OKC Thunder’s Chet Holmgren speaks one-on-one with KOCO 5’s Hannah Hoover
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren sat down to speak with KOCO 5 Sports Anchor Hannah Hoover about a multitude of topics.
PREGAME SHOW BEFORE THUNDER ROCKETS THIS AFTERNOON AT 230. THE PAYCOM CENTER SHAY ALEXANDER MIGHT BE OUT OF THE ALL STAR GAME, BUT CHAD HOLMGREN IS GOING TO PLAY AND I CAN’T WAIT. THIS GUY IS GOING TO BE AN ALL STAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS CAREER. AND I THINK VERY WELL DESERVED. YES. VERY DESERVING. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON, I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK ONE ON ONE WITH CHET BECAUSE WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW WAS WHAT DID IT TAKE TO GET BACK IN THE LINEUP DURING THE REGULAR SEASON AFTER THAT TERRIBLE PELVIC INJURY THAT HE HAD? SO HERE HE IS, CHET HOLMGREN, ONE ON ONE. COMING BACK FROM INJURY, I’M SURE IT WAS A HUGE PROCESS THAT NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS IT. BUT TALK ABOUT JUST THE ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU FELT TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK FOR THE SEASON AND A SEASON TICKET, ONE THAT CAN BE A FINALS. YEAH, NOBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE GRAVITY OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW LAST SEASON WENT FOR ME UNTIL I SHOWED THEM THE X RAY FROM THE NIGHT THAT I HURT HURT MY HIP. WHEN THEY SEE THE X RAY, THEN THEY UNDERSTAND LIKE THAT. IT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT I WAS ABLE TO PLAY GAME 89 DAYS LATER AND PLAY EVERY SINGLE PLAYOFF GAME. AND YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM, WE WERE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THAT’S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TEAM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT I COULD GIVE EVERYTHING THAT I COULD GIVE TO TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH THAT. I’M HAPPY WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. I’M HAPPY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT DID IT ALONGSIDE ME. AND. YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T WANT TO LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES GET THE BEST OF US. MANY BELIEVE WINNING AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP REQUIRES THE PERFECT STORM, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING COINCIDENTAL OR LUCKY ABOUT CHET HOLMGREN’S RETURN. DETERMINED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY, HOLMGREN POWERED THROUGH INJURY, BECOMING ONE OF THE KEY PIECES OF THE THUNDER’S TITLE RUN. THERE WERE A LOT OF MOMENTS THAT WERE REALLY SPECIAL. THE CLOCK GOING DOWN. GIVING KLAY BENNETT A HUG ON THE BASELINE, SEEING THE CONFETTI COME DOWN, HOLDING THE TROPHIES UP, WALKING UP ON STAGE, PUTTING THE HAT ON THE CHAMPAGNE, HANGING OUT WITH EVERYBODY. AFTER BEING UP TILL THE SUN’S UP AND THEN COMING BACK HERE AT LIKE 7 A.M. FOR A GOOD MORNING AMERICA INTERVIEW WAS A LOT OF MOMENTS AND THEY WERE ALL SPECIAL, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY ALL KIND OF BLEND TOGETHER. SO FAR THIS SEASON. ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN AND CHET HOLMGREN HAVE ALREADY PLAYED 23 GAMES TOGETHER, THREE MORE THAN LAST YEAR DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. THERE’S A STORYLINE OF YOU AND HEART, YOU KNOW. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THIS NEXT SEASON? LIKE YOU SAID, IT’S IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY. IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT WE CHOOSE TO MAKE OF IT, WHAT WE DO TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT. AND I FEEL LIKE HEART IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT YOU CAN REALLY TRUST WITH AN OPPORTUNITY. HE’S SOMEBODY WHO’S GOING TO GIVE IT HIS ALL. HE’S GOING TO COME IN WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS. YOU KNOW, I SAW IT ALL SUMMER. YOU KNOW, HE WAS WORKING OUT IN LA. I WAS WORKING OUT IN LA. THERE WAS A LOT OF TIMES WE WERE IN THE GYM TOGETHER WORKING OUT, PLAYING PICKUP TOGETHER. AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW HIM WORK HIS TAIL OFF AND, YOU KNOW, IT’S GOING TO PAY OFF FOR HIM. IS THERE A NICKNAME FOR WHEN YOU TWO WERE IN THE LINEUP BESIDES THE TWO BIG GUYS? I FEEL LIKE I FEEL LIKE NICKNAMES CAN’T BE KIND OF SELF-CREATED. I FEEL LIKE THEY’RE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THEY’RE BESTOWED
OKC Thunder’s Chet Holmgren speaks one-on-one with KOCO 5’s Hannah Hoover
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren sat down to speak with KOCO 5 Sports Anchor Hannah Hoover about a multitude of topics.
Updated: 1:57 PM CST Feb 7, 2026
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren sat down to speak with KOCO 5 Sports Anchor Hannah Hoover about a multitude of topics. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterHolmgren spoke on the team’s NBA Championship win, injuries he suffered and how the team moving toward making another championship run.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Watch the full interview above.Top HeadlinesMore bling for your buck? How lab-grown diamonds are changing the engagement gameIntegris Health and United Healthcare dispute leaves patients worried in Oklahoma CityOklahoma City police investigate double homicide in northwest OKCCall for Oklahoma medical marijuana recall sparks concern amongst growersWhy Mariah Carey was chosen to perform at the Olympic Opening Ceremony
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren sat down to speak with KOCO 5 Sports Anchor Hannah Hoover about a multitude of topics.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
Holmgren spoke on the team’s NBA Championship win, injuries he suffered and how the team moving toward making another championship run.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
Watch the full interview above.
Top Headlines