Chet Holmgren Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Thunder Roster
June 24, 2022
Gonzaga star Chet Holmgren is taking his lanky 7'0" frame to Paycom Center after the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him second overall in the 2022 NBA draft Thursday.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Chet Holmgren
Position: PF
Height: 7'0"
Pro Comparison: Evan Mobley
Scouting Report: The draft's top defensive prospect, Holmgren should be an immediate difference-maker with his elite rim-protection tools and instincts. Still, for a 7-footer, it's his shooting, ball-handling, passing flashes and finishing that create the highest ceiling of any prospect in the 2022 class.
Chet Holmgren, C: rookie-scale contract
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG: $35.4M (2027)
Derrick Favors, C: $9.7M (2023)
JaMychal Green, PF: $8.2M (2023)
Josh Giddey, SG: $6.8M (2025)
Aleksej Pokusevski, PF: $3.6M (2024)
Tre Mann, PG: $3.5M (2025)
Mike Muscala, PF: $3.5M (2023, Team Option)
Darius Bazley, SF: $2.9M (2023)
Ty Jerome, PG: $2.8M (2023)
Kenrich Williams, SF: $2M (2023)
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PF: $2M (2025)
Theo Maledon, PG: $2M (2024)
Isaiah Roby, SF: $1.6M (2023, Team Option)
Aaron Wiggins, SG: $1.6M (2025)
Vit Krejci, PG: $1.6M (2025)
Luguentz Dort, SG: $1.3M (2023, Team Option)
Melvin Frazier, SF: RFA
Before he ever played a game for the Zags, Holmgren was widely tipped to be a top-five pick in this year's draft. He was the No. 1 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2021 recruiting class.
The Minnesota native lived up to the hype in his only year of college. Over 32 games, he averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. He showcased his ability to stretch the floor by making 1.3 three-pointers per game and hitting 39.0 percent of his long-range opportunities.
Holmgren was named a consensus second-team All-American and the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, among other honors.
Holmgren's size and two-way ability leave him perfectly suited for the modern game, and his arrival in Oklahoma City is bound to have the fanbase looking forward to the future.
The big man joins a young, rebuilding Thunder team with a promising backcourt of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. Oklahoma City needed to improve its frontcourt with an infusion of talent, though, and Holmgren fits that bill. He should slide into the starting lineup right away as the Thunder look to continue to make strides.
OKC isn't on the precipice of playoff contention and must improve an offense with the second-worst efficiency in the league last year, per Basketball-Reference. However, Holmgren should be a big help on both ends as general manager Sam Presti continues to shape the roster.