OKC Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault Gives Update on Chet Holmgren

Oklahoma City Thunder's head coach, Mark Daigneault, shared his thoughts on Chet Holmgren's rehabilitation and eventual return.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and their fanbase is collectively awaiting the return of promising prospect Chet Holmgren. After being drafted with the second pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Holmgren has yet to play in a regular NBA game after suffering a Lisfranc injury this past summer.

“Projections and predictions - you don’t know where it’s going to go once the guy gets on the court with the team and we’re not going to see that until next season,” said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault on Monday when sharing his thoughts on the franchise’s most recent top draft pick, Chet Holmgren.

“Especially as we go into next season, there is going to be a lot of build up around that player,” remarked Daigneault. Indeed, there will be.

After Summer League play gave a taste, or a glimpse, of how Holmgren’s game might translate to the big stage, there is reason to be excited for the 2023-2024 NBA season. Especially after fans saw the seven-foot big man drop 23 points, snag seven rebounds, find four dimes, and use his 7-foot-6 wingspan to swat six shots in his first NBA exhibition.

“We’re not going to see that until next season,” said Daigneault. After undergoing a procedure to correct the injury to his mid-foot, the Thunder once again confirmed that Holmgren won’t play this season, but instead will focus on rehabilitation and a healthy return to basketball.

All signs are pointing towards smooth progress and there hasn’t been any indication given that Holmgren has suffered any setbacks. Daigneault said that Holmgren is on track with his recovery and that “he’s done a great job attacking his rehab [and] he’s made significant progress since the beginning.”

It's no secret that the Thunder have struggled in the front-court this season, especially after injuries to Aleksej Pokusevski and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl left them relying on a hodgepodge rotation of Kenrich Williams, Mike Muscala, and Darius Bazley. 

A healthy return for Holmgren next season would mean more size for the Thunder and a legitimate offensive weapon and pick-and-roll partner for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. And Holmgren's ability to protect the rim is something the Thunder haven't had since the days of Serge Ibaka.

Mark Daigneault gives an update on Chet Holmgren. pic.twitter.com/3U3q6pkJHv

— Jerry Ramsey (@TVsJerry) January 29, 2023

---

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.