is no longer available. His presence changes how opponents attack, forcing floaters instead of layups and jumpers instead of downhill pressure.
That is All-Star impact, even when it doesn’t show up as a block in the box score all the time.
Beyond the rim protection, Holmgren’s versatility is central to Oklahoma City’s identity. He allows the Thunder to stay aggressive on the perimeter because there’s trust behind the play.
Guards can press up, wings can switch, and mistakes aren’t fatal. That confidence fuels Oklahoma City’s defensive activity and enables the chaos they thrive in. Holmgren isn’t just a safety net, he’s a catalyst.
Offensively, Holmgren complements Gilgeous-Alexander in a way that feels modern and necessary. He stretches the floor vertically and horizontally, creating space without demanding the ball.
That gravity matters. It gives Gilgeous-Alexander cleaner lanes, gives cutters room to operate, and prevents defenses from loading up. The Thunder don’t need Holmgren to dominate possessions for him to dominate outcomes.
This is where All-Star voting should zoom out. Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren aren’t just producing numbers; they are the pillars of one of the league’s clearest identities. Oklahoma City plays fast without being reckless, defends aggressively without fouling, and shares the ball without losing hierarchy.
That balance doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built around a star who controls games and a big who redefines space on both ends.
Voting for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren isn’t just rewarding excellence, it’s recognizing a blueprint. It’s acknowledging that winning basketball, two-way impact, and cohesion still matter in a league obsessed with volume and highlights. The Thunder aren’t just a good story. They’re a standard. And the All-Star Game should reflect that.