Chet Holmgren, the forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is advocating for his teammate Isaiah Joe to be included in the upcoming 3-point contest during the NBA All-Star weekend. Following Joe’s impressive performance, where he sunk four three-pointers in the Thunder’s victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Holmgren expressed surprise that Joe has yet to receive an invitation to this prestigious event. The Thunder managed to secure this win with only 10 active players on their roster, showcasing their depth and resilience.
Holmgren highlighted Joe’s remarkable shooting efficiency this season, noting that he is averaging 2.3 threes on 5.4 attempts with a career-best shooting percentage of 41.8% from beyond the arc. Over the past week, Joe has been particularly hot from downtown, hitting 62.5% of his 3-point attempts, going 10-for-16 in his last four games. “I don’t know how he hasn’t gotten invited yet,” Holmgren stated. “He deserves to be out there for the 3-point contest. I’m sure that’s something that he would love to do, and I’m sure if he got in, he’d go win it.”
In addition to advocating for Joe, Holmgren is also gaining recognition for his own contributions to the Thunder. Following a solid win against the Cavaliers, he received praise from Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who referred to him as one of the league’s top rim protectors. Atkinson noted that his team failed to effectively read the game, which led to poor offensive decisions against the formidable Holmgren.
The Thunder are currently wrapping up a four-game road trip, with their next game scheduled against the Milwaukee Bucks. As both Holmgren and Joe continue to shine on the court, their growing recognition and performance could signal a bright future for the Thunder in the upcoming NBA season.