Chet Holmgren has confronted keen challengers from the second he was recognized as one of many high gamers in his highschool class method again throughout his sophomore yr at Minneapolis’ Minnehaha Academy. Opponents checked out Holmgren and noticed a 7-foot string bean they believed they might overpower on the rim. In addition they noticed a chance to make a reputation for themselves by doing it.

Holmgren’s challengers have are available all sizes and shapes, with various levels of each expertise and delusion. One after the other, they tried to attain by means of him, over him, and round him within the paint. One after the other, Holmgren turned them away, often a number of instances on the identical possession.

It’s simple to have a visceral response the primary time you see Holmgren on the court docket. He’s each impossibly lengthy and impossibly skinny at 7-foot, 195 kilos. The primary emotion his look garners is nearly at all times doubt. This beanpole can’t really grasp with huge males who typically have no less than 50 kilos on him, can he? There’s no method he can actually be thought of a high NBA draft decide, proper?

The goal Holmgren wears on his chest has fostered a relentless aggressive drive that serves as an integral part to his success. Whether or not you’re watching Holmgren on TV or enjoying towards him, it doesn’t take lengthy for almost everybody to reach on the identical conclusion: sure, Chet actually is that good. He’s additionally one of many hardest younger rim protectors you’ll ever see.

That is what makes Holmgren a high tier prospect within the 2022 NBA Draft class.

Holmgren is without doubt one of the greatest defensive prospects to hit the NBA draft in years

Holmgren’s size stands out nearly as a lot as his scrawny body. He reportedly has a 7’6 wingspan that qualifies as elite even by NBA requirements. Holmgren makes use of his arms because the foundational software of his terrific defensive talent set. He has a case as among the finest rim protectors to hit the draft during the last decade.

Holmgren confronted certainly one of his hardest particular person matchups of the season within the second spherical of the NCAA event towards the Memphis Tigers’ personal star freshman heart Jalen Duren. Duren is a top-six prospect on this draft and he’s already constructed like a grown man at 18 years outdated at 6’10 and 255 kilos with a 7’5 wingspan. Memphis got here out with a transparent sport plan for Duren to assault Holmgren on the basket. Holmgren held up extremely properly on the defensive finish for many of the night time.

The primary clip is an instance of Holmgren’s verticality with out fouling — when he jumps straight up along with his arms prolonged within the air, there simply aren’t many guys who can reliably end excessive of him. The second clip exhibits Holmgren holding up within the submit: he eats two shoulder bumps from Duren, maintains his steadiness, and pinpoints the ball along with his hand for a block. Within the third clip, Holmgren once more holds up within the submit after which exhibits off his capacity to contest and block pictures while not having to leap. All three are an instance of Chet’s purposeful size — how he leverages each inch to disrupt opposing offensive gamers.

Holmgren does a great job towards fellow bigs when he’s guarding the perimeter, too. Right here’s Duke’s Paolo Banchero, our different Tier 1 prospect on this draft class, attempting to take Chet off the bounce from the wing. Holmgren stays with him the entire time and blocks his shot.

Much more athletic ball handlers with a head of steam have had a troublesome time knocking Chet from his spots. A.J. Griffin — oh hey, one other top-six prospect on this draft class — is about as huge and robust as 18-year-old wings come, and Holmgren swallowed up this drive by merely snatching the ball out of his palms.

Holmgren isn’t notably quick, however he’s fast in tight areas. He had loads of blocks this yr off weakside rotations, darting from his task within the paint to problem or wipe away a shot on the final second. He profiles as the kind of huge who can each execute his a part of the defensive scheme and likewise clear up errors from his teammates.

Right here’s how Chet compares to different high bigs lately when it comes to block price and steal price. He swats pictures at an elite stage, at present putting top-10 within the nation in block price. He additionally has the third highest steal price of anybody on this group, solely behind Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis. One are the place Holmgren can enhance is fouling much less typically.

Holmgren can area the ground and hit threes on offense

Holmgren’s taking pictures flashes have been a giant a part of his attraction since his highschool days. His taking pictures stroke at all times seemed good in clips, nevertheless it was onerous to mission precisely the place his quantity and accuracy can be on the faculty stage. Proper now, he’s 40-for-102 from three-point vary, good for 39.2 p.c. If he shoots like that within the NBA, it’s going make him extraordinarily beneficial as a entrance court docket ground spacer.

Holmgren has proven the power to hit all sorts of threes. He can simply area the ground to the nook and hit a triple over a tough closeout. He ought to have the ability to shoot excessive of virtually anybody due to these ridiculous arms and a excessive launch.

Chet’s capacity to area the ground is the important thing to his versatility. He performs subsequent to a standard 5 in Drew Timme at Gonzaga who has been the focus of the Zags offense all yr. The 2-big method works collectively as a result of Holmgren’s taking pictures permits Timme to work inside.

Holmgren can shoot threes from each spot across the arc. Go away him open and he’ll let it fly.

Holmgren can also be a risk to shoot in transition and semi-transition. What number of elite rim protectors are additionally willingly taking this shot?

Holmgren’s grab-and-go capacity within the open ground (extra on that later) turns into much more harmful as a result of it’s important to guard him as quickly as he approaches the arc.

Gonzaga will even run performs to get Holmgren open for 3 in lifeless ball conditions. This can be a heck of a factor to cowl for an opposing protection on a sidelines inbounds cross:

We’ll save the very best clip for final. Watch Holmgren come off this dribble-handoff with Timme, hop right into a stepback, and drain the three. If that is persistently a part of his scoring package deal, it’s going to take his offense to the following stage.

Holmgren is a ferocious finisher across the basket

It’s simple to see Chet’s body and suppose he’ll be too weak to complete inside. Watch him play and you’ll shortly study that’s not the case.

Holmgren shot 103-of-122 on the rim this yr, per Bart Torvik — good for 84.4 p.c. Are these numbers inflated by the smaller and weaker competitors he confronted in WCC? Perhaps slightly, however Chet additionally shot properly on the rim towards faculty basketball’s huge boys: he went 4-for-4 towards UCLA, 6-for-7 towards Duke, and 2-for-2 towards Memphis on the basket.

Listed below are some finishes from Holmgren this season that stood out:

Holmgren’s size is a significant factor across the rim offensively, as properly. He doesn’t want nice athletic explosion to complete properly as a result of he’s already so near the basket simply by elevating his arm. He additionally has comfortable palms, displaying the power to catch and end on the transfer in a single movement. Holmgren was solely used as a curler within the pick-and-roll on 8.2 p.c of his play varieties this yr in Gonzaga’s Timme-centric offense, per Synergy Sports activities. Whereas his numbers had been solely common — ending the 52nd percentile on such play varieties — he has the attributes to be extra harmful on a spaced NBA ground.

Chet’s greatest attribute as a finisher is perhaps that he at all times goes up robust. He has far more dunks than any of his opponents for the No. 1 general decide this season, and he additionally hasn’t missed a dunk but this yr. Holmgren’s ending measures up properly towards Banchero and Auburn’s Jabari Smith, his friends atop the 2022 draft class, in addition to a participant he’s generally in comparison with — final yr’s No. 3 decide and soon-to-be Rookie of the 12 months, Evan Mobley:

Holmgren is a talented open ground ball handler who can rating in transition

Ball dealing with has been a part of Holmgren’s attraction since he emerged as an elite prospect. He first gained nationwide notoriety for crossing over Stephen Curry at highschool camp as a rising junior. Holmgren dealt with the ball greater than ever for Minnehaha as a senior as long-time highschool and AAU teammate Jalen Suggs graduated to the faculty ranks.

Holmgren’s ball dealing with has been on show typically this yr, notably within the open ground. Gonzaga completed with the second quickest offense in faculty basketball, per KenPom. Holmgren was utilized in transition greater than some other play kind, taking on almost 23 p.c of his possessions. He completed within the 93rd percentile within the nation as a transition scorer.

A few of Holmgren’s most spectacular moments this season have come attacking in transition.

“Seize-and-go” capacity — rebounding the ball and pushing it down the court docket — has turn into a beneficial talent for large males in as we speak’s period. Holmgren doesn’t must get the ball to a guard when he hits the glass, he can deliver it up himself and get into the offense. Defenses have to protect towards him taking a 3 in transition, which may open the lane for his rim assaults.

It really feel odd to see somebody so tall deal with the ball within the open ground, however it would proceed to be a part of Chet’s sport on the NBA stage.

Holmgren is a fast decision-maker as a passer

One other method Holmgren separates himself from Banchero and Smith on the high of the draft: he makes the quickest and smartest choices with the ball of any potential high decide.

Whereas Banchero is clearly a superior passer and creator, he additionally tends to carry the ball. Identical goes for Smith. Holmgren’s passing talent is much less about creating benefits that result in assists, and extra about protecting the ball shifting as soon as he touches it.

Chet appears to embody Monty Williams’ “0.5 basketball” greater than anybody on this class — the concept that gamers have half a second to both cross, shoot, or dribble. Holmgren gained’t depart your jaw agape with a few of passes the way in which Paolo can, however his capacity to make fast choices can result in higher offense simply by protecting the ball shifting.

Chet’s body isn’t his solely query

Holmgren’s elite rim safety, succesful three-point taking pictures, open ground ball dealing with, and fast decision-making positions him as a superb draft prospect. For all his strengths, there are nonetheless potential pitfalls in his translation to the NBA.

It stays honest to have considerations about Holmgren’s body. He’s nonetheless solely 195 kilos, and it’s troublesome to foretell how a lot weight he’ll have the ability to add over time. Whereas he’s finished an amazing job of enjoying by means of contact on the faculty stage, the NBA is a unique beast in that regard. Even the very best defenders on the earth often discover themselves on the incorrect finish of a spotlight, however Banchero powering by means of Holmgren for a end is without doubt one of the defining prospect clips of this cycle:

Holmgren has one other huge query to reply outdoors of his body that is perhaps much more regarding for NBA groups: how a lot is he going to attain within the halfcourt?

Holmgren’s three-point taking pictures capacity ought to permit him to be a constructive offensive participant, nevertheless it’s troublesome to mission him as a high-volume shooter. For all of his ball dealing with talent within the open ground, Holmgren can battle to drive towards a set protection. He typically defaults to a spin transfer and fadeaway that may look fairly when it goes in however typically doesn’t really feel like environment friendly offense.

Holmgren might want to shoot it properly sufficient for defenses to shut out onerous on him (for now, we’d classify him as a great however not nice shooter). When these closeouts come, will he have the ability to assault the protection off the bounce to make performs for himself and others? He ought to be an asset within the dunker’s spot, however he’ll need to threaten opposing defenses past that. Getting him extra concerned as a roll man is a straightforward place to start out.

In the end, Holmgren initiatives as an elite rim protector who doubtless profiles as a workforce’s third possibility offensively. That type of participant can nonetheless simply return No. 1 general worth, nevertheless it isn’t precisely a standard archetype for a high decide. A defense-first prospect hasn’t been chosen No. 1 general within the NBA draft since Anthony Davis was taken with the highest decide in 2012. We at present have Holmgren as our No. 2 prospect on this class, only a hair behind Banchero.

The largest motive to guess on Holmgren is perhaps his aggressive make-up. He’s already heard the identical questions on his sport for years. Up to now, all he’s finished is show the doubters incorrect.