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After missing the entire 2022-23 season, Chet Holmgren is a few days closer to making his NBA debut, and he gave Oklahoma City Thunder fans a taste of what is to come. In his first NBA pre-season game, the former Gonzaga Bulldog was able to hold on his own against the No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama with 21 points.
In a mere 15 minutes of gameplay, Holmgren managed to score 21 points, nine rebounds and block a shot. He successfully made both of his 3-point attempts as well. The 7-foot-1 big man expressed his gratitude on social media, thanking the fans for their unwavering support during his challenging moments:
"Love you OKC," said Holmgren on X, formerly Twitter.
OKC fans returned the favor by giving plenty of love back to Holmgren:
With just one game, some fans even brand Chet Holmgren as this year's NBA Rookie of the Year, above Wembanyama:
Meanwhile, "Wemby" also showcased a better game since his NBA Summer League debut with 20 points, five rebounds, two steals, one block and two 3-pointers.
The Oklahoma City Thunder look sharp with Chet Holmgren in the mix
The OKC Thunder managed to make it to the play-in tournament despite Chet Holmgren missing out on the entire 2022-23 season. Having a good sample size of 16 minutes is enough to see that the team prepared for his fit.
Jalen Williams looked sharp with Holmgren as he tallied 12 points, four rebounds and two assists while Josh Giddey was able to contribute 10 points and five assists.
The Thunder was without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for this preseason game and it gave other players a chance to shine. Lugentz Dort, who is coming off a 2023 FIBA World Cup stint with Canada, was able to tally 14 points off the bench while Ousmane Dieng chipped in with almost a double-double of 10 boards and nine points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won the game against the San Antonio Spurs by just one point in the end, winning 122-121. They still have four more pre-season matchups before the start of the regular season. The Detroit Pistons will be the Thunder's next opponent on October 15.
