Two OKC Thunder rising stars place high in ESPN's top player rankings
By Brody Bitters,
15 hours ago
Earlier this week , ESPN released their annual ' NBA Rankings ' where they placed the top 100-51 players in the league. Flash-forward to today, and those same experts and analysts announced the 50-11 spots, and there is a lot of debate regarding the rankings.
As for the Oklahoma City Thunder , they added two more players to the league's best list, totaling five players overall throughout the rankings. Let's take a look at which OKC players ranked where:
44. Jalen Williams (prev. 95)
NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Barely cracking last year's list, Jalen Williams made huge strides in his game over this past season. Averaging 19 points, four rebounds and nearly five assists per game, Williams emerged as one of the top dual-threat rising stars in the league. From shooting 43% from beyond the arch and displaying spectacular shot creation to being able to guard any position, JDub has shown he has what it takes to be an elite player in this league.
And with ability to close games by shooting nearly 70% in clutch situations and totaling 82 clutch points, Williams heads into this next season in hopes of continuing to improve his game (as he is poised to win the Most Improved Player Award ) as well as help his fellow co-stars reach the one seed in the West yet again and obtain an NBA title.
32. Chet Holmgren (prev. 73)
NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Coming off of a great season placing second in Rookie of the Year voting, Chet Holmgren jumped 41 spots from last season to this season. Averaging 16 points, eight rebounds and placing second in total blocks, the seven-foot OKC center was a key driving force in helping the Thunder become the fourth-best defensive rated team in the league last season.
As he enters his second official season, Chet looks to continue to be a defensive monster in the paint while also stretching the floor and expanding his offensive game now that he has more freedom with Isaiah Hartenstein on the team.
Looking back, the Thunder have had their fair share of 'Big Three' talents over the team's lifespan. From Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden to Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Westbrook again, OKC has had a history of tremendous trios.
Now, a new era of Thunder Big Threes has been ushered in with Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While these guys are still young and have yet to hit their full potential, it is safe to assume the league will be in trouble when their peak arrives.
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