Those are stats no one sees, but they still impact the game.With this year’s draft in the rearview, let’s take a way-too-early look ahead at the loaded 2022 NBA Draft.Ĭhet Holmgren is the No. Even if he misses a block or gives up two points, he’s going to make up for it in other ways, like tipping a rebound to the perimeter for a 3-point shot if he doesn’t have the inside position. He’s never dealt with serious injuries, and that’s important when evaluating top prospects. He might appear undersized and take hits from stronger players, like Memphis’ Jalen Duren, but he always bounces right back up. “He definitely has an advantage on offense and he’s going to be able to exploit players because if you put a typical center on him, it’s not going to be easy to guard a guy who can shoot like Chet and has ball skills for his position,” another scout added. When Holmgren has the ball in his hands off the post, it completely disrupts the defense. “The game has changed, and it’s not about getting it inside anymore it’s about getting it outside.” “Forget about who he guards, who guards him?” one NBA scout countered. There are only a couple guys in the league that are true low-post players, and I see him more of a weak-side shot blocker instead of a guy you’re asking to guard a low-post big,” an NBA executive said. “He’s going to have to guard the opposing team’s four. So does he play the four and guard guys like Pascal Siakam and Draymond Green? One of the lingering questions for NBA teams is, who does Holmgren guard at the next level? He can’t bang in the post with Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. To see him play in person and take defenders off the dribble is pretty remarkable. He has a unique feel for the game and can handle the ball like a point guard. There have even been some similarities drawn between Holmgren and Rookie of the Year front-runner Evan Mobley, but there’s something a bit different that sets Holmgren apart. Some say he’s a mini Kristaps Porzingis or similar to Oklahoma City Thunder center Aleksej Pokusevski. There hasn’t been a player quite like Holmgren, and it’s hard to draw any NBA comparisons or project what he’ll be at the next level. The Gonzaga center has been called a one-of-one prospect. I’m just going to do me and keep working on my game.” How to project Chet Holmgren at the NBA level “At the end of the day, I’m not too worried about what they’re saying. “Most of the people that tell me I’m too skinny are people on Twitter and have never seen me play basketball in person or understand basketball to begin with,” Holmgren told Yahoo Sports in 2020. Holmgren has been hearing he’s too skinny his entire career, yet he continues to find ways to impact the game. Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren dunks the ball against Georgia State in a first-round game of the 2022 NCAA men's tournament on March 17, 2022. Chet can have the same impact in a game on a different level than Durant,” one NBA scout said. He can’t lift 135 pounds, but he can shoot the hell out of the ball and impact the game. “It’s the same thing we heard about Kevin Durant when he was entering the NBA. “Physically, he’s scary as hell, but basketball is a game of versatility and he’s the most versatile player in the draft” another NBA scout said. He’s undoubtedly an elite shot blocker and has great length at 7-feet with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, but his 195-pound frame will be the biggest question mark for teams come draft night. “He’s so unique physically with all the other skills and abilities and if you’re willing to take that home run swing, he’s totally worth it.”Īgainst Memphis in the round of 32, Holmgren didn’t exactly dominate the paint he had nine points, nine rebounds and four blocks in 30 minutes. “His intangibles are off the chart,” one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. Yahoo Sports spoke with several NBA scouts to get a feel for Holmgren as a draft prospect. Even in games against tougher, Power Five competition, he didn't fill out a stat line, but that’s not necessarily giving NBA scouts any pause on Holmgren as a top draft prospect. He had even more of a presence during West Coast Conference play, recording eight double-doubles and, at times, he took over games. Holmgren is putting up solid numbers this season, averaging 14.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game.
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