“You saw what Keegan Murray did to him: He cooked him” - Shannon Sharpe says the Thunder fans should be discouraged by Chet Holmgren’s performances in the Summer League, cites his inconsistency
OKC Thunder rookie big man Chet Holmgren, the second pick in last month's draft, has drawn a lot of eyes throughout the Summer League.
Holmgren hasn't disappointed, dazzling with his ability on both sides of the ball. It's clear he has the talent to be a force at the next level, despite concerns that his lack of strength could be problematic. But he's also had some ups-and-downs.
After being outperformed in his most recent outing by Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray, analyst Shannon Sharpe questioned if Thunder fans should be concerned. On "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Sharpe said:
"They should be discouraged because of the inconsistency in which he displays. He's not a supreme athlete, he's 7-foot tall. ... He doesn't have enough bricks in his back pocket to guard the 5 (center)."
Should OKC fans be encouraged by what they're seeing from Chet Holmgren?
"They should be discouraged because of the inconsistency in which he displays. He's not a supreme athlete, he's 7-ft tall...He doesn't have enough bricks in his back pocket to guard the 5." — @ShannonSharpe https://t.co/E3NasIruCv
Chet Holmgren continues to buzz during NBA Summer League
Despite a disappointing performance from Chet Holmgren in his most recent outing, the second overall pick has been impressive.
In Las Vegas, Holmgren has averaged 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. He is shooting 46.4%, including 42.9% from 3-point range.
In the Salt Lake City Summer League, Holmgren averaged 17.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 4.0 bpg while shooting 50.0%, including 41.7% from 3-point range.
The OKC Thunder have been one of the most impressive teams in the Summer League, and Holmgren has been the star attraction. With Holmgren looking like a building block for the franchise, the Thunder have an impressive amount of young talent to build with.
Chet Holmgren’s last three Summer League games:
12 PTS | 8 REB | 4 BLK
16 PTS | 10 REB | 2 BLK
8 PTS | 5 REB | 5 STL https://t.co/dkzR3RBU5C
Holmgren's next challenge will be producing at a high level against NBA veterans. There have been plenty of players who impress in the Summer League, but doing it during the regular season is another thing. It remains to be seen if Holmgren will continue to play throughout the Summer League, as teams often shut down their rookies after a number of games.
Playing alongside Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams, Holmgren seems like a perfect fit for the Thunder.
Holmgren was a consensus second-team All-American as well as the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. He spent one season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He was a five-star recruit and considered the national player of the year at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota.