In a segment on the Pat Bev podcast, the veteran 76ers guard got real on the rise of the OKC Thunder and, specifically, the inspiring play of their young big man, Chet Holmgren. After giving some heavy praise to the young star, he went on to detail his conversation with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had some pretty strong language to describe his frontcourt teammate.
“I had to ask Shai about him,” said Beverley. “‘Yo what’s up with Chet, he the real deal Shai?’ He like ‘Nah Pat, he is a n****.’ I said ‘Oh alright cool that’s all I need to know.’ Welcome to the militia my boy!”
Patrick Beverley talks about playing Chet Holmgren for the first time, and what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told Pat Bev about Chet: pic.twitter.com/3x08AMNdPM
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) November 29, 2023
Shai has yet to confirm this story, but it wouldn’t be too far out of character for him as a high-level competitor and word-class teammate. And in the case of Holmgren, who is still an unproven rookie in the league, he’s backing up his confidence with impressive play on the court that has the Thunder playing some of their best basketball in years as winners of 7 in their last 10 The Thunder are 4th in the West with an 11-6 record through 17 games this season. But while Gilgeous-Alexander ultimately has the keys to OKC, Homgren is quickly rising to the surface as a viable secondary option for this budding Western Conference dynasty.
Holmgren Is Rookie Of The Year So Far
While Victor Wembanyama stole all the spotlight coming into the season, Chet Holmgren has taken over with a dominating performance in the opening weeks. Through 17 games this season, he’s averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game on 53% shooting. He’s been the best and most consistent rookie this season on a Thunder team, punching above their weight.
Arguably the best part about Chet so far has been his consistency on both ends of the court. As one of the most reliable two-way rookies in recent memory, Holmgren is bringing the Thunder team to another level and if he can continue to make improvements and adjust his game where needed, it could help him reach the peak of his NBA potential.
The Thunder Are Darkhorse Contenders
No matter your personal feelings on Chet, Shai, or the currently under-investigation Josh Giddey, it’s impossible to deny that the Thunder are among the most talented teams in the league right now. With a bona-fide superstar, a viable co-star, and a cast of capable role-players, the Thunder have everything they need to compete for a title this season and beyond.
The most scary thing of all is that the Thunder are still in the very early stages of this rebuild. Thanks to the proactiveness of GM Sam Presti, he was able to compile a hoard of assets and draft picks which lives on today. Over the next few years, we could see even more star-level talent join this Thunder cast and things could get really scary for the rest of the West. But until someone more exciting comes along, Chet will be at the center of attention in OKC and it seems he’s already winning people over with his play on the court and superior work ethic in the gym.
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