Chet Holmgren, HS No. 20 class 1 HS basketball recruit, commits to Gonzaga

Chet Holmgren, the country’s No. 1 senior and No. 1 pick scheduled in the 2022 NBA Draft, committed to Gonzaga on Monday.

Holmgren made his announcement at SportsCenter.

“The process was tough,” Holmgren told ESPN. “I had a lot to learn on the go. I had to lean on others and get their advice. My dad went through it and coach Larry Suggs with Jalen. I got consistent advice that I will have a feeling when know.To not analyze it too much because everything sounds good, no one sells their weakness.

“It simply came to our notice then [Gonzaga’s] a consistent approach, the versatility they have on the court and their offensive style. They take your talent and adjust your system based on your staff. They know how to combine everything. “

Coach Mark Few and the Zags were considered Holmgren’s big favorites if he chose to go to college, but going on the G-League route was also an option. Other schools involved included Ohio State, Michigan, North Carolina, Minnesota, Memphis and Georgetown.

“He’s a very honest guy,” Holmgren said of Few. “He’s a fan of the game, and I feel like he’s a good fisherman too. He keeps learning about the game and loves what he’s doing.”

Holmgren, a Minnehaha Academy (Minnesota) center, made official visits to the state of Ohio and Gonzaga before the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down recruitment in person. He also made unofficial trips to Minnesota, Maryland and Georgetown. His father, Dave Holmgren, played basketball in Minnesota.

Chet Holmgren is a close friend of Jalen Suggs, who finished a stellar freshman season at Gonzaga and is one of the top 5 selected in the NBA draft this summer.

“He had a lot of influence,” he said of Suggs. “He’s someone I know and trust. We had a lot of casual conversations. He’s a friend and teammate. I could hear him first hand. I’d see him play and see how the team plays. Then we’d talk. It’s a culture. where everyone is willing to work “.

Holmgren had a dominant senior year at Minnehaha last season, averaging 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.7 blocks while shooting 80 percent from the field. Minnehaha won his fourth consecutive state championship earlier this month, with Holmgren winning 18 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in an 80-29 victory in the AAA category championship game.

Holmgren is one of the most unique perspectives in the game. It is the biggest mismatch of high school and will also participate in the college game, due to its 3-point shooting ability, within the game and physically measurable. At 7 feet-1 with a huge span, Holmgren is a world-class shooting block with exceptional instincts to protect the edge. Offensively, he shows infrequent versatility with his scoring ability, ball handling and wolf catching ability. His movements are fluid and mobile, with great coordination and secure hands. He plays with an advantage, and his game has been compared to that of Kristaps Porzingis of the Dallas Mavericks.

“[The plan is to] listen, learn and win everything I get, “Holmgren said.” I will be able to use my versatility for both ends. Take it out of the glass and go. I can take advantage of the activation of the attack and the defense when it is necessary “.

Holmgren is the second five-star recruit to join Gonzaga’s class in recent weeks, after No. 3 goalie Hunter Sallis, who was engaged in late March. ESPN 100 striker Kaden Perry will also come into play next season, while ESPN 100 striker Ben Gregg graduated from high school and enrolled in the second half of last season. He completes the Fanbo Zeng group, the No. 33 prospect in the 2022 class who ranked back in 2021 before returning to China to finish high school. Zeng is expected to enroll in Gonzaga this summer.

Suggs became the best-ranked recruit in program history when he signed last spring, but Holmgren is now done with that honor; is the first potential number 1 to commit to Gonzaga.

It is another step forward in the emergence of the Zags as a real power in the last two decades. Gonzaga was one game below the history of college basketball earlier this month, and lost in the national championship game to Baylor, the Bulldogs’ first defeat of the season. It was the second time in five seasons that they won the national title.

Few’s program has won at least 30 games in five consecutive seasons and has the longest streak of nations in Sweet 16 appearances, last eliminated in the first two rounds of the 2014 NCAA tournament.

Gonzaga opened the offseason as the No. 1 team in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.