Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, suffered the injury Saturday while defending LeBron James on a fast break during a pro-am game in Seattle. “Certainly, we’re disappointed for Chet, especially given how excited he’s been to get on the floor with his teammates this season,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said. “We know Chet has a long career ahead of him in our organization and in the Oklahoma City community. One of the things that impressed us most during the selection process for Chet was his determination and focus. We expect that same tenacity to carry him lead to this period of time working together and supporting him during his recovery.”
Holmgren was one of several NBA players participating in the CrawsOver Pro-Am event, along with James, Jayson Tatum, No. 1 overall pick Paolo Bansero, Dejude Murray and Aaron Gordon. The game was abandoned in the second quarter due to the condition of the pitch. The unusually wet day in Seattle combined with the packed crowd caused repeated wet spots and condensation. The 7-foot-1, 195-pound Holmgren averaged 14.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in five games for the Thunder earlier this year in the Las Vegas Summer League.
