Jul 9, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) reacts after a scoring play against the Houston Rockets during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The Thunder surprisingly pushed for a playoff berth last season and their NBA Draft picks from 2022 were a big reason why they were in that spot.
The Thunder had very weird 2022 draft class results. The player that they drafted at No. 2 did not play at all this season due to a foot injury that he suffered in the Drew League. They drafted two players with almost identical names and who both seem to be rotation players. Jalen Williams (No. 12) was one of the best rookies this season and could be a future All-Star in this league. They also landed Ousmane Dieng, a 19-year-old project who barely saw the court.
Altogether it seems like Thunder fans will look back at this draft class as the one where the rebuild stopped and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally got all the talent he needed to make a playoff run.
Re-grading the Thunder 2022 Draft picks: 3. Chet Holmgren and Ousmane Dieng, Grade: Incomplete
Chet Holmgren was selected with the second overall pick. He never saw the NBA court at all this season due to an injury in a Drew League game over the summer. Holmgren’s rookie season is this year. For the Thunder fans this season, Holmgren is the most exciting thing that they are watching for this season.
Dieng played just 500 minutes, most of which came in garbage time and it’s far to early to really assess what the Thunder have in him.