Chet Holmgren Is Redeeming Wemby's Shitty Summer League Start In Vegas By Being The Gangly Gawd We All Need
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The Oklahoma City Thunder have been rebuilding in some form or fashion for seven or eight years, but often exceed modest expectations and have soft-tanked enough to get a special talent in 2022 No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren. An injury knocked the former Gonzaga star out for his entire rookie season. Saturday's Summer League action is a reminder as to why every basketball fan — not just Thunder enthusiasts — should be eager for Holmgren's highly anticipated, proper NBA debut.
Any casual knows Chet is a dope defender. The chase-down block above is yet another reminder of that. As is this sick rejection at the rim:
But what's most intriguing about Chet is his still-developing offensive game. When you're well over seven feet and have the quickness and mobility to handle the ball, dump off a quick DHO, set a soft screen and roll to the rim for a dunk, you may be on to something.
Combine that with legit 3-point range and a smooth stroke also included in that highlight package, and OKC could be cooking this season if Chet lives up to the hype.
Mavs fans will be angry if I don't mention how Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper kind of did a number on Chet in the middle of the game following his strong first quarter. First of all, it's Chet Holmgren and I don't care about either of those two Dallas guys for the purposes of generating pageviews. Secondly, this, in the fourth quarter:
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At every turn, when he's been healthy, Chet has answered the bell. The great thing about what GM Sam Presti has done with the Thunder through an admittedly frustrating, long-gestating reconstruction project is he's assembled a very strong, youthful core.
AND THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM, BABY!!!!
(Good thing Presti didn't trade the second pick and the rights to Chet.)
Bottom line is, it's not all on Chet to carry the franchise like it is for most of his gaudy draft status, particularly on offense. OKC has a legit top-tier guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be the catalyst. What's great about Chet is his basketball IQ is so high and he's more than capable of making the right play in whatever role the Thunder want him to take on offensively. It sucked to see him get injured last season. What's crazy is OKC still finished ninth in the West in spite of his absence.
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ICYMI, I posted a blog earlier about Victor Wembanyama's 2-for-13 shooting performance in his Spurs Summer League debut. Quite the contrast to Chet's line in the win over the Mavs. Wemby's career, at age 19, is officially over.
…Glad to see at least one scrawny, gassed-up 7-footer balling out in Vegas. I don't think enough is being made of Chet's comeback. If the Thunder start hot, maybe this is finally the year to take the plunge on NBA League Pass.
Nice showing by 10th overall pick Cason Wallace, too. The rookie out of Kentucky dropped a team-high 20 points for OKC, including this bomb from half court:
THUNDER UP.
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok