The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2023 NBA Summer League festivities in Vegas boasting one of the best teams in the competition. Even with Jalen Williams sitting out the rest of the competition due to the distinction of being too good for the opposition, the Thunder still have enough firepower to, perhaps, challenge for the crown in Vegas.

Nevertheless, what will be of utmost importance to the Thunder, aside from instilling winning habits in their most important youngsters, is to monitor the development of players who should play crucial roles in turning the franchise's fortunes around. And after three games in Vegas (and three more in the Salt Lake City mini-Summer League), there's a lot of things that will make Thunder brass and fans feel as if the bright future many tout them to have may be within reach.

With that said, here are the three biggest things the Thunder have learned thus far during the 2023 NBA Summer League.

Chet Holmgren is the real deal — potential ROTY?

When the Thunder drafted Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, there were high hopes as to how he could become a game-changing presence for the team for years to come. And his short stint during the 2022 Summer League certainly backed those hopes up. Holmgren, in addition to having nimble feet on offense, was menacing as a rim protector. The level of competition may not have been the best, but Holmgren showed incredible instincts in when to help and sublime timing when it comes to going up for blocks.

However, we all know what happened to Holmgren. The Thunder youngster suffered a Lisfranc injury, and with him being only 20 years old at the time, there was no reason at all for OKC to rush him back. Thus, he missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

But now, Chet Holmgren has made his triumphant return, and he doesn't look like he missed any time at all. He is as quick as he was last year (perhaps even quicker) and he's shown that he's still capable of some dazzling footwork on offense. His three-point shot hasn't fully come around just yet, but his stroke from the foul line is enough to forge some belief that he'll be a dangerous scoring threat from three levels once he gets his feet underneath him.

But what makes Holmgren such a tantalizing prospect is his ability to protect the rim, not skipping a beat from his shot-blocking ways last year. With Holmgren around, the Thunder have a legitimately terrifying presence to deter would-be scorers at the rim. It's not too much of a stretch to say that with the 21-year old center around, OKC could challenge for an outright playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference.

Holmgren's next step would be to put on some strength and become a stronger presence on the glass. But that should come in due time. Here's to hoping the youngster remains healthy for the foreseeable future.

Don't sleep on Ousmane Dieng

The Thunder front office was clearly high on Ousmane Dieng, having traded away three protected first-round picks to the New York Knicks just to acquire his services. But Dieng's rookie season was a mixed bag. Dieng's physical tools made every minute of his a joy to watch for fans, but he was rough around the edges. He didn't have the most polished handle or three-point shot, instead preferring to do his damage off interior catches and cuts.

Even then, Dieng's potential was evident. His size alone, not to mention his feel for the game, allows him to impact the game on the defensive end. His 7'0 wingspan enables him to become a deterrent both at the rim and in passing lanes. The physical tools he possesses then make the game easier for him on offense, as he just glides past defenders with ease when catching on the move, and he's a threat to finish at any time within the basket.

Not anyone can be a star in the league. At the moment, Ousmane Dieng doesn't look like he'll do much creating off the dribble. But he looks like he could be a star in a complementary role. With the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey attracting defensive attention, all Dieng has to do is nail his role: crash the offensive glass, keep his man in front of him, and make open shots.

And in Summer League, Dieng looks like he'll be doing exactly that for the Thunder for the foreseeable future.

Cason Wallace can hoop, but he needs to iron out the kinks

The Thunder took Cason Wallace with the 10th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft due to his potential as a 3 and D guard who excels in an off-ball role. But during Summer League, Wallace has had troubles with inefficiency, which isn't too atypical for a 19-year old guard.

During their first game in Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks, however, Wallace showed just how lethal he could be when at his best. He was on fire from deep during that game, while giving it his all on defense.

But for him to earn a featured role in what is a stacked Thunder backcourt, he'll have to iron out some kinks in his game.