Chet Holmgren recently shared the story of his “Welcome to the NBA” moment.
In an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Holmgren recounted an early experience in his NBA career that left a lasting impression.
During his first game, Holmgren was stripped by Andre Drummond and subsequently fell during a fast break.
The incident made him realize the intensity and speed of the NBA.
“I got stripped by [Andre] Drummond and then he made me fall on the fast break, in my first game… I was so salty after the game too,” Holmgren said.
Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Holmgren entered the league with high expectations.
He was the highest-drafted player out of Gonzaga and Minnesota, surpassing even NBA legend Kevin McHale.
However, Holmgren’s rookie season was delayed by a foot injury suffered during a Pro-Am game, forcing him to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
Holmgren finally made his regular-season debut on October 25, 2023, scoring 11 points and collecting four rebounds in a win over the Chicago Bulls.
Holmgren became the first rookie in NBA playoff history to score 25 or more points and record a +25 plus/minus ratio in a game.
