Chet Holmgren is widely believed to be the first pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, with the Orlando Magic being the team he would make his way to if he was picked #1. At this point, Orlando has to be a personal choice for Holmgren as well, considering a player on the team that Chet considers his closest friend.
The 5th pick from the 2021 Draft, Jalen Suggs grew up with Holmgren in Minnesota. They both played together at Minnehaha Academy and became one of the best teams in the country. Holmgren joined Gonzaga University for college based on Suggs’ recommendation, as Jalen was finishing his freshman season with the college when Chet committed.
However, this story goes beyond friendship. Jalen’s father, Larry Suggs is the one that saw basketball potential in Chet and trained him into becoming the player he is today. He took advice from Chet’s father, David Holmgren, who didn’t want his 7-foot-tall son to be like Shaq, but to experiment with being a ball-handler and shooter, as Tim Keown of ESPN reports.
https://twitter.com/TimKeownESPN/status/1539056377305280512
Mr. Suggs revealed what he thought of Holmgren when he first saw him after someone hyped him up and overexaggerated his height and playing ability.
“First of all, this kid wasn’t 6 feet tall. Tall, yes, but not 6 feet tall. And second, think of your worst grammar-school buddy who couldn’t play basketball. Right away in two-line layups you know. Couldn’t make a layup. Couldn’t dribble. He was air-balling.”
Chet didn’t take the criticism given by Suggs’ father negatively. Even though Chet told him that he doesn’t think he can play basketball at the highest level, Larry Suggs responded by embracing the kid and telling him that he would make sure he is as good as any top-level player, if he committed to training with him.
Chet’s father David approved, and the rest is history. Chet awaits the date of the 2022 NBA Draft and may soon be reunited with one of his closest friends, making his transition into the league much easier.
