Thunder Rookie Chet Holmgren: ‘This is Where I Want to Be’
During the pre-draft process, Gonzaga forward Chet Holmgren was reported to have the desire to play in Oklahoma City. The Thunder had the No. 2 overall pick, meaning they’d have to hope the Orlando Magic didn’t take him with the top selection.
Although the first pick of the draft was a late shakeup, the Thunder still took Holmgren with the second pick. Now, he’ll have the chance to emerge as the face of the franchise.
In Oklahoma City’s rookie introductory press conference, Holmgren was asked if he did ultimately want to become a member of the Thunder. Unsurprisingly, he admitted OKC is where he wanted to be all along.
“Now that I’m here, I can officially say this is where I want to be,” said Holmgren.
The mutual interest is something the Thunder front office and fanbase should be excited about. In a small market, loyalty is key for longterm success.
If Holmgren ends up being the player he has the potential to be, he’ll be on the team for the next decade or more. This means he’ll have to continue his desire to be in Oklahoma City beyond his first two contracts.
Last season at Gonzaga, the versatile big man averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 39.0% from deep.
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