Subscribe
Follow Us
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault credited Chet Holmgren with being one of the Thunder's vocal leaders, alongside Jaylin Williams, in the frontcourt last season, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. Two games into the preseason schedule, Daigneault is seeing the tweaks and improvements Holmgren's made offensively and in the gym. He talked about it after Oklahoma City's 122-113 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
“His work’s shown up. He looks stronger. I think he’s playing more decisively, which I think is a combination of his emphasis on it and just the wisdom that comes from a rookie year and then some time away from the season,” Daigneault said. “So, he’s definitely better. He worked really, really hard. I give him a lot of credit for pounding the pavement the way he did, and it’s showing up in some of these reps.”
Holmgren finished with 10 points (5-for-8 from the free-throw line, including 1-for-3 from deep), six rebounds, and three blocks in 17 minutes in Oklahoma City's preseason loss against the Rockets. He and the rest of the Thunder starters, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, sat the entire second half of OKC's overtime loss.
Gilgeous-Alexander (15 points, six assists, two rebounds, and one block) and Dort (five points, two blocks), both of whom made their preseason debut after sitting out of Monday's exhibition against the San Antonio Spurs, were joined by Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Holmgren in the Thunder's starting lineup.
Mark Daigneault speaks to Chet Holmgren's vocal leadership
After sitting out his rookie season due to a right foot injury, Chet Holmgren had a productive 2023-24 campaign for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 16.5 points, including shooting at a 37% clip from deep, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game last season, and is now ascending to reach a new level. Holmgren even reworked his shot, but it's his verbal approach to defense that stood out to head coach Mark Daigneault last season. Still, it's a verbal tendency the 2022 second-overall pick shares with Jaylin Williams and his new teammate, Isaiah Hartenstein.
“Those guys are really, really verbal players, and defensively, especially at that position, probably [have] to be the most vocal position on the court,” Daigneault said. “And all three of those guys do a great job of that. Chet [Holmgren] is always talking on the court. He's always communicating. He's always quarterbacking on the defensive end. J-Will is a very bold communicator in his coverage.”
Asked Mark Daigneault about Chet’s growth being vocal.
“Cason Wallace is a fierce competitor, doesn’t say a word. Lu Dort is a fierce competitor, doesn’t say a word. Chet, more extroverted.
“They don’t need to be something that they’re not.”
Says all 3 centers are verbal. pic.twitter.com/qoaq9Kp9ZI
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) October 2, 2024
On the second night of a preseason back-to-back, the Thunder will host the New Zealand Breakers in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday.
