The NBA currently boasts a long list of talented youngsters who have the potential to be the next big thing. Examples of such players would be Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray, Jabari Smith, and Jaden Ivey. One player who certainly belongs in the group would be Chet Holmgren.
The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted him as the 2nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, behind Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero. Since then, Chet has attracted plenty of attention from the NBA community.
One of the main reasons for that would be his playstyle which resembles the great Kevin Durant’s, according to many. Moreover, just like KD, Chet also wears the number 7 on his NBA jersey. He even caught the Brooklyn Nets star’s attention this year when he wore the “KD 7” shoes on his Summer League debut.
How did Chet Holmgren get injured?
As the entire NBA community knows, the OKC youngster faced an unfortunate injury earlier this year. Unfortunately, the player was out of the 2022-23 NBA season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot. For those who don’t know, Chet took part in the Crawsover Pro-am basketball event during the summer.
Chet Holmgren appeared to injure his ankle while guarding LeBron on this possession 👀pic.twitter.com/AMbvC7N1sq
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) August 21, 2022
The young player was defending LeBron James, who also played in the event, during a play. However, as LeBron was looking to go for layup, the way Chet landed after jumping was quite awkward for the player, which resulted in the injury. The OKC board immediately announced that he would need surgery and that it is not a serious injury.
🏀PRESTI: HOLMGREN’S LONG TERM PROGNOSIS “VERY POSITIVE”
Thunder GM Sam Presti says, after consultations with foot specialists, the team expects rookie #ChetHolmgren to make a “full recovery” from his Lisfranc injury. More: https://t.co/8qKID5tZNy @OKCFOX #ThunderUp #NBA pic.twitter.com/hk4PZdDbWo
— Dan Snyder (@DanSnyderFOX25) August 25, 2022
According to reports, it seems like the surgery was successful for Holmgren. However, his return date is still unknown. For context, Lisfranc injuries occur when the bones that support the midfoot are broken or fractured. Even with surgery, the recovery period might take up to 6-12 months long. This seems to be the case with Chet as well.
Wasn’t sure if Chet Holmgren would make the trip, but here he is. If not for the injury, his NBA career would’ve opened in his hometown. pic.twitter.com/TkhQ41Uylf
— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) October 19, 2022
However, there might be some good news for OKC fans, one that they have been waiting for a long time. Recently, cameras captured Chet shooting buckets in practice.
Chet Holmgren getting buckets. pic.twitter.com/Mi1ZEAH4WC
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) November 2, 2022
It might be still a while before the 20-year-old returns to regular NBA action. In the clips where we can see him shooting the ball, he is wearing a foot brace for support. That surely indicates that he is not at his 100% just yet but the sight of Chet Holmgren shooting the ball will just be what OKC fans wanted to see.