Former Gonzaga forward Chet Holmgren posts double-double in OKC’s Summer League loss
The growing number of Gonzaga players graduating to the NBA has made it more commonplace for Zag vs. Zag scenarios in Summer League games.
It happened on the first day of the summer session when Joel Ayayi (Memphis) and Filip Petrusev (Philadelphia) matched up Monday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
It happened again Wednesday when Chet Holmgren and Oklahoma City took on Ayayi and the Grizzlies.
Holmgren produced an interesting stat line in just his second game since missing last season with a foot injury. The 7-foot-1 forward racked up 10 points and 11 rebounds in the Thunder’s 94-86 loss to Memphis in Salt Lake City.
Holmgren, selected second overall by Oklahoma City in the 2022 draft, had some ball-handling issues and couldn’t get his perimeter shot to drop, but he contributed in other ways in 30-plus minutes on the court.
Holmgren hit his first field goal with a turnaround midrange jumper in the second quarter. He added a driving finish in traffic and a putback dunk in the third quarter. His dribbling set up his lone assist, but it also led to six turnovers, most committed in transition or trying to take defenders off the bounce.
Holmgren made all four of his free throws but misfired on all four 3-point attempts. He rejected three shots, including attempts at the rim by Jake LaRavia and David Roddy and a Roddy 3-pointer. Holmgren finished with two steals.
Holmgren led the Thunder at plus-5 in the plus-minus category.
“He’s getting back in the groove,” OKC forward Jaylin Williams told reporters. “You can see how much he can change a game. Every time somebody drives to the basket, he’s going to be down there to block the shot.”
Ayayi had a quiet night in 11 minutes with one point, one rebound and missing his lone field-goal attempt. He made a nice cut down the lane to draw a foul on Holmgren and score his only point at the foul line.
Former Eastern Washington Eagle post Tanner Groves, who finished his career at Oklahoma, didn’t play for Oklahoma City for the second straight contest.
Former GU forward Filip Petrusev got his second straight start for Philadelphia and put together another solid performance in the 76ers’ 104-94 victory over Utah.
Petrusev finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes, two nights after he had nine points, six rebounds and two assists.
Petrusev made 4 of 7 shots and had a team-leading plus-14 in plus-minus. Former Pepperdine guard Colbey Ross had a strong game for Utah with 13 points and eight assists.
Former EWU forward Angelo Allegri didn’t play for Charlotte for the second straight game. Former Santa Clara standout Brandin Podziemski had 17 points in Golden State’s 98-83 win over Charlotte in Sacramento, California.
Former Washington State guard Justin Powell saw his first Summer League action in Miami’s 95-83 loss to Sacramento. Powell didn’t attempt a shot in 5 minutes.
Oklahoma City takes on Philadelphia and Memphis faces Utah on Thursday to wrap up the Salt Lake City Summer League. Former Gonzaga teammates Julian Strawther (Denver) and Drew Timme (Milwaukee) square off when Summer League shifts to Las Vegas on Friday.