OKC’s Chet Holmgren Had a Very Good Summer League Game. Now Calm Down About It: Dakich

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Stop it! Just stop it! Stop what you ask? Stop talking about Chet Holmgren or any other performance in the NBA Summer leagues as some type of precursor of future success. 

Holmgren played well, really well, in a glorified scrimmage against a thrown-together team of undrafted young guys that in no way, shape or form resembles an NBA team.

If you want to say the kid played well, go right ahead but don’t expose yourself as a fool by going any further than that.

CHET HOLMGREN LOOKS DOMINANT IN NBA SUMMER LEAGUE DEBUT

“A Unicorn Has Arrived!”

“Holmgren exceeds all expectations!” 

That was par for the course after a 23-point performance in a freaking Summer League game in Utah.  It reminded me of the 2012 Indiana Pacers NBA Draft when I screamed, yelled, pleaded, and begged on my radio show in Indy for the Pacers to draft Draymond Green with the 26th pick of the 1st round. 














Chet Holmgren

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 6: Kenny Lofton Jr., #6 of the Memphis Grizzlies battles for position with Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of their NBA Summer League game. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)



They chose MILES PLUMLEE. Not “the good Plumlee” – Mason – but his older brother Miles. This head-scratching move had the entire state of Indiana googling Miles, not Mason.  But alas, Larry Bird had made his typical big white dude pick of Miles freaking Plumlee. Green went 35th to Golden State.

I screamed, yelled, and ripped Bird and the Pacers a new one on my local show.

Then came the summer league. The bad Plumlee – Miles – ripped down 16 rebounds against a band of no-names and here it came. And boy did I hear it:  “Dakich you’re a know-nothing. No wonder you’re out of coaching.“ And of course “you’re fat, bald, and stupid.” (I don’t deny the last insult but I regret it.) 

Then a bunch of similar games followed along with a bunch more insults directed at me. Still, it was clear to me Plumlee could never be an NBA factor.

ANONYMOUS NBA COACH PUMPS BRAKES ON ‘PHYSICALLY WEAK’ CHET HOLMGREN AFTER SUMMER LEAGUE DEBUT

The New York Knicks had the same experience in the 2018 Summer League with Kevin Knox. I worked for ESPN at the time and Knox lit it up. He shot well, moved well, and had Knicks fans buzzing. How’s that worked out? Not great as Knox has been exiled to Atlanta.














Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Vic Law #70 of the Utah Jazz during a NBA Summer League game at Vivint Arena on July 05, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)



There are many more stories like Miles Plumlee and Kevin Knox. It’s true that Holmgren is expected to be better than anyone out in the Utah Summer League. But whether he continues to dominate against non-NBA players has no bearing on what’s to come in the regular season.

 Now while I have you, a couple of thoughts on the NBA:





Later.

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Dan Dakich is the host of the Don’t @ Me podcast where he provides his take on all the latest trends in sports, and interviews a variety of high-profile sports figures including Tom Izzo, Urban Meyer, Jim Boeheim, among others. Previously, Dakich was the host of The Dan Dakich Show on the Indianapolis radio station WFNI, a studio analyst for the Big Ten Network and covered college basketball for ESPN. Before stepping into broadcasting, Dakich served as the head basketball coach for Bowling Green State University and had brief stints with West Virginia University and Indian University. Dakich also spent many years coaching under Bobby Knight. Dakich graduated from Indiana University.