Chet Holmgren Dazzles With 13-Point First Quarter in Summer League Debut

While some NBA rookies are nervous entering summer league play, that was far from the case for Chet Holmgren on Tuesday night. Holmgren, who was selected No. 2 in the NBA draft by the Thunder nearly two weeks ago, made a direct impact in his summer league debut against the Jazz.

The seven-foot-one forward scored 13 points in the first nine minutes of the opening quarter that included him going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc with ease. With his unique skill set, size and mobility, Holmgren showed flashes of why the Thunder selected him at No. 2 and what he hopes to continue build on in the NBA.

Holmgren went on to finish with 23 points that includes going 4-of-6 from three-point range and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line to lead Oklahoma City to a 98-77 victory against Utah. He also earned one of his six blocked shots—a new summer league record—against the Jazz’s Tacko Fall as he went up for a layup in the first quarter of the game. 

As Holmgren did not disappoint in his summer league debut, his performance also caught the attention of Oklahoma City mayor David Holt. While Holt tweeted that he would not overreact to a summer league game, the city's mayor was excited about what Holmgren did and is excited for what the former Gonzaga star could bring to the city. 

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