No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren shines in NBA Summer League debut as he sets record

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 0924 GMT (1724 HKT) July 6, 2022

Chet Holmgren looks on during the NBA Summer League game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz.

(CNN)He came in with a lot of hype and expectation, and in his first professional outing, Chet Holmgren shone.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder donned the blue jersey for the first time on Tuesday in the NBA Summer League. The Summer League is an off-season competition in which teams predominately play rookies, second year and fringe NBA players to give minutes to developing talents and see who fits and who doesn't. In the 98-77 victory over the Utah Jazz, Holmgren wowed the fans in his 24 minutes on the court, setting records as he went. The 20-year-old big man finished with 23 points — including 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range — seven rebounds and four assists. Read MoreHolmgren drives against Vic Law of the Utah Jazz.He also finished with six blocks, the most ever in an NBA Summer League game. When he was told afterwards that he had broken the block record, Holmgren said he wanted more. «Only six? That's the record? Oh, well I'm coming to break it again,» he told ESPN in his post-game TV interview. According to ESPN, Holmgren became the first player in Summer League history to record at least five blocks and hit four three-pointers.Playing alongside much of the Thunder's vast array of young talent — Josh Giddey, Alekesej Pokusevski, Jaylin Williams and Jalen Williams — Holmgren's size and shooting ability stood out immediately. The seven-footer from Gonzaga locked up the paint with his size and displayed some of the crafty offensive skills he's already learned. He emphatically dunked the ball to score his