How Chet Holmgren’s offseason approach led to a strong start

OKLAHOMA CITY — After Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren made franchise history with his perfect shooting night in Tuesday’s 123-102 victory against the Golden State Warriors. After the win, Holmgren revealed his new approach to his final offseason, which he believes has led to a great start to the 2025-26 regular season as the defending champions.

Holmgren reflected on his past, which included a short offseason between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons due to the COVID pandemic, and how it prepared him for productive off-season after winning his first championship.

“A lot of times I think back to that year when I got hurt before I played a single game of basketball in the NBA, and I worked just as hard that summer as I did this summer,” Holmgren said. “Obviously this summer was longer, but I feel like now I’ve learned how to get better. I know what I need to get better at. Before, I just worked hard because I wanted to work, and that’s what I do, and I love playing basketball every day.

“But you go through a long stretch of the playoffs and you win the finals, you really get your best shot up to seven straight times against really good teams. And that teaches you what you have to work on. I feel like I did a great job this summer, along with what I do every summer, I work on my body, I work on my overall game, but at the same time I feel like I’m working smart, I am.

Chet Holmgren: “I think back a lot that year, I was hurt before I played a single NBA game, and I worked just as hard that summer as I did this summer…

“Now I’ve learned how to get better. I know what I need to get better at. Before I just worked hard” pic.twitter.com/3ztViclKs32

— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) November 12, 2025

Chet Holmgren had a perfect shooting performance in the Thunder’s win

Thunder forward Impressive starts by Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein into the regular season they anchored the frontcourt for head coach Mark Daigneault. Before helping the defending champions to an 11-1 league record, Holmgren used the summer to hone what he needs most this season.

“Part of it is — over the summer — building your body to be able to do what’s asked of it. But it’s also been working on all the technical stuff — shooting, where I want to be more efficient on the court, inside the 3-point line, outside the 3-point line, crossing; everything,” Holmgren said. “And then, just going into the season with the understanding that I’ve been working on things over the summer, but everyone else has been working on their stuff over the summer.

“Now, during the season, we have to pay a lot of attention to learning everyone’s improvements and how to play with each other now that everyone is better at different things.”

The Thunder will host the Lakers on Wednesday for the second night of back-to-back games.