OKC Thunder Roster To Boast Multiple Potential NBA All-Defensive Players Next Season
Much of the defensive success should be credited to Mark Daigneault and his staff, who had the team fully bought in on that end of the floor. Schematically, the coaching staff implemented a defensive style that was as effective as any we've seen in the past decade or more.
But the high-energy, disruptive schemes that the Thunder ran last season wouldn't be possible without the individual defenders on the roster. That group was incredibly talented and loaded with elite defenders who can dominate their assignments and also play phenomenal team defense.
Both Lu Dort and Jalen Williams made the NBA All-Defensive Teams in the 2024-25 campaign, but there easily could have been more Thunder representatives if it weren't for injuries and other factors. In the 2025-26 campaign, there will be at least seven players on the OKC roster with a real shot at making an NBA All-Defensive Team.
The Realistic Candidates
Each Player's Case
Each of these seven players is undoubtedly talented enough to be considered a premier defender in the league. But with only 10 spots on the NBA All-Defensive Team, it takes another level of production on that end to earn the honor.
While Lu Dort earned his first NBA All-Defensive Team honor last season, it was long overdue. An elite on-ball defender who is physical enough to match up with players much bigger than him, he's been worthy of a spot for several years.
Dort finished fourth in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, which speaks to just how dominant he is on that end of the floor. Now that Oklahoma City is a champion and will get additional visibility this season, he will be able to showcase his impact on that end even more.
There's no question that Jalen Williams' 2024-25 campaign will be remembered for his incredible NBA Finals run, which included a 40-point game in a huge moment. But as great as he is offensively as the team's clear second option, he's equally as good on the other end of the floor.
It's the versatility that makes Williams unique, given he's able to defend all five positions on the floor effectively. But if he wants to earn a second consecutive NBA All-Defensive Team nod next season, he'll naturally need to show even more production on that end.
Before missing significant time with an early-season hip injury, Chet Holmgren looked like he might have a real shot at winning the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award. The anchor of the Thunder's defense and a terrifying presence at the rim, he changes everything about the way the Thunder can play on that side of the court.
If he exceeds 65 games played to be eligible for these types of accolades, Holmgren feels like an automatic bid for an NBA All-Defensive Team slot. He's flat-out that good defensively and is easily one of the best in the world when it comes to making it tough to score points for the opposition.
Before playing his first season in Oklahoma City, Alex Caruso earned back-to-back NBA All-Defensive Team honors. But given he only played in 54 games last season, he wasn't eligible for a third in a row.
He was undoubtedly good enough to earn a spot, but what mattered most was that he was healthy in the playoffs and was one of the Thunder's most important players. This was most notable in Game 7 of a series against the Denver Nuggets, as he answered the call in slowing down Nikola Jokic to help OKC advance to the Western Conference Finals, despite being significantly undersized in that matchup.
It's difficult to get the recognition you deserve when you're a young player, which is really Cason Wallace's biggest obstacle. Furthermore, he's on a team with at least six other players who are considered very good defenders, so it's even tougher to stand out.
But even then, he frequently finds himself making huge defensive plays in big moments, especially at the point of attack when he's able to strip the opposing ball handler for a transition bucket. If Wallace can make another leap this season and earn the starter-level minutes he's capable of, he should be in the conversation for making an NBA All-Defensive Team.
Sure, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP and led the league in scoring last season, but he still doesn't get near enough credit for what he does on the defensive end. Especially given the load he carries on offense, and the way most superstars carry themselves on defense, he's arguably the best two-way talent in the NBA.
He's never made an NBA All-Defensive Team, but interestingly enough, Gilgeous-Alexander has finished top-10 in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting in back-to-back seasons. He's great off-ball at jumping passing lanes and sparking transition opportunities for OKC.
Another Thunder player who doesn't get enough defensive credit is Isaiah Hartenstein. He provides the Thunder a wrinkle the team hasn't had in recent years with his size and physicality in the paint.
Hartenstein may not generate as many blocks or steals as his teammates, who receive the defensive credit they deserve, but his impact cannot be denied. He ranked in the top 15 in Defensive EPM last season among all NBA players, while also finishing in the top three on the Thunder in Defensive Box Plus/Minus and Defensive Win Shares. That's incredibly impressive on a historic defense, and that's before you even consider that he was the team's best defensive rebounder.
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