Chet Holmgren's Return to Basketball
Breaking down the NBA Summer League return of the 2022 #2 overall pick
Game Stats
15 pts | 9 reb | 2 ast | 3 tov | 0 stl | 4 blk
6-14 FG | 0-1 3PT | 3-6 FT
It was great to see Chet Holmgren back on an NBA floor, even if it was just Summer League. Doing a deep dive like this on a Summer League game is silly. It’s such a different environment and level of play than the actual NBA, but I thought it would be fun to look at what Chet showed in his first game back from injury.
The Struggles:
There was always going to be rust for Chet to knock off. He hasn’t played in a competitive setting like this in roughly a full year. This fact was obvious immediately, considering he began the game by fumbling both his dribble and an easy pass. It’s extremely difficult to prepare yourself for how draining actual game action will be. This is especially true for someone like Chet, who is specifically targeted for extra physicality. It clearly took him a bit to get his legs under him. His first hard drive to the rim was unsuccessful as he couldn’t quite get the vertical pop he wanted at the rim.
His main criticism entering the draft was his lack of strength. While he has put on some weight (allegedly 13 lbs), he’s still very skinny and can get bullied at times by stronger players. This limitation also shows itself at times offensively. One of Chet’s greatest strengths is his ability to create off the dribble at his size. A 7-footer with his comfortability as a ball-handler is extremely rare. However, if a defender stays solid, a chest-up bump or shoulder will knock Chet off his line. If he doesn’t get a full step on his primary defender he has trouble staying on balance and making a move into the defense.
The Jazz SL team doesn’t have anyone to hone in and attack this weakness, and allowing Chet to roam as a help defender played right into his strengths. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone in the SL is capable of taking advantage of Chet in the post. There was only one clear instance in this game, where Vernon Carey Jr. (270 lbs) power dribbled right into Chet’s chest. Carey dislodged Chet and ended up drawing a foul.
The Strengths:
Chet’s elite rim protection was on full display. He has impeccable instincts and timing. He almost always contests with two hands high, which makes it nearly impossible for players to finish over him. A couple of these clips didn’t count because of fouls prior to the shot, but they continue to show how elite his shot-blocking ability is. Plus, that block on Keyonte George was awesome.
He also showed his versatility as a defender. He guards his man through a down screen and gets a block. In the next play, he helps down on a drive and then draws a charge while cutting off the ball handler. He can guard in more ways than most big men, which adds a lot of flexibility to his team’s defense.
Chet’s offensive versatility was also obvious. You can use him in so many different ways on offense, as evidenced by these clips. He brought the ball up the court, played as both the PnR screener and ballhandler, and created opportunities from the perimeter and the post. He only shot one three but used the threat of his shooting to get multiple looks at the rim.
He just possesses more threats than the majority of big men, which stretches the defense and forces them out of their comfort zone. He creates unique layers to an offense and should bring something new to the Thunder.