American basketball player (born 2002)
Chet Thomas Holmgren
(
CHET
HOHM
-gr?n
;
[1]
[2]
born May 1, 2002) is an American professional
basketball
player for the
Oklahoma City Thunder
of the
National Basketball Association
(NBA). Drafted 2nd overall in the
2022 NBA draft
, he played
college basketball
for the
Gonzaga Bulldogs
. A consensus five-star
recruit
and the number-one player in the 2021 class, he stands 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) and plays the
center
and
power forward
positions.
Early life and career
[
edit
]
Holmgren was born in
Minneapolis
,
Minnesota
.
[3]
He grew up playing basketball under the tutelage of his father, Dave Holmgren, who stands 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) tall and who played college basketball for the
University of Minnesota
from 1984 to 1988. In sixth grade, Holmgren began attending
Minnehaha Academy
, a Christian private school in Minneapolis. He stood 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) at the time and was teammates with
Jalen Suggs
, whom he would play alongside through high school. Holmgren improved his shooting range while recovering from a broken right wrist during his first season.
[4]
By ninth grade, Holmgren had grown to 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m).
[5]
High school career
[
edit
]
As a freshman at Minnehaha Academy, Holmgren averaged 6.2 points and three rebounds per game.
[6]
His team won its second straight Class 2A state championship.
[7]
In his sophomore season, Holmgren averaged 18.6 points and 11 rebounds per game and led his team to another Class 2A state title.
[6]
After the season, he had success with his
Amateur Athletic Union
team Grassroots Sizzle at the Under Armour Association, earning tournament
most valuable player
honors. As a result, he emerged as one of the highest ranked players in the 2021 class and started receiving more
NCAA Division I
interest.
[5]
In August 2019, Holmgren attracted national attention for
crossing over
basketball player
Stephen Curry
at Curry's own SC30 Select Camp.
[8]
On January 4, 2020, as a junior, Holmgren recorded nine points, 10 rebounds, and 12 blocks in a nationally televised victory over
Sierra Canyon School
, a nationally ranked team featuring
Bronny James
,
Brandon Boston Jr.
, and
Ziaire Williams
.
[9]
In his junior season, he averaged 14.3 points per game, leading Minnehaha to a 25?3 record.
[10]
As a senior, averaging 21 points and 12.3 rebounds, Holmgren won the Class 3A state title, his fourth state championship at Minnehaha.
[11]
He was named
Mr. Basketball USA
,
Gatorade National Player of the Year
,
Naismith Prep Player of the Year
,
Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year
, a
McDonald's All-American
, and
Minnesota Mr. Basketball
.
[12]
[13]
Recruiting
[
edit
]
Entering his junior season, Holmgren had about 30 scholarship offers from college basketball programs.
[14]
In June 2020, after the
reclassification
of
Jonathan Kuminga
, he became the number one player in the 2021 class, according to
ESPN
.
[10]
On April 19, 2021, Holmgren announced his commitment and signed a
National Letter of Intent
to play college basketball for
Gonzaga
, following his former high school teammate
Jalen Suggs
.
[15]
[16]
College career
[
edit
]
In his college debut, Holmgren tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks, and six assists in a 97?63 victory over
Dixie State
. He became the first player in 25 years to record at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in his debut.
[17]
On November 22, the 7-foot freshman finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 3-of-3 at the free-throw line. At the conclusion of the regular season, Holmgren was named
West Coast Conference
Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
[18]
At the
NCAA tournament
, Holmgren recorded 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists in their 93?72 opening-round victory over
Georgia State
.
[19]
As a freshman, he averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game.
On April 21, 2022, Holmgren declared for the
2022 NBA draft
, forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
[20]
Professional career
[
edit
]
Oklahoma City Thunder (2022?present)
[
edit
]
Holmgren was selected by the
Oklahoma City Thunder
with the second overall pick in the
2022 NBA draft
, making him the highest-selected draft pick ever taken out of Gonzaga
[21]
and the highest-drafted pick from the state of Minnesota, topping
Kevin McHale
, who was taken third overall in
1980
.
[22]
Holmgren joined the Thunder's
2022 NBA Summer League
roster.
[23]
In his Summer League debut, Holmgren scored 23 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and six blocks in a 98?77 win against the
Utah Jazz
. He also broke the record for the most blocks in a single Summer League game.
[24]
On July 5, 2022, Holmgren signed a rookie-scale contract with the Thunder.
[25]
However, on August 25, it was announced that he would miss the entire
2022?23 NBA season
due to a
Lisfranc injury
in his foot that occurred during a
Pro-am
game.
[26]
On October 25, 2023, Holmgren made his NBA regular-season debut, putting up 11 points and four rebounds in a 124?104 win over the
Chicago Bulls
.
[27]
On October 27, Holmgren put up 16 points, 13 rebounds, and seven blocks in a 108?105 win over the
Cleveland Cavaliers
, breaking the franchise record for most blocks in a single game by a rookie.
[28]
On November 18, Holmgren put up a career-high 36 points along with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks, and two three-pointers in a 130?123 overtime win over the
Golden State Warriors
. He also joined
Michael Jordan
as the only rookies in NBA history to put up at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block, and two three-pointers made in a game.
[29]
On December 4, Holmgren was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October/November.
[30]
On April 25, Holmgren led the Thunder to a 124?92
Game 2
win over the
New Orleans Pelicans
, with 26 points and seven rebounds. He became the first rookie in NBA Playoff history to score 25 or more points and put up a +25 plus/minus ratio in a game, and was the first rookie in OKC franchise history to score at least 25 points and grab five rebounds in the playoffs.
[31]
National team career
[
edit
]
Holmgren represented the
United States
at the
2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup
in Latvia. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 blocks per game, leading his team to a gold medal, and earned
tournament MVP
honors.
[32]
Career statistics
[
edit
]
Regular season
[
edit
]
Playoffs
[
edit
]
College
[
edit
]
Player profile
[
edit
]
Listed as a
center
, many observers note that the lanky Holmgren is a versatile player who moves, handles, shoots, and jumps fluidly and deftly, more like a guard than a big man.
[33]
His vertical and running leaps are much stronger than average for a center or
power forward
, and his 7-foot-6-inch (2.29 m)
wingspan
contributes to his standout blocking and rebounding abilities. Holmgren plays a strong inner and outer game, with superior
three-point shooting
compared to others of his size and position.
[34]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Holmgren's father, Dave, played 57 games of college basketball for
Minnesota
from 1984 to 1988.
[6]
Holmgren has two sisters.
[35]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
7-Foot High Schooler Chet Holmgren Could Be Basketball's Next Unicorn
.
Bleacher Report
. May 19, 2019. Event occurs at 6:52
. Retrieved
July 14,
2022
.
- ^
"2023-24 start of season NBA pronunciation guide"
(Press release). National Basketball Association. October 24, 2023
. Retrieved
May 18,
2024
.
- ^
Bennett, Brian (April 19, 2021).
"Coveted recruit Chet Holmgren is headed to Gonzaga, but should we really be surprised?"
.
The Athletic
. Retrieved
December 4,
2021
.
- ^
Borzello, Jeff;
Biancardi, Paul
(April 19, 2021).
"Chet Holmgren, No. 1 HS recruit in Class of 2021, commits to Gonzaga"
.
ESPN
. Retrieved
April 19,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
Jones, Ryan (November 28, 2019).
"Big Stepper: Chet Holmgren's Game Keeps Growing"
.
Slam
. Retrieved
March 21,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
c
Gardner, David (December 4, 2019).
"Once 'A Pile of Bricks,' Chet Holmgren Is Now Basketball's Dream House"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
June 26,
2020
.
- ^
Paulsen, Jim (March 24, 2018).
"Minnehaha Academy, driven by larger purpose, defends 2A title with victory over Caledonia"
.
MN Basketball Hub
. Retrieved
January 15,
2020
.
- ^
Johnson, Dalton (August 7, 2019).
"Watch Steph Curry get crossed by 7-foot high school star Chet Holmgren"
. NBC Sports
. Retrieved
June 26,
2020
.
- ^
Frederick, Jace (January 4, 2020).
"Minnehaha Academy wins high-profile basketball showdown with nationally ranked Sierra Canyon"
.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
. Retrieved
March 21,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
Polacheck, Jacob.
"Minnehaha Academy's Chet Holmgren is No. 1 in Class of 2021 rankings"
. Zagsblog
. Retrieved
June 26,
2020
.
- ^
Frederick, Jace (April 10, 2021).
"State boys basketball: Chet Holmgren goes out in style as Minnehaha Academy cruises to Class 3A crown"
.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
. Retrieved
April 11,
2021
.
- ^
"Chet Holmgren and Raven Johnson Win 2021 Jersey Mike's Naismith High School Trophy for Player of the Year"
.
naismithtrophy.com
. March 11, 2021
. Retrieved
April 11,
2021
.
- ^
"Azzi Fudd, Chet Holmgren named 2021 Morgan Wootten Players of the Year"
.
The Athletic
. April 1, 2021
. Retrieved
April 11,
2021
.
- ^
Bates, Greg (January 23, 2020).
"Minnehaha Academy 7-footer Chet Holmgren might be the most unique prospect in high school basketball"
.
MaxPreps
. Retrieved
March 21,
2020
.
- ^
Borzello, Jeff; Biancardi, Paul (April 19, 2021).
"Chet Holmgren, No. 1 HS recruit in Class of 2021, commits to Gonzaga"
.
ESPN
. Retrieved
April 19,
2021
.
- ^
"Nation's No. 1 Recruit Signs with Gonzaga"
(Press release). Gonzaga Bulldogs. April 19, 2021
. Retrieved
April 20,
2021
.
- ^
Meehan, Jim (November 9, 2021).
"Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren impressive in debut, leads Gonzaga past Dixie State 97-63"
.
The Spokesman-Review
. Retrieved
November 10,
2021
.
- ^
"Timme Tabbed WCC Player Of The Year"
(Press release).
West Coast Conference
. March 2, 2022
. Retrieved
March 2,
2022
.
- ^
Kasabian, Paul (March 17, 2022).
"Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga Fend off Georgia State's Upset Bid in March Madness Round 1"
.
Bleacher Report
. Retrieved
March 18,
2022
.
- ^
Wojnarowski, Adrian
(April 21, 2022).
"Gonzaga center Holmgren entering NBA draft"
.
ESPN.com
. Retrieved
April 21,
2022
.
- ^
Mussatto, Joe (June 23, 2022).
"NBA Draft 2022: OKC Thunder selects Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren with No. 2 overall pick"
.
The Oklahoman
. Retrieved
June 25,
2022
.
- ^
"Chet Holmgren, taken second overall, is highest drafted Minnesotan in NBA history"
.
Star Tribune
. June 23, 2022
. Retrieved
June 23,
2020
.
- ^
"Oklahoma City Thunder 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League Roster | NBA.com"
.
nba.com
. Retrieved
July 26,
2022
.
- ^
Salao, Renzo (July 5, 2022).
"Chet Holmgren fires warning shot after breaking NBA Summer League record"
.
ClutchPoints
. Retrieved
July 9,
2022
.
- ^
"Thunder Signs First-Round Draft Picks, Chet Holmgren Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams"
.
nba.com
. July 5, 2022
. Retrieved
July 26,
2022
.
- ^
"Holmgren to miss '22-23 season with foot injury"
.
ESPN
. August 25, 2022
. Retrieved
June 13,
2023
.
- ^
Pagaduan, Jedd (October 25, 2023).
"Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren's honest feelings on NBA debut after redshirt season"
.
ClutchPoints
. Retrieved
October 25,
2023
.
- ^
Pagaduan, Jett (October 27, 2023).
"Thunder center Chet Holmgren's insane stat line vs. Cavs sparks Rookie of the Year buzz"
.
ClutchPoints
. Retrieved
October 27,
2023
.
- ^
Guinhawa, Angelo (November 18, 2023).
"Chet Holmgren's Thunder heroics vs. Stephen Curry, Warriors fuels ROY buzz"
.
ClutchPoints
. Retrieved
November 18,
2023
.
- ^
"Chet Holmgren Named Western Conference Rookie of the Month"
.
NBA
. December 4, 2023
. Retrieved
December 26,
2023
.
- ^
Chet Holmgren makes NBA Playoff history
- ^
"Chet Holmgren takes home TISSOT MVP award after helping USA to U19 World Cup title"
.
FIBA
. July 11, 2021
. Retrieved
June 13,
2023
.
- ^
Jordan, Jason (March 25, 2020).
"A Look at Elite Center Chet Holmgren"
.
SI All American
. Sports Illustrated
. Retrieved
May 10,
2020
.
- ^
Grobeck, Joe (March 11, 2020).
"America's No. 2 Recruit Shoots Like Dirk and Defends Like Davis"
. FanBuzz
. Retrieved
March 21,
2020
.
- ^
"Q&A: Chet Holmgren's parents, HS coach on Chet's journey to being top-3 NBA Draft pick"
.
KSTP-TV
. June 19, 2020
. Retrieved
June 19,
2020
.
External links
[
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]
Links to related articles
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