To the surprise of most NBA fans across the world, the Oklahoma City Thunder is potentially the best franchise in the league at the moment. Despite suffering a two-game skid and being one of the youngest teams around, this side is currently placed 2nd in a very competitive Western Conference. Amidst this solid season by the team, Kevin Garnett took to Instagram, releasing a six-month-old interview with Chet Holmgren, shot during the 2023 Summer League, for the KG: Certified podcast.
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Kevin Garnett brought the six-month-old interview to the surface amid a series of incredible performances by Chet Holmgren. Sharing the reel to his Instagram Story, the Boston Celtics legend hyped up the rookie by captioning it:
“@chet_holmgren my dog
One of my favs”
Holmgren unfortunately missed out on the entirety of the 2022-2023 season due to a foot injury he sustained in the 2022 off-season. As he prepared to take the court for the 2023-2024 season, KG asked Chet to reveal some of his goals for the season. Holmgren immediately emphasized the fact that he wanted to help the Thunder win more basketball games.
“The main focus is to, you know, help us win games. We got a young team, who’s got a lot of work to put in to do that,” Holmgren said.
Later, The Big Ticket revealed his admiration for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Labeling the shifty guard as an underrated player, Garnett asked the big man about the impact that their star point guard was going to have. Lauding SGA, Holmgren admitted that he made everyone else’s job easier.
“Man, it’s gonna make my job easier. Playing with somebody that’s got that talent and that ability. His gravity on the court is huge. All five dudes on the other team are going to be worried about him. So, it’s going to open things up for me as well as my other teammates,” Holmgren claimed.
Chet’s analysis was accurate. Being extremely talented with the rock in his hands, SGA requires a lot of attention from the opposing defenses. Merrily using this aspect of the game to his advantage, the OKC star has become a system that empowers the Thunder to have a top 5 offense in the NBA. It is no wonder that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already one of the front-runners for MVP this season.
Chet Holmgren won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors
The Oklahoma City Thunder are holding onto a 23-11 record, merely two games behind the #1 Minnesota Timberwolves. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s success is a huge reason behind the Oklahoma side’s incredible record, Chet Holmgren has also had a huge impact on the team’s performance.
Having missed just two games this season, the 7ft 1” center is putting up 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 2.6 assists per game. After already winning the Rookie of the Month award for October and November, the former Gonzaga Bulldog won the honor yet again in December. Despite Victor Wembanyama’s historic campaign, Holmgren has been #1 on the latest rookie ladder, making him the frontrunner to win the Rookie of the Year trophy.
Despite this, Kevin Garnett hasn’t been one to join the OKC bandwagon. Ever since the campaign started, the 2008 NBA champ has been praising different members of the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, was the one to receive some lofty praises.
“Shai. Boy! Man. Man! He is the Jay-Z of the game,” Garnett said.
SGA is putting up MVP numbers – 31.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. On numerous instances, the 25-year-old has taken on the team’s offensive load, carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder over the line. The OKC could easily finish the campaign as a top seed in the West if the duo of Shai and Chet keep up their production.
