Chet Holmgren Shows Flashes of Brilliance in Preseason Opener

Oklahoma City's No. 2 overall pick lived up to expectations in his first real NBA action. He could be closer to stardom than people think.

Chet Holmgren’s ceiling has always been high. There’s a reason Oklahoma City drafted him No. 2 overall.

But there were questions coming into last season about his physicality and weight, and how the big man would adjust to the NBA. After playing at Gonzaga, Holmgren had concerns about competition faced and how his talent would translate in the league.

Then, the injury happened. Holmgren missed the entire season with a Lisfranc injury. Both he and the Thunder were devastated, and even though he had never been injured before in his life, the NBA community pointed to his thin frame and injury concerns in the predraft process. In reality, it was a freak injury that had nothing to do with his height or weight, just an unfortunate fall for the do-it-all center.

After the season long injury, there seemed to be questions regarding just how high Holmgren's ceiling was, and if he'd be able to stay on the court. Monday night, he certainly answered one of those questions. Holmgren has undeniable star potential, and the Thunder might've hit a home run.

The rookie center looked comfortable, agile for a 7-footer, and smooth as could be in his first preseason game. He went up against Victor Wembanyama, too, who has been heralded as the top NBA prospect since LeBron James. Thunder fans should be thrilled about how he performed Monday night, and his ceiling is unbelievably high.

He's not just a pick-and-roll threat with elite shock blocking ability, although he's both of those too. He's a star, and his ceiling is uncapped. Holmgren can shoot from behind the 3-point line, he can contort his body to finish in unthinkable ways around the rim and he can be a legitimate defensive anchor on a great basketball team. He's a two-way force that we haven't seen before.

Sure, he can add weight and muscle to his frame over the next few years, but he might not need to. Holmgren's drives to the basket were swift, and his cuts were speedy, making it impossible for a true big man to guard. He brought the ball up the floor like he could run an offense, and cleaned up misses from Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams.

His hand-eye coordination is a sight to behold, as Holmgren caught lobs off balance and fading away, throwing it into the hoop for a highlight dunk. He could very well be a cheat code for this Thunder team in 2023-24 and it's time to start talking about him as a Rookie of the Year candidate — and maybe a front runner.

He finished the game with 21 points, nine rebounds and a block, shooting 7-of-10 from the floor and 2-for-2 from 3-point range. He played his role to a T and still put up eye-popping stats. The craziest part? Holmgren played just 16 minutes.

He has the potential to be everything last year's Thunder team was missing, and a lot more. If Holmgren can be a two-way star, Oklahoma City's ceiling is exponentially higher. With Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander at the helm, and an impressive young core surrounding him, Holmgren could be the last piece that pushes this team towards contention.

Only time will tell, but Monday night was a step in the right direction.

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