Yesterday, the Oklahoma City Thunder advanced to the finals for the first time since 2012. After a dominant series, the main story has been the level of play of their big three. We already know how good Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is, the leader of this team. But how much better will Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams get? Both of them have ceilings that can’t be measured at this point in time. As we start to look into the next fantasy season, we will look into how good J-Dub and Holmgren can be, including where these two should be drafted in fantasy leagues.
Evaluating the Fantasy Outlook of Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams
Jalen Williams – 2025-26 Fantasy Outlook
This season, Jalen Williams emerged as one of the best young stars in the NBA. In his third year, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in the regular season. He also made his first All-Star selection, first All-NBA team, and an All-Defensive team. This equated to 38.1 fantasy points per game in the regular season. J-Dub had an all-around great season and finished ranked 33rd in fantasy points per game and 25th in total fantasy points. Williams was already expected to make a jump from last season to this season, and the expectation should be the same next year. But, how good is he expected to be?
In a way-too-early ranking made by ESPN, J-Dub is currently projected to be the 24th-best player in fantasy basketball. He is ranked right above Paolo Banchero and a spot below Kevin Durant. This is a fair price, but it is a little too high compared to the guys around him, in my opinion. Williams will continue to get better as a player, but the counting stats may not improve. We’re also forgetting that Chet Holmgren missed many games due to injury this season. This drastically affected the offense and will most likely impact J-Dub’s counting stats. So, Williams is a bit overrated in fantasy basketball at this point, but these rankings will shift a lot throughout the offseason. Right now, I would not be drafting J-Dub at his current price as a mid-third-round player.
Chet Holmgren – 2025-26 Fantasy Outlook
It’s unfortunate that Chet Holmgren only played in 32 regular-season games. Even when he was healthy, he did not get into a rhythm in the regular season. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, and two assists per game this season. He also added great defensive value, averaging 2.2 blocks per game. Injuries really affected Holmgren this season, and I think that’s a big reason why he did not improve from his rookie year. His counting stats across the board were pretty much all worse, but a full offseason and a healthy Chet can turn it around.
In the same ESPN article, Holmgren projects as the 41st-best fantasy player for next season. This puts him a spot above Derrick White and a spot below Austin Reaves. I think this is a good value for Chet, considering the injury-riddled season he just went through. At this value, you are getting someone who can average a double-double and 2+ blocks per game. In the early fifth-round, I don’t think you can pass up a talent like Chet Holmgren. I think injuries are the only concern with Holmgren, but it’s a risk that you should take if you want to win your fantasy league.
The Last Word
Without a doubt, the Thunder have had one of the most dominant postseason runs in recent NBA history up to this point. This is largely due to the play of SGA, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams. J-Dub is going to be a great fantasy asset, but I would not draft him in the mid-third-round. Chet Holmgren on the other hand is a value at his early-fifth-round draft stock. Overall, the Thunder stars are going to be great for years to come, and we’re going to see that first hand over the next decade.
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