Chet Holmgren’s Summer League Stint Shows Glimpse into Impactful Future
With just one Summer League bout left for Oklahoma City, No. 2 overall selection Chet Holmgren has likely played his last minutes with the squad.
Through five games, the forward-center hybrid averaged 14.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.8 blocks. He shot 50 percent overall from the floor and 42 percent from beyond the arc.
Fans saw a variety of different games from Holmgren: from his 23-point, 6-block opener to paint struggles against more physical opponents.
But his impact on the court remained a constant regardless of stats.
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Largely due to his deterrence around the rim, Holmgren’s impact is hard to quantify. Similarly to Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, player shooting around the rim must change their shot form, flight or path to simply get it over or around Holmgren’s 7-foot-6 wingspan.
Through five games, opponents shot 34 percent with Holmgren on the floor, raising that to 42 percent with him off. In the paint, opponents shot 43 percent with Holmgren on to 56 percent with him off.
Holmgren will function similarly at an NBA-level. While the competition will certainly be more advanced, the 7-footer is adept at putting himself in the right position to block shots, or at the very least alter the opponent's offese.
Overall, he was a net positive in nearly every game, helping the Thunder to a 3-2 record in his contests.
There were a few statistically great games from Holmgren, and a few that were below average.
But if Summer League taught us anything about Holmgren, it’s that his impact will go far beyond the box score.
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