No. 2 Draft Pick Chet Holmgren Unable to Make NBA Debut After Injury Sustained While Guarding LeBron James

Holmgren will undergo surgery on his right foot after sustaining an injury in Seattle

Just two months after the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Chet Holmgren with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the team has announced he will miss the entirety of his highly-anticipated rookie season.

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti confirmed that Holmgren, 20, is scheduled to undergo surgery on his foot and will miss the 2022-23 season during a press conference. “Certainly, we are disappointed for Chet, especially given the excitement he had about getting on the floor with his teammates this season,” said Presti in a statement.

Holmgren sustained a Lisfranc injury in his right foot on Saturday while competing in the CrawsOver Pro-Am, a summer league hosted by former NBA star Jamal Crawford. The injury to Holmgren’s foot happened during a defensive sequence for the rookie, who was guarding LeBron James during the possession. Holmgren met the four-time champion during a fast break underneath the basket, and collided with the 37-year-old Lakers star.

Holmgren did not return to the game.

Presti stated, “We know Chet has a long career ahead of him within our organization and the Oklahoma City community. One of the things that most impressed us during the process of selecting Chet was his determination and focus. We expect that same tenacity will carry him through this period of time as we work together and support him during his rehabilitation.”

The 7-foot-tall rookie was slated to bring a major boost in ratings for Oklahoma City’s basketball team, as Holmgren dominated as a collegiate player with Gonzaga.

Oklahoma City’s basketball team remains hopeful that Holmgren will return to the court even stronger. “Something positive will come from this as long as we take it in and understand that. We have to have humility and we have to have gratitude as we deal with the setback.”

“If you asked me before the lottery… you could pick between one or you could pick eight, or, the other option is you could have Chet Holmgren, but you have to wait a year to get him — I would not let you finish the sentence,” said Presti.

Although he’ll have a long road of recovery ahead, Holmgren is never one to shy away from a challenge. Shortly before he was drafted to the Thunder, Holmgren told PEOPLE, “I’ve learned what hard work is. I’d definitely say I’ve matured over the years.”

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