Chet Holmgren Could Play In Summer League, Says Thunder GM

It has been a long time since we saw Chet Holmgren on a basketball court.

The slender, 7’1” center from Gonzaga was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 2nd overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. He played his high school ball in Minneapolis and was named the National high school player of the year in 2019, and was then given WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors during his one season at Gonzaga.

Chet Holmgren Could Play In Summer League, Thunder Say

Sam Presti on Chet Holmgren:

“It is our hope that he’ll be out there (Summer League), our expectation. Chet is doing great. He has had a great offseason.”

(via @CodyTaylorNBA, https://t.co/kk1Oz1lhOB) pic.twitter.com/znVHh0IOxV

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 26, 2023

He was the highest selection of a player out of Gonzaga in the school’s history, and his long frame was thought to be an asset, especially on the defensive end.

But tall players with thin, wiry frames like that of Chet Holmgren are often more susceptible to injuries than their peers, as we have seen in the past. Unfortunately, that fate caught up with Holmgren as well.

When preparing for his first NBA season, the highly-touted prospect suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot. The fear and concern that was placed on his ability to stay healthy turned out to be valid ones, and he was forced to miss the entirety of his rookie season as he rehabilitated.

But now that we are done with the 2022-23 campaign, it is time for a check in with Holmgren, and we’ll be getting some clear answers within a couple of weeks.

Holmgren Will Be Eligible For Rookie Of The Year

Rookie Chet OTW 👀 @ChetHolmgren pic.twitter.com/nGEF1FQyOR

— Overtime (@overtime) June 26, 2023

According to Thunder general manger Sam Presti, the team is hopeful that Holmgren can return as early as Summer League, which is right around the corner:

It is our hope that he’ll be out there, our expectation. Chet is doing great. He has had a great offseason…He has done a great job. He has followed the plan and looks really good. We’re excited for him but I don’t think anybody could be more excited than he is.

Because of the time that he has missed to begin his career, Chet Holmgren will actually be eligible to win the Rookie of the Year award for the upcoming NBA season. Victor Wembanyama is the predictable favorite with a designation of -200, with Scoot Henderson coming in behind him at +350.

But Holmgren has shorter odds than any other player picked in last week’s draft, as he comes in at +500 to win the hardware. Brandon Miller (+900) and Amen Thompson (+1200) round out the top-5.

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