While Auburn’s Jabari Smith seems to have taken over from Duke’s Paolo Banchero in terms of the hype to become the next No. 1 in the NBA Draft, another major prospect is continuing his merry way meanwhile. The little guy in question is 2m13 tall and plays Gonzaga, and his name is Chet Holmgren.
The interior freshman of the Zags actually split his best university game last night, in the easy victory against San Diego (92-62) with 23 points accompanied by 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. Above all, he set fire to social networks with an incredible sequence during which he scored 11 points in a row, plus 4 rebounds and 1 against, all that in less than two minutes!
“He’s the one who killed the game”recognized Sam Scholl, the coach of San Diego, on ESPN. “He’s just very, very technically gifted. He has a great feeling. He is physical. He is not afraid to make contact. “
Criticized for his light physique which will inevitably cause him some problems in his transition to the NBA, this world of thick brutes, Chet Holmgren begins to accumulate many praises from opposing coaches who salute his toughness despite his 88 kilos on the scale.
“There is always a presence around the circle in defense”adds his own coach, Mark Few. “He is really good at assessing different situations and adapting defensively. They really had a lot of problems scoring against him. “
A true octopus of snowshoes, Chet Holmgren actually returned a few kilos to his direct opponent, Terrell Brown (2m08, 106kg), but that did not prevent him from dominating with his knowledge of placement and his sense of the counter.
Having started his first NCAA campaign quietly, Chet Holmgren continues to build pressure with a 3rd game at 20 points or more in his last four outings. Now at 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists on average, he confirms day after day that he is one of the most productive players at the university level.
