Chet Holmgren fits the young and promising mold in Oklahoma City.
Prospect Overview
Rare prospect with great size standing over 7-foot in shoes with a 7-foot-5.25 wingspan, a fluid jump shot, budding talent with the ball, and an excellent all-around feel for the game that makes it easy to look past his narrow frame.
About Chet Holmgren
Holmgren is a unique center prospect with the length and mobility to be an impact player defensively and a rare offensive skill level for a true 7-footer. Climbing the rankings to finish his prep career at Minnehaha Academy (MN) regarded as the of the top prospect in the high school class of 2021 while capturing Morgan Wooten and Naismith Prep Player of the Year honors, the Minneapolis native built an impressive resume heading into his freshman year at Gonzaga.
He further raised the bar by earning Most Valuable Player honors averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 27 blocks over 21.3 minutes per game for the United States team that took gold at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Championship. Quickly establishing himself as an impact player on a veteran Gonzaga roster under Head coach Mark Few, the 20-year-old big man averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, and 1.9 assists over 26.9 minutes per game to earn WCC Defensive Player of the Year and Consensus second-team All-American honors.
• Standing 7-foot without shoes with a skinny 195-pound frame, Holmgren’s frame still has a lot of room to improve, but his 7-foot-5.25 wingspan and mobility give him tantalizing potential as a difference maker on both ends.
• Solidifying himself as one of the most impactful defensive players in the country, Holmgren may have room to become a more physical one-on-one defender as a pro but was spectacular for stretches last. Using verticality to block shots with excellent timing but still providing a steady presence on the glass, his combination of length and instincts stood out around the rim while he had some impressive moments guarding on the perimeter as well.
• Filling a complementary role alongside several established seniors, Holmgren ranked among the most efficient offensive players in college basketball last season. His size and athleticism made him a constant threat to finish lobs and his spot up shooting touch made him a matchup problem for opposing big men. Flashing some of the shot creating ability that garnered him attention during his prep career, his ability to put the ball on the floor, find the open man on the move, and rise into jump shots off the dribble were not a major part of his role at Gonzaga, but nonetheless shined in limited doses serving as a reminder of his rare foundation of perimeter skills for his size.
Advanced Stats
• Getting touches trailing and pushing himself in transition, making his presence felt cutting and spotting up off the ball in the half court, and filling in the blanks for one of the top offensive teams in college basketball, Holmgren thrived in his role. While he was consistently unselfish and opportunistic on the offensive end, he put together several eye-opening stretches when was assertive last season.
• Averaging a tremendous 1.68 points per shot around the rim [100th percentile], Holmgren ranks among the most efficient finishers in college basketball history despite his lack of strength. His massive reach allows him to casually play at the top of the square and he is quick enough off his feet to be a threat to finish lobs flat-footed. He may not be the most physical player in traffic but does not shy away from contact and has the touch to score even when he can’t find an angle to play above the rim.
• Possessing impressive nature touch and smooth shooting mechanics, Holmgren’s perimeter skill level allowed him to play quite a bit of power forward last season and translated consistently on the occasions he looked to dribble into pull-up threes in transition, get to one-legged fadeaways in the post, or create in the midrange. Scoring 1.19 points per jump shot [95th percentile], many of his most productive offensive games came when he was aggressive looking for his own shot on the perimeter. While he is not the most explosive or physical slasher, his size and ability to handle the ball give him considerable potential on the offensive end.
• Showing the willingness to assert himself at the prep level, fill a role in college, and play unselfishly alongside other high-level talents in FIBA play, Holmgren’s feel for the game and budding skill level makes it easy to see him filling a role at the NBA level as his frame and game evolve.
Defensive Analysis
• Holmgren was the driving force behind a defense that allowed a Division I-best 44% shooting in finishing situations in the half court. Not only did he block shots at a strong rate with his impressive combination of length and timing, but he affected many others as well.
• Sliding his feet impressively to stay in front of smaller players when switching on the perimeter, his lateral speed gives him schematic versatility a lot of rim protectors in his mold tend to lack. His productivity on the defensive glass is also rare for a player who pursues blocks the way he does—a testament to his effort-level.
• Allowing 0.78 points per post up possession [60th percentile], Holmgren held his own more consistently in some matchups on the block than others at the college level. While he makes an effort to hold ground, he found mixed results in spots against more imposing back to the basket scorers.
— Profile by Synergy Sports
