The Thunder had the second pick in the 2022 NBA draft and selected Gonzaga standout, Chet Holmgren. Was this expected? What should we expect from him? What does he need to improve on?
Written by: Riya Kalra
30 June, 2022
This 7’0 center freshman out of Gonzaga was chosen as the second pick in the 2022 NBA draft. I actually thought that Holmgren would be selected as the first pick in the draft, being the top player in his class and having been for a few years now. Tall and lanky, Holmgren is confident that he’ll thrive in the NBA. Two months ago, when Holmgren was asked who is the best player in the NBA, to which he replied “me in two months.” Well, the two months are up, and Holmgren certainly has shown determination and commitment to training. He is currently in Oklahoma, and Holmgren actually said he’s happier to be in Oklahoma rather than Orlando. At a press conference, when asked about Oklahoma, Holmgren expressed his excitement to be playing there by stating “Now that I’m here [in Oklahoma], I can officially say this is where I want to be. This is a great organization, great city and great fan base to be in. It is hard to sum up why I want to be here in a couple of sentences but I kinda said it best when I said it’s a great organization, great people and a great vision for the future.” Clearly, Holmgren is stoked to be playing for the Thunder and is ready for the upcoming season.
What can Holmgren Bring to the Thunder?
Being the top prospect basketball player in 2021 is certainly something, but Holmgren is much more than that. As a freshman at Gonzaga, he averaged 14.1 PPG, 1.9 APG, and 9.9 RPG. Holmgren is able to create space for his teammates to pass to him and vice versa, his height allows him to reject numerous opponents (3.7 BPG). In addition, Holmgren is able to smoothly switch from offense to defense, preventing his opponents from scoring standing a solid 7 feet tall. Holmgren is also able to rebound his missed shots using his height, and rebound his teammates’ shots, either allowing them to shoot again or taking the shot himself. Holmgren is a great three point shooter as well, averaging 39% per game, being able to move around his defender, and creating a shot with his long wingspan.
What can Holmgren Work on?
Though tall, Holmgren lacks agility, he moves the ball rather slowly. When he’s being defended, Holmgren is able to get around his opponent, but keep in mind that his opponent is a college player from the WCC, the weaker conference. When Holmgren gets to the NBA, he will have hardcore defenders on him, not giving him the chance to move slow. Additionally, Holmgren is skinny (190 lbs for 7 ft!), which can make one question his physical strength. Will Holmgren be broken like a stick when playing against players like Joel Embiid? Fortunately, Holmgren is not afraid to make contact with his opponent, he just has to be ready to get back up when knocked over by a 250-pound guy. Honestly, if Holmgren just puts on a few extra pounds, I believe he will be fine. Even if he doesn’t, Holmgren is already the full package- he can rebound, block, and hit hard shots. The public doubts Holmgren’s physical strength due to his slenderness, but Holmgren has proven that he is NBA-ready. And he has the summer league to improve himself.
Conclusion
Holmgren always seems to know what he’s doing, whether it’s chasing down his opponent to give him a nasty rejection or hitting a long range three pointer. His height just gives him more of an advantage compared to his opponents. The only question is whether Holmgren will be able to handle the pressure from great defensive players like Khris Middleton. And if Holmgren will be able to put on some weight. Holmgren is quite similar to rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was also quite skinny when entering the NBA, but is now one of the best players of all time. Even if Holmgren is unable to put on weight, he definitely has the potential to win Rookie of the Year and improve- he’s got my vote.
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