This summer has been nothing but perfect for Chet Holmgren as he eyes further improvement and preparation for the upcoming 2023-24 season. After being sidelined for the entirety of the previous season due to his Lisfranc injury recovery, the last year’s No. 2 overall pick has been enjoying every single second of the offseason to be back on the grind.
As such, his inclusion in Team USA’s Select Team just adds up as a major opportunity for his growth, and he can’t be more happy with the competition he enjoyed.
“It’s great, any opportunity to play I want to take advantage of,” Holmgren said, per Sports Illustrated’s Ross Lovelace. “I just love to hoop.“
Holmgren was picked as a member of the youthful squad as the United States Senior Men’s troop is about to gear up for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup this year. He and Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Jalen Williams gave the nationals a much-needed fight, especially at the frontcourt.
For him, the experiences he grasped on the four-day training camp with some of the great head coaches of the game like Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, and Ty Lue are truly beneficial as he eyes to further hone his craft.
“It’s been great to go up against this level of competition,” Holmgren said. “All great players on the floor, learning from a Hall of Fame panel of coaches. I’ve been just trying to take advantage of the opportunity, and I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Holmgren’s intent to finally introduce himself to the NBA will first start at the OKC’s first preseason game on Oct. 9 as they will collide against the San Antonio Spurs which features another towering talent in Victor Wembanyama.
