Inside The Thunder

Chet Holmgren Not Phased by NBA Physicality

Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren is not phased by the physicality in the NBA.

Rylan Stiles

Chet Holmgren Not Phased by NBA Physicality
Chet Holmgren Not Phased by NBA Physicality /
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Chet Holmgren met with the local media ahead of Friday's game against the Miami Heat. He walked over to his media scrum sporting a shining black eye, a cut on his nose, and plenty of bruises. 

That is life in the NBA for a big man, and something the Thunder rookie is not phased by he said when asked about it at shootaround:

"Nothing that I have never seen before in my career to this point. You can not control some of these unaimed shots, it just kinda happens. Wrong place, wrong time, you stick your nose in a play, it just kinda happens," Holmgren said. 

Not dodging these blows from NBA big men is something the rookie takes pride in saying "If you are trying to dodge that, then you are not as focused as you need to be on effecting the game the way you need to effect it. If you get caught in the crossfires it's just part of it." 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have benefited from Holmgren sticking his nose into things on both ends of the floor from blocked shots, rebounds, put back jams, and tap-outs to generate open triples. A lot of Oklahoma City's success is not possible without the Gonzaga product being in harms way for an unaimed elbow. 

Shoot around notes: 

The Art of the Challenge:

Mark Daigneault has been on fire challenging plays this season, and since he arrived as the Thunder bench boss. He has the benefit of G League coaching experience having been around the challenge system longer than most NBA coaches, and Holmgren recognizes the skill that it is for the team. 

"It is a real team effort, but if we can challenge something that can make a positive play in our favor he is pretty aggressive with those and he will go challenge them at almost any time...it plays in our favor a lot," Holmgren said at Friday's shoot around.

Part of their success on challenges has been Daigneault's ability to trust his players who do not plea for challenges unless they are confident the green-light decision will flip their way. 

That translates to more than just challenges though, Holmgren compared it to how players deal with the officials, “The refs go and watch film. You [Expletive] and complain to the refs, they’re gonna go back and watch the play you’re [expletive] and complaining about. If you’re wrong more than you’re right, they’re just not gonna believe you anymore.” 

Handling Social Media: 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the youngest roster in the NBA based on weighted minutes played, so it makes sense for the team to be "chronically online," as Holmgren put it. 

With that comes negativity, social media is a space that highlights the negatives more than the positives, making it is easy for the players to see that feedback. Though, the OKC Thunder rookie is not bothered by it. 

"If I do not want to see it, I just do not go and look at it...I feel like, if there is a pull in you to go and read people talk [expletive] about you, then I feel that is something to work on. It is definitely something I have worked on, because I have been in somewhat of a spotlight for a long time now," Holmgren explained. 

The Thunder big man does not let social media impact him saying "You just have to have a good perspective about it, it comes with it. You have people who like you, people who don't like you, I don't see how it effects my life I wake up and do the same thing no matter what people say about me...I am not going to let it ruin my life, you know?"

Noise on social media only grows louder as the teams continues to gain relevancy and play in more meaningful contests. Holmgren's attitude toward the social media fodder is another example of the Thunder's uncommon maturity. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder welcome in the Miami Heat to the Paycom Center on Friday to open up a four-game home stand.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Consistency is Key to Oklahoma City's Success

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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