Chet Holmgren has been through it all…a brutal foot injury, a long rehab, an electric rookie season, technically his second, and now? A championship and a massive bag. The Oklahoma City Thunder just locked up their unicorn center with a rookie extension that cements his place at the core of one of the NBA’s most exciting dynasties-in-the-making.

Drafted No. 2 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2022 NBA Draft, Chet Holmgren came into the league with massive expectations. At 7-foot-1 with guard skills and elite defensive instincts, Holmgren was seen as a modern-day big man prototype. After missing his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury in his right foot, he returned in 2023-24, and immediately showed why the hype was real, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting behind a certain Victor Wembanyama.

Meanwhile, the 2024-25 season wasn’t smooth sailing either. Holmgren missed three months with a hip fracture but came back in time to help lead OKC to its first-ever NBA championship. The Thunder went 26-6 with him in the lineup during the regular season and leaned on his defense all postseason long. That dominant playoff run, capped by a Finals-record five blocks in Game 7, helped earn him what came next.

What Is Chet Holmgren’s Contract With the Oklahoma City Thunder?

On July 9, 2025, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news, “Oklahoma City Thunder star and NBA champion Chet Holmgren has agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year maximum rookie contract extension that could reach $250 million,” said Charania on X formerly Twitter. Moreover, Holmgren’s extension includes $239 million guaranteed and incentives that could push the total value to $250 million over five years. It’s a rookie-scale max extension, meaning it kicks in, starting with the 2026-27 season, after the final year of his rookie deal.

Before this extension, Holmgren was on his rookie contract. After missing the 2022-23 season, the next one became his breakout season. The OKC big man played all 82 games and made a strong impact in the 2025 playoffs. Holmgren was set to make  $13,731,368 in his final year of the rookie deal.

How much money has Chet Holmgren made from the NBA?

Before the big extension kicks in, Holmgren has already made a good chunk of change and earned every cent. Here’s the year-by-year breakdown of Holmgren’s NBA earnings:

Holmgren’s total NBA earnings through 2025-26 are estimated to be $45,095,236. However, once his extension begins in 2026-27, here’s what he’s projected to make:

Pushing his career earnings to a whopping $285,029,636. That’s generational money for a player who’s already becoming generational on the defensive end. With this deal, the Thunder have officially locked up two-thirds of their homegrown Big Three: Holmgren and 2025 MVP/Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed his own $285 million supermax extension. Jalen Williams is also eligible for a rookie extension this summer, and reports say OKC is already working on that. This is how championship windows stay open.

Holmgren brings versatility, elite rim protection, and improved offensive polish. He averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks on 49% shooting this past season, despite the injuries. In the playoffs, he elevated his game again, 15.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG in 23 playoff games, anchoring OKC’s historic defense. His impact? According to ESPN, his +169 playoff plus-minus was the best of any player in the 2025 postseason.

From an injury-plagued start to an NBA championship, and now a $250 million contract, Chet Holmgren’s journey is as Thunderous as it gets. He’s gone from a potential bust, some doubters said it! To an indispensable part of OKC’s title core.

For Thunder fans, this extension is a sign of relief and a celebration all at once. The trio of Shai, Jalen, and Chet is officially becoming the new face of the NBA. And with Holmgren signed through 2031, the parade in Oklahoma City might not be a one-time event.