Chet Holmgren is the 2022 NBA Draft’s Top Prize
In an upcoming draft that has been marketed as one without a true No. 1 pick, I’m here to tell you there is.
Chet Holmgren is, for all intents and purposes, the 2022 NBA Draft’s top prize.
Standing at 7-foot, Holmgren dominated in his lone college season with Gonzaga. Using his combination of size, instincts and skill, he posted a line of 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 60 percent from the floor and 39 percent from three.
Holmgren, wildly, wasn’t the centerpiece of Gonzaga’s offense. Despite being a near three-level score packed inside a 7-footer, the offense was largely ran through junior big man Drew Timme, and a legion of experienced guards.
Holmgren of course benefitted from Gonzaga’s loaded roster, but still managed to shine through himself.
He was arguably one of college basketball’s greatest ever transition scorers, running the court with ease and functioning especially well as a trailer option. Holmgren is one of the most capable passers, handlers and playmakers ever seen packed into a 7-foot frame.
But we haven’t even gotten to his most valuable skill yet.
James Snook / USA TODAY Sports
Holmgren dominated as an interior defender. In just 26.9 minutes per game, he posted 3.7 blocks, sending and smothering near anything that came close to him.
Similarly to Utah’s Rudy Gobert, Holmgren is an expert in tracking shots, and there’s game-planning to be built around it.
To sum it up, Holmgren is impactful. On off shooting nights, he’s sliding around on defense, disrupting lanes with his length and creating shots with well-placed passes.
On good shooting nights, he looks like a bonafide superstar.
Of course there are questions surrounding Holmgren’s jump to the pros: will his frame hold up? Were his stats at Gonzaga elevated due to lack of true competition? Will he be a true five?
None of which overshadow his historically impressive season with the Zags. Or the fact he’ll enter the NBA as one of the most intriguing prospects in recent memory.
Duke’s Paolo Banchero and Auburn’s Jabari Smith are each great in their own right, but don’t rival Holmgren at his best.
And that’s why Holmgren is the top prize.
Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
