Oklahoma City Thunder and Gonzaga basketball fans cringed after Shams Charania reported Chet Holmgren was terrified of ligament damage in his foot. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was injured while competing in The CrawSover Pro-Am last weekend.
As Lakers star LeBron James races to the rim, Holmgren appears to take a step to defend him awkwardly. He would leave the game before it was called off due to the humidity on the field and the large crowds causing condensation.
The 20-year-old will undergo a foot test, according to a Thunder spokesman.
“Chet is being evaluated and will communicate when we have an update,” a spokesperson told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
OKC will start the preseason on October 3rd with Denver, followed by Dallas (Oct. 5) and San Antonio (Oct. 13). The Thunder travel to Holmgren’s home state of Minnesota on Oct. 19 for their first regular-season game.
Over the summer, fans and analysts have been impressed by the 7-footer from Minnesota. In five summer league games, he averaged 14 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 blocks.
In his only season as Zag, Holmgren was the consensus selection for the All-American Second Team and won the WCC Defensive Player of the Year award. His 3.7 blocks per game ranks fourth in college basketball as his defensive rating is the highest in the nation (78.7).
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
