Does Chet Holmgren Want To Play For The Magic?

The Gonzaga Bulldog answered the question in a quick interview.

Jeremy Brener | May 29, 2022

Does Chet Holmgren Want To Play For The Magic? /

The Orlando Magic are currently debating between choosing either Auburn's Jabari Smith or Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren to be the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.

Chet Holmgren

Holmgren, the star player for the No. 1-seed Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament, was recently interviewed by TMZ Sports in a paparazzi-like confrontation.

The reporter quickly asked Holmgren if he felt he was the No. 1 pick.

"Man, we'll see," Holmgren said. "June 23rd, everybody tune in," he told the camera.

On a follow-up question, Holmgren was asked if he wanted to "be an Orlando Magic."

"I want to land in the best fit for my career," Holmgren responded.

Orlando certainly could be the best fit for Holmgren.

"This front office’s track record reveals an obsession with length, so one can easily connect the dots there," said The Athletic.

There are a number of reasons for the Magic to take Holmgren over Smith.

Holmgren can play the four or five and could complement Wendell Carter Jr. well as a high-low combo. He also has a very strong defensive IQ that could make him one of the league's best defenders once he puts on a little more weight. He also has proven success with last year's top pick Jalen Suggs, his former high school teammate.

While Smith is a year younger and can be more versatile on defense, Holmgren could have the higher ceiling between the two and he could project as an All-NBA defender one day.

Jamahl Mosley

Whether the Magic select Holmgren or Smith, the team is getting one of the best players in the draft and someone who makes Orlando better immediately. And when you have the No. 1 pick in the draft, that's the one thing you want to be able to guarantee.

Published May 29, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.