Chet Holmgren

Holmgren was born on May 1, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up learning basketball from his father, Dave Holmgren, a seven-foot center who played for the University of Minnesota between 1984 and 1988. He has two sisters, is Jewish on his mother's side, and traces Polish ancestry to his great-grandfather.

In sixth grade, Holmgren enrolled at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. He stood 6 feet 2 inches at the time. There he teamed up with future NBA guard Jalen Suggs. A broken right wrist during his first season forced him to adjust his game, and he developed perimeter shooting while recovering. Growth came rapidly. By ninth grade, he stood 6 feet 9 inches.

Minnehaha won Class 2A state championships during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Holmgren expanded his national profile in August 2019 when video circulated of him crossing over Stephen Curry at Curry's SC30 Select Camp. As a junior on January 4, 2020, he blocked 12 shots in a televised victory against Sierra Canyon School. In his senior year, he posted 21 points and 12.3 rebounds per game to capture the Class 3A state title. Awards followed. He won Mr. Basketball USA, the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and Gatorade National Player of the Year honors as the top recruit in the 2021 class.

Holmgren committed to Gonzaga on April 19, 2021, reuniting with Suggs's former program. On November 9, 2021, he recorded 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks, and six assists against Dixie State. No player had matched those four statistical marks in a college debut in 25 years.

Gonzaga secured the top overall seed in the 2022 NCAA tournament. Over 32 games as a freshman, Holmgren averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. The West Coast Conference named him Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. He declared for the NBA draft on April 21, 2022.

The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Holmgren second overall in the 2022 NBA draft. That made him the highest-drafted player from both Gonzaga and the state of Minnesota. His debut was delayed. A Lisfranc foot injury suffered during an offseason pro-am game sidelined him for the entire 2022-23 season.

He returned for the 2023-24 season and played all 82 games. On November 18, 2023, he scored 36 points with 10 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors, joining Michael Jordan as the only NBA rookies to reach those numbers in a single game. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors at season's end.

Holmgren fractured his right pelvic wing on November 10, 2024, after challenging an Andrew Wiggins drive. He returned in February 2025. In the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Thunder won the title in seven games. Holmgren posted 18 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks in Game 7, setting an NBA Finals Game 7 record for blocks.

In July 2025, Holmgren signed a five-year maximum rookie contract extension with Oklahoma City. He earned his first NBA All-Star selection in February 2026. At the close of the 2025-26 regular season, he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and the All-NBA Third Team.