OKC Thunder: Chet Holmgren Reflects on Path to Recovery

Incoming Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren hasn't been dealt the straightest path to navigate the beginning of his NBA career, but it's primed him to overcome adversity.

Intensively working for something your entire life, only for you to be hampered and unable to reap the benefits of achieving that goal for an entire year would make most lose their composure.

But for Chet Holmgren, it’s seemed his level-headed attitude and desire to get out onto an NBA court has kept him grounded, searching for every opportunity to better his game.

For the 7-foot-1 hybrid big whose freshman campaign was stalled after suffering a Lisfranc injury when competing in The CrawsOver Pro Am last July, it’s been a crooked path thus far to start his NBA career.

The injury sidelined him for the entire season, leaving him to prepare for the 2023-24 season as his rookie year.

“It was a process,” Holmgren said as a guest on All The Smoke, a podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. “I had surgery and then for six weeks, I was on a scooter, shooting from a scooter every day.

“I literally did the same routine every day.”

A Lisfranc fracture is an injury stemming from a bone-damaging impact on the foot. This didn’t leave him sidelined for long, though, as the Minneapolis native continued to work consistently, but at his own pace.

Chet Holmgren details the past year of basketball and recovery on the ALL THE SMOKE podcast: pic.twitter.com/4g32IcR4GB

— Kade Kimble (@kadekimble) August 1, 2023

“From there it was crutches, then one crutch, then walking in the boot,” Holmgren added. “It was just step after step.”

Brick by brick, Holmgren built back the foundation in his right foot, preparing him for his second Summer League trip with Oklahoma City this July.

Holmgren did not skip a beat as an all-around force when finally lacing up his sneakers again to compete against the Utah Jazz in the Thunder’s first Summer League contest. Posting 15 points and nine rebounds alongside four blocks, Holmgren’s defensive presence was overwhelming, and continued to be for the rest of Summer League.

The former Gonzaga Bulldog took the next step in proving the effectiveness of his rehabilitation and patient, consistent effort, averaging 16.5 points, 9.8 boards and an impressive 3.5 blocks throughout his four 2023 Summer League games.

Holmgren’s path seems to be straightening out, as well as the Thunder’s.

“You can either make something good out of it or just sit there and not do anything with it,” Holmgren said.

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