It’s only one game, in the Summer League, but Chet Holmgren certainly looked the part of a future NBA star in his first game action with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Holmgren — the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft — put his unicorn-esque skillset on display in Oklahoma City’s 98-77 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
The former Gonzaga Bulldogs star scored 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists, and blocked six shots, with a game-high plus/minus of +26 in 23 minutes played. Holmgren scored those 23 points efficiently too; he was 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-6 on threes, and 5-of-5 at the charity stripe.
But the defense from Holmgren — listed at 7’1″, 194 pounds — may stand out the most to NBA evaluators. His six blocks are even a Summer League record. And he told ESPN that he’s “coming to break it again.”
"Only six? … I'm coming to break it again."
Chet Holmgren after breaking the Summer League record for blocks 😅 pic.twitter.com/E6dtUBPQmB
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 6, 2022
Here’s a look at how the basketball world — and even Holmgren himself — is reacting to Holmgren’s dominant NBA Summer League debut:
😂
— chet holmgren (@ChetHolmgren) July 6, 2022
#2 Overall pick Chet Holmgren was dominant in his #NBASummer debut leading the @okcthunder to the win while dropping 23 PTS on 78% shooting and blocking 6 shots!
Chet Holmgren: 23 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 6 BLK
Josh Giddey: 14 PTS, 5 REB, 11 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/4QMeJ6Ckik— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2022
Chet Holmgren’s Summer League debut:
➖rocked the KD 15s 👟
➖23 points on 78% from the field
➖first player in Summer League history to record 5 blocks and 4 three-pointers in a game(h/t @ESPNStatsInfo, @NickDePaula) pic.twitter.com/trMizd2dvX
— Boardroom (@boardroom) July 6, 2022
Everyone before this game: Don't overreact to the Summer League
Me after watching Chet Holmgren and Josh Giddey for 6 minutes: RIP OKC Rebuild 2020-2022
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) July 6, 2022
I know it's "just Summer League," but Chet Holmgren looks far more comfortable tonight at Utah than he did in his last two NCAA tourney games. 1st quarter: 3-4 from 3, 13 points, 3 blocks and a steal. Just dominated. Sam Presti took him over Jabari Smith. Presti strikes again?
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 6, 2022
Chet Holmgren in his first Summer League game pic.twitter.com/06lYc62xq5
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 6, 2022
I will not tweet about players during summer league
I will not tweet about players during summer league
I will not tweet about players during summer league
But that was some half by Chet Holmgren
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 6, 2022
Hey so Chet Holmgren may very well be the best basketball player of all time
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) July 6, 2022
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.