Chet Holmglen may not receive the best bill for success in the Oklahoma City Thunder Championship.
Typically, the spotlight shines with role players like MVP Shygilgauss Alexander, second star Jalen Williams, or Alex Caruso.
However, NBA legendary Paul Pierce has recently brought high praise to the versatile big man. The former champion made a complete comparison of Chet Holmglen’s unique value in lightning.
Pierce believes Holmglen plays the same role in Oklahoma City, which Scotty Pippen played for the Chicago Bulls dynasty. This comparison highlights how complementary stars maximize their championship teams.
Celtics legend explained how Holmgren reflected Pippen’s impact on victory. Both players are excellent at doing whatever their team needs without demanding a spotlight.
“If you look at the basics of OKC, they were cement, bricks, it wasn’t solid. Think about it. They got two All-Stars on a rookie contract. Chet wasn’t an All-Star, but he’s going to be an All-Star,” Pierce explained.
Piercing highlighted Holmglen’s full skill set and basketball IQ. “Chett, he likes Scotty Pippen for them. He does everything a little for them. Straight, he defends, he rebels like intangible, but he can do more. He understands his role,” he added.
Piercing believes Holmglen numbers will skyrocket if Holmglen becomes Oklahoma City’s clear second option. Young Center averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and 2.2 blocks last season, playing the third fiddle.
“He can be 20-10 people. If he doesn’t have a J-dub, Chet will be 22 and 10 players.
Holmglen demonstrated his trajectory for improvement from his rookie to his sophomore season. He set an NBA Finals record with five total blocks during the Championship Series.
Former NBA player Jr Smith previously suggested that Oklahoma City could be put even more risky by comparing Holmglen to Kevin Durant.
The Kevin Durant comparison speaks to Holmgren’s unique combination of size and skill, showing that both roles and usage are different.
However, durability concerns persist after Holmgren only played 32 regular season games last season. Maintaining health determines whether you reach the ceiling of Pippen or Durant as envisioned by NBA legends.