Oklahoma City’s No. 2 Pick Chet Holmgren To Miss 2022-23 Season Due To Foot Injury
Aug 25, 2022, 8:04 AM
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren will miss the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, the seven-footer’s team announced on Thursday.
During a Pro-Am game on Saturday in Seattle that was hosted by former NBA guard Jamal Crawford, Holmgren took an awkward step while defending LeBron James on a drive to the basket. Holmgren immediately hobbled to the sideline and hunched over in clear discomfort just minutes before the game was called due to slippery floor conditions.
Holmgren, 20, was the second-overall pick in June’s NBA Draft after posting 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocked shots per game during an impressive freshman season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
This might’ve been where Chet suffered his potential torn ligament.
Brutal pic.twitter.com/hE62xjx8fD
— Jacob Ortiz (@jacobryanortiz) August 24, 2022
Thunder injury update. Statement from GM Sam Presti.
🔗 | https://t.co/Jiq9l6EY3W pic.twitter.com/SsGCFueT2q
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 25, 2022
“Certainly, we are disappointed for Chet, especially given the excitement he had about getting on the floor with his teammates this season,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said through a team-issued statement on Thursday. “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.”
Holmgren was seen as one of the favorites to bring him this year’s Rookie of the Year honors, coming into the season tied for the odds leader along with first-overall pick Paolo Banchero (per Oddsshark). Instead, the Thunder will head into another season with low expectations without its prized second pick.
