One of many favourite pastimes of sports activities fanatics has all the time been participant comparisons. That’s very true with school gamers heading into any skilled sport. With basketball prospects, these comparisons start in highschool and observe them via school and into the NBA for those who make it.

Gonzaga Bulldogs star freshman Chet Holmgren shouldn’t be completely different. However the newest comparability thrown his approach will put tons of strain on the freshman phenom. Yahoo Sports activities spoke with a number of scouts across the NBA and requested about Holmgren’s upside heading into the draft in a few months. One scout even dropped Kevin Durant’s identify when talking about Holmgren.

“His intangibles are off the chart,” one NBA scout mentioned. “He’s so distinctive bodily with all the opposite abilities and talents, and in the event you’re prepared to take that dwelling run swing, he’s completely price it.”

One other scout mentioned:

“It’s the identical factor we heard about Kevin Durant when he was coming into the NBA. He can’t carry 135 kilos, however he can shoot the hell out of the ball and impression the sport. Chet can have the identical impression in a recreation on a unique degree than Durant.”

Speak about excessive reward. That’s a few of the highest reward a university hooper can obtain. I’m not fully on board with it, however there are some similarities. Holmgren, like Durant, can shoot the three (which was uncommon again in 2007), each can deal with the ball higher than most 7-footers, and so they can each take their man off the dribble. Each are tall, skinny, and couldn’t bench press their very own weight as school freshmen.

Holmgren’s lack of higher physique energy wouldn’t fear me a lot proper now. What I’d fear about is the load one of these comparability places on Holmgren’s shoulders. I’m not saying he can’t be a great NBA participant, however one other scouting report on Holmgren compares him offensively to Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki. So, already Holmgren is being talked about in the identical sentences as Durant and Nowitzki. These are the most effective two taking pictures huge males the NBA has ever seen. If he might be even half of what both of these gamers have been, then he ought to have a fairly strong skilled profession forward.

And is Holmgren even the most effective participant on his present group? I recall Drew Timme main the comeback in opposition to Memphis final Saturday within the NCAA Event. Holmgren scored simply 9 factors and grabbed 9 rebounds in 29 minutes with the season on the road. Timme went for 25 factors 14 rebounds and put the group on his again like he’s completed all yr. I’m not trying to disparage Chet, however that was the result. Possibly he’s nearer to Kristaps Porziņģis than KD or Dirk. All I’m saying is usually these comparisons really feel extra like wishful considering.

Holmgren might be a high decide within the draft ought to he resolve to depart Gonzaga after the season. Many mock drafts have Holmgren because the No. 1 total decide by whoever owns it come June. I’m certain Holmgren may have a protracted profession based mostly on his ability set, however typically this untimely anointing of the “subsequent huge factor” can get loopy.