Chet Holmgren made his return to basketball after nearly a year away due to injury, helping the OKC Thunder defeat the Utah Jazz 95-85 in their Summer League opener on Monday. In 29 minutes of play, Holmgren showed flashes of his potential with 15 points on 45% shooting, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Veteran Jalen Williams led the way for OKC with 21 points and 4 rebounds, while Tre Mann chipped in 20 points and 4 three-pointers.
The Thunder built a lead as large as 27 points in the third quarter before the Jazz rallied in the fourth to cut the deficit to single digits. OKC scored 43 points in a dominant second quarter fueled by Williams, Mann and Holmgren, who scored 8 of his points in the period after missing his first 3 shots. Though the performance was solid for his return, Holmgren heard some "overrated" chants from the Utah crowd during his free throw attempts late in the fourth quarter.
Chet Holmgren vs Victor Wembanyama
Holmgren, who injured his foot in the last offseason and has never played an NBA regular season game yet, will get a chance to play in the NBA regular season and would be squaring off against Victor Wembanyama. Both players are comparable in size — skinny, seven-footers with ball-handling skills. The last time they faced each otherwas at the 2021 FIBA U19 CHAMPIONSHIP! withUSA vs France. France's squad led by 7'3" Victor Wembanyama. The17-year-old representing France came outballing in an attempt to carry his team to the gold medal. With a few minutes left in the game Victor fouled out with 22 points, 8 rebounds,& 8 assists, which is when team USA began their last minute comeback! The ending was insane so you have to watch it for yourself! Team USA with Chet Holmgren wonthat game.
While Wembanyama may be more mobile than Holmgren, Holmgren can be a defensive force. His four blocks in his Summer League debut show glimpses of the rim protection he could provide for the Thunder.Once the NBA season begins, fans will get tosee Holmgren and Wembanyamamatch up as two of the most intriguing young talents in the league, ushering in a new era of "unicorns".
Tre Mann’s Poster Dunk
One could argue that Tre Mann has an early claim to the title of "best dunk of the Summer League" following his vicious second-quarter slam against the Jazz. Mann's thunderous posterization of Micah Potter left no doubt that he came to play, sending an emphatic message with his athleticism and explosiveness. The jaw-dropping dunk was nothing short of brute force, leaving spectators and viewers stunned by Mann's ferocity above the rim. It may still be early, but Mann has surely set the bar high for dunks we may see the rest of the Summer League campaign.
Mann launched from the left side of the paint, cocked his right arm and put the hammer down. Right over Potter’s head.
TRE MANN UNREAL POSTER 😱 pic.twitter.com/0fSKvkPJwN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 4, 2023
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