Chet Holmgren isn’t a stranger to basketball success and expectations, especially going into the 2022 NBA Draft. In 2021, he was rated the number one player coming out of high school. Holmgren then played for a perennial powerhouse in college with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Now, Holmgren is one of the hottest names in the draft pool.
Chet Holmgren 2022 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Holmgren committed to Gonzaga on April 19, 2021. He essentially followed the footsteps of his high school teammate Jalen Suggs, who enjoyed plenty of success as a Bulldog as well. Holmgren was going to form a terrifying frontcourt alongside Drew Timme.
Expectations were high for Holmgren, but he answered quickly. In his debut game versus Dixie State, he put up 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks, and six assists in a 34-point win. It was clear from there that Holmgren was going to be special.
He dominated the West Coast Conference throughout the season. His season averages were nothing short of great at 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. He did this all in around 27 minutes per game, and also shot 61 percent from the field and 39 percent from three. In fact, Holmgren won the West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. From there, it was always going to be a one-and-done college career for Holmgren.
Strengths
There’s a lot to like about Holmgren. First off, he towers above seven feet. Size can’t be taught and Holmgren surely has that in height.
Outside of that, he holds a vast array of skills. He’s a very fluid athlete capable of doing a lot. Holmgren holds rare vision, movements, and shooting abilities for a player of his size. He has enough post skills to succeed down low, but Holmgren is also a dangerous floor-stretcher.
His intelligence is also high, as he often succeeds in the pick-and-roll game. If playing with a talented point guard, Holmgren can feast in scoring.
Outside of his offensive capabilities, Holmgren is a strong rebounder and a terrific shot-blocker and rim protector. In short, he has all the skills a team is looking for when it comes to a modern four or five.
Weaknesses
The one glaring weakness of Holmgren is his frame. Yes, he’s tall, but he’s also very skinny. This wasn’t a major issue in college, but the NBA is a different animal. The bigs he’ll match up against on a regular basis will try to take advantage of his frame.
That isn’t to say Holmgren is soft. He’s always willing to get physical, but the problem here isn’t that. The problem is, no matter how physical Holmgren can get, other players are just stronger.
Holmgren can also improve his free-throw shooting. He shot just over 70 percent for Gonzaga, but for a player who will be fouled a lot, this number has to go up. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t as he has a silky shooting touch.
NBA Player Comparison for Chet Holmgren
The best player comparison for Holmgren is Kristaps Porzingis before the injuries. He can sprint in strides, slam in dunks, drain threes, and block shots with ease. Before the injuries, Porzingis was an All-Star and looked extremely promising. Holmgren has all of these traits.
NBA Draft Projection
Holmgren is a top-three lock in the 2022 NBA Draft.
