If OKC Thunder’s Chet Holmgren has torn ligaments, how long will he be out?
With the kind of excitement that surrounded his coming NBA debut, this is disappointing news for a team and player that are trying to build something together.
With no official word on how bad his injury is, the Oklahoma City Thunder can only sit and sweat on the status of their young star who is yet to make his NBA debut.
How did Chet Holmgren get injured and how bad is it?
According to reports on Wednesday, there is a growing fear that Oklahoma City Thunder’s No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren suffered ligament damage in his foot. It is understood that Holmgren is currently undergoing further evaluation in an effort to determine just how severe the injury is, as well as a timeline for his recovery. The news comes as an obvious blow to the Thunder, who were in the midst of building on Holmgren’s impressive showing in the NBA’s Summer League. “Chet is in the process of undergoing evaluation and when we have an update, we will communicate,” a brief statement from the Thunder read.
With regards to how Holmgren sustained the injury, the 7ft center was playing at Jamal Crawford’s “The Crawsover Pro-Am” in Seattle last weekend. In one moment during a game, Holmgren attempted to defend LeBron James at the rim. Upon landing, it was clear that he did so awkwardly at which point he could be seen trying to make his way back down the court. Holmgren would leave the game after that very play and interestingly enough, the game itself was later called off due to condensation on the court.
What do the Thunder do now?
It goes without saying that both Holmgren and the Thunder will be extremely disappointed about this turn of events. On the other hand, assuming this isn’t a serious and long-term injury, Oklahoma City’s fans can look forward some big nights with the former Gonzaga Bulldogs player. This after all, is the same player who posted 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and six blocks in his first game in Salt Lake City earlier this summer. Indeed, across his three games in Vegas he averaged 12 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals and two blocks. Now, while it’s true that it was the Summer League, let’s be honest here, an ability to affect so many aspects of the game can’t be overstated.
Yet, it must be said that prior to the 2022 NBA Draft, there were many who voiced concerns about Holmgren’s lack of physical presence. At 7ft he is without doubt imposing, but his deficit in bulk across his slender 195-pound frame has led to questions about his long-term ability to deal with the ever-physical demands of the NBA. This injury will do little in the way of silencing the doubters, but to be fair there is little one can do when you land on someone’s foot when descending from the hoop.