Who Are Oklahoma City's "Big 3"? Everything to Know About the Thunder's Three Young Stars
Like so many basketball dynasties of the past, the Thunder have a "Big 3" of superstars ready to take the court.
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One big basketball star can lead their team to a championship, but for so many great NBA dynasties, one player was just not enough. Sometimes you need a trinity of greatness to create consistent domination, and the NBA has seen its share of "Big 3" combinations over the years. The Golden State Warriors had Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Miami Heat had LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams.
Together with their teammates, the current iteration of OKC's "Big 3" led the Thunder to an NBA Championship last season, powering through the playoffs in dominant fashion. Now, all three players are back, and looking ahead to what they no doubt hope will be back-to-back titles. So, before the Thunder tipoff the 2025/2026 NBA season against the Houston Rockets tonight on NBC and Peacock, let's take a closer look at their Big 3.
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Meet the Oklahoma City Thunder's Big Three: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The biggest star on the Thunder's roster at this point, Gilgeous-Alexander has spent the last six years in Oklahoma City building a reputation as a leader, a dynamic scorer, and one of the league's best players. Fans were already talking about his potential for greatness during the 2023-2024 season, and in the 2024-2025 campaign he fulfilled that potential. Last season SGA led the league in scoring with a whopping 32.7 points per game, and set personal bests in assists per game and blocks per game. All of that led to 2025 League MVP honors, as well as Finals MVP honors when the Thunder took the title.
Chet Holmgren
The tallest member of the Thunder at 7'1", Chet Holmgren came to the squad from Gonzaga, earning the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After sitting his rookie season due to injury, he kicked things off with a bang during the 2023-2024 season, earning First Team All-Rookie honors in his first proper year as a player. Comfortable at both center and power forward, Holmgren is a big threat defensively who can also put up solid scoring, averaging 15 points per game in the 2024-2025 season.
Jalen Williams
You can really look at 2022 as the year the modern Thunder juggernaut took off, because that's the year the team drafted both Holmgren and Jalen Williams, better known as J-Dub to the Thunder faithful. A versatile, athletic forward, Williams came out swinging in his rookie season, earning All-Rookie First Team honors. In the 2024-2025 campaign he landed an All-Star selection, as well All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team honors. During the Thunder's championship run, Williams hit career highs in scoring, assists, blocks, and rebounding; numbers he kept more-or-less consistent across the regular season and the playoffs. It was a season that cemented him as the third leg of the tripod that provided the Thunder the stability and drive they needed to win the NBA title.
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When do the Oklahoma City Thunder start their season?
The Thunder tip off tonight, October 21, as part of NBA on NBC's Tipoff Double Header, facing the Houston Rockets live on NBC beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will also stream simultaneously on Peacock, and will be immediately followed by the Los Angeles Lakers vs. The Golden State Warriors.
