Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder could come away from the 2022 NBA draft with the best prospect in the class despite owning the No. 2 overall pick.
The Thunder jumped over the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons in Tuesday’s draft lottery to be positioned behind the Orlando Magic.
Most experts believe the Magic are set on Jabari Smith or Paolo Banchero at No. 1, which leaves the Thunder an opportunity to land Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren.
Holmgren is far from the finished product, but he would fit in perfectly in Oklahoma City as a complement to 2021 first-round pick Josh Giddey.
Experts In Agreement on Chet Holmgren At No. 2
Most of the NBA draft experts paired Chet Holmgren with the Thunder right after the draft lottery results were finalized.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie and SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell all agree on the match.
Holmgren is the most unique prospect in the draft class. He stands at 7’3″ but only weighs 195 pounds.
The lack of weight for a big man did not deter Holmgren in his one season at Gonzaga. He averaged 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He shot 60.7 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range.
The basketball skill set is there with Holmgren, but now he has to put on weight to deal with the physical nature of the NBA.
Holmgren’s complete skill set may not be on display for a few years, which is why he is a perfect fit in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder are in the middle of a long tanking process with an abundance of first-round picks available over the next few drafts. Oklahoma City also owns the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. That selection came from the Paul George trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Wasserman called Holmgren “a potential All-Defensive first-teamer to build around” in his breakdown of the Oklahoma City pick.
Holmgren’s height gives the Thunder a potentially elite rim protector, and his three-point shooting is solid for a player of his age and size.
Vecenie outlined Holmgren’s offensive strengths while breaking down what his future could hold.
“On offense, he’s a great shooter from distance, a strong finisher at the basket and an unselfish passer. The issue is he weighs 195 pounds while playing a physical style that puts him against the biggest players in the league. How will his frame hold up? How long will it take for him to get stronger? Holmgren’s upside is higher than any other player in this class, but there is real uncertainty about his future among the NBA decision-makers who are ultimately putting their jobs on the line in drafting him.”
Oklahoma City should be more than willing to take the risk on Holmgren because they are nowhere close to win-now mode.
After all, this is the team that shut down Giddey, a potential Rookie of the Year winner, near the end of the season and started G-League players to secure the best possible lottery odds.
Oklahoma City should be a good fit for Holmgren so that he can develop into the player he can be in the NBA.
Holmgren can have success right away because of his offensive talents, and his ceiling is through the roof if he adapts well to the physical nature of the NBA.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
