Chet Holmgren has emerged as one of the top rookies this season and is a key reason the Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the best teams in the NBA.
Holmgren is averaging 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 blocks on 39.3% shooting from 3-point range in 54 games. He is second in scoring among rookies and is one of two first-year players with at least three 30-point games.
The former second pick started off strong and earned Western Conference Rookie of the Month over the first two months of the season. He has continued to produce nightly and has starred in his role on offense and defense.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault can see his improvement.
He has definitely smoothed the edges on a lot of things. His talent speaks for itself, so he was impactful right off the bat because of how talented he is and how ready he was at the beginning. He has really found some nuance in a large portion of his game: pick-and-roll on offense, defense, his communication.
He has always been willing, but he is starting to anticipate plays more defensively and be a little bit of a quarterback for us out there. He is making quicker decisions with the ball. I think he has gained confidence and polish over the course of the season, which is not uncommon for a rookie player, but I think with how impactful he was early, it kind of gets lost how much he has improved in some of those small details.
The Thunder are 37-17 this season, one game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves in first place in the Western Conference. They are one of two teams that rank in the top five in offensive rating (fourth), defensive rating (fifth) and net rating (plus-7.3).
After missing all of last season due to a foot injury, Holmgren has started every game this year. He is second in the league in total blocks (143) and has been an integral player in helping the Thunder boast one of the top defenses so far.
The 7-footer has stepped in this year and has played like anything but a rookie. He has earned the trust of his teammates and coaching staff and should only continue to play at a high level.
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