Gonzaga has never had a player go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft (their highest pick ever was Adam Morrison, who went with the third pick in 2006). It sounds like Chet Holmgren may continue that trend this year.
Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated reported this week that there is currently a two-person race for the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft between Duke’s Paolo Banchero and Auburn’s Jabari Smith, who have separated from the pack. Woo cited conversations with a wide range of NBA scouts and executives.
Woo adds that it is difficult to make the case for Holmgren, the Gonzaga center, to go No. 1 overall because of the upside that Banchero and Smith both have as offensive focal points. While he can score in the paint and hit jumpers, Holmgren is more of a complementary scorer. He averages fewer points per game than teammates Drew Timme and Julian Strawther.
The seven-foot Holmgren has still had a strong freshman season for the No. 4-ranked Bulldogs though, averaging 13.0 points and 8.4 rebounds a game on a very efficient 61.2 percent from the field. He is also one of the best interior defenders in the country with 3.3 blocked shots per game.
Along with Banchero, Holmgren had been considered one of the favorites to go No. 1 overall for much of the season. But we recently heard that Smith had been shooting up draft boards like a meteor.
Holmgren is obviously an excellent player and sounds the part of an elite NBA prospect too. But it now appears more likely that he goes with a mid-high lottery pick than at the very top of the draft.
Photo: Oct 31, 2021; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Chet Holmgren (34) points to the guy he was covering during a game against the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Bulldogs won 115-62. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
