Chet Holmgren has had a front-row seat to Gilgeous-Alexander's constant experimentation over the last three years. The 22-year-old continues to be mesmerized by his chameleon abilities to transform his game on a whim.

Holmgren will become the first Thunder player to be named an All-Star in his second season. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were third-year players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in his fifth season when he made his All-Star debut. More: We simulated OKC's 2024-25 season on 'NBA 2K25.' Can the Thunder win a championship?

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso talked to the local media after practice. Daigneault discussed updates on Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams ahead of their first game. All three spent significant time on the court following practice.

There are skilled passers such as Denver's Nikola Jokic and Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis. There are 3-point shooters such as New York's Karl-Anthony Towns and OKC's Chet Holmgren. And of course, there are still dominant rim protectors such as Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Minnesota's Rudy Gobert.

Chet Holmgren said Hartenstein's injury is a gut punch but a survivable one. OKC's double-big lineup was one of the most anticipated lineups this season. The Hartenstein-Holmgren

OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander explains his increased focus on pull-up 3s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sam Presti, OKC Thunder building team around him

The Oklahoma City Thunder's season will tip off in the coming days, though they'll have to begin their season without Isaiah Hartenstein, who suffered an injury