Could Chet Holmgren earn one billion dollars in the NBA?

'I’m very comfortable saying he has a chance to make that type of money,' said former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau of Holmgren

May 18, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) walks into the arena before the game against the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

According to Spotrac.com, the top four college basketball programs in the country based on the combined earnings from their respective NBA alumni are as follows: Kentucky, Duke, Cal and Gonzaga.

The total earnings from the 10 (and soon to be more) active Zags in the association has totaled over $128 million after Andrew Nembhard signed a three-year, $59 million extension with the Indiana Pacers in late July. Sacramento Kings All-NBA forward Domantas Sabonis is slated to earn $40.5 million in 2024-25; Brandon Clarke will be halfway through a four-year, $52 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies at season’s end; Kelly Olynyk signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Toronto Raptors in March.

Nembhard was the next Zag who earned that all-important second contract in the NBA, and it's safe to say he won’t be the last.

“The NBA, with the collective bargaining agreement that has been done a couple years back, and you’ve got this media rights deal that has been in negotiations for about a year, and it’s just been agreed to … these contracts are absolutely exploding,” said former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau.

That deal Dickau referred to — an 11-year contract with Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video that’ll bring the league about $76 billion over its duration — is expected to increase the salary cap by 10% every year for the remainder of the collective bargaining agreement, which was signed in 2023 and will expire after the 2029-30 season.

That means a lot of former Zags have a chance to sign lucrative deals in the near future. Perhaps the alum with the highest ceiling is Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren, the former second overall pick in 2022 who is coming off a historic rookie season in which he finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting. 

“Chet Holmgren has a chance to make a billion dollars playing the game of basketball,” Dickau said. “Chet’s either gonna be a max [contract] guy or he’s gonna be a tiny step below. So when he’s up for his contract extension at the end of his rookie deal, as long as he hits some of these thresholds: being All-NBA, award winners, all-stars — which I think he’s on track to be an all-star — you know that allows you to take 'x' amount of the salary cap and get these different bonuses. I’m very comfortable saying he has a chance to make that type of money.”

Dickau shared more on how Gonzaga’s pro talent bodes well in recruiting high school players, his thoughts on Mark Few and Team USA in the Paris Games, and much more, on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE BELOW:

Produced by Christian Pedersen.

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