{"id":187580,"date":"2026-04-08T07:00:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T11:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=187580"},"modified":"2026-04-08T05:29:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T09:29:30","slug":"chet-holmgren-miracle-dpoy-chances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/08\/chet-holmgren-miracle-dpoy-chances\/","title":{"rendered":"Chet Holmgren May Get A “Miracle” Shot At DPOY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite his defensive antics this season, Victor Wembanyama<\/a> is still in danger of missing out on this year’s individual awards. He’s still a few games away from being eligible. This puts his chance for the MVP at risk, and his Defensive Player of the Year run is at risk of falling short. On that note, one more storyline unfolds: If we’re going to have an award for Chet Holmgren<\/a>, DPOY may be his for the taking, albeit by a miracle chance heading to the final games.<\/p>\n

Injuries have been a common theme in the Thunder’s run this season. Holmgren was missing a few games due to minor injuries. Luckily, he’s hovering over the 65-game threshold. With Wemby still yet to reach that mark, it seems that Holmgren is getting a miracle chance at the DPOY<\/a>. It’s not hypothetical, but the odds are starting to rise again.<\/p>\n

Chet Holmgren May Get A “Miracle” Shot At DPOY<\/h2>\n

Since the start of the season, it’s been Wembanyama vs Holmgren in the DPOY race. Even if you look at the latest odds, they’re very, very close. The Spurs big man still leads at -10000, while the Thunder center stands at +2000. For context, Rudy Gobert<\/a>, a four-time winner, is way behind at +2500. Now that says a lot about the chances for Holmgren in walking away with his first DPOY award by the end of the season.<\/p>\n

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Holmgren’s DPOY Case Is Impressive<\/h3>\n

Let’s get this clear. The DPOY is Wemby’s award to lose. It has been a historically defensive season for the Spurs center. Averaging 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steals, fans have been seeing him blocking shots here and there. However, Holmgren himself is having a big season to remember<\/a> as well. His defensive impact has been staggering. He’s the best when it comes to defending the rim at a higher percentage — better than Wembanyama.<\/p>\n

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Rim Defense Landscape…<\/p>\n

\u27a1\ufe0f More Rim FGA Defended
\u2b06\ufe0f Lower Opponent Rim FG%<\/p>\n

What stands out? pic.twitter.com\/RMp4sdvNap<\/a><\/p>\n

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) April 6, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n