USA Today via Reuters
Mar 27, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts toward the fans after making a 3-point field goal in the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Mar 27, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts toward the fans after making a 3-point field goal in the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren injured his ankle in a crossover game on Saturday while trying to stop LeBron James in transition. The 20-year-old failed to stop the Lakers superstar from scoring a bucket. However, he really made it difficult for LeBron James, speeding through the floor on a fast break.
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After the encounter, Holmgren was seen slightly limping outside the paint. The rookie sensation certainly got a taste of what’s awaiting him in the NBA before the start of the season.
Chet Holmgren injured his ankle while trying to stop LeBron James
Chet Holmgren has recently gained a lot of traction on the Internet after the 2022 NBA draft. In fact, the lean and slender 7′ forward has garnered quite a bit of attention from NBA fans.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder fans certainly didn’t enjoy what happened in Saturday’s game. As it turns out, Holmgren rolled his ankle while trying to catch LeBron James in transition. The Gonzaga star did a good job in making it difficult for James to get a shot off.
USA Today via Reuters
Feb 16, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) takes the ball down court in the first half against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In other words, the four-time NBA champion had to score a difficult behind-the-back lay-up after Euro stepping his way through the paint. However, Holmgren started limping after the confrontation.
At the age of 37, LeBron James is still one of the most formidable athletes on the planet. His 6’9″ figure coming down the court in transition like a freight train is not easy to defend. Therefore, Holmgren did a great job defensively despite injuring his ankle.
OKC in the upcoming season
The past few seasons haven’t been very fulfilling for Thunder fans. Therefore, they have high expectations from the team next season.
Great news: Chet Holmgren stopped LeBron on a 1v1 fast break at the rim.
Bad news: Looks like Chet rolled his ankle on the play and came out of the game.
Worst news: OKC fans watched 50 minutes of warm ups for possibly 1 minute of Chet action.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) August 21, 2022
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With a young team filled with bright prospects, they would look to make a mark on the league and gain crucial experience for future campaigns. OKC selected Chet Holmgren second overall in this year’s draft.
Fans would expect a lot from the rookie sensation, especially after his highlight reels went viral on social media. However, his recent injury scare is definitely not a very desired sight for OKC fans. Any updates on the 2021 McDonald’s All-American’s injured ankle is unavailable.
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The 2022-23 NBA season starts on October 18. The OKC squad is looking good as a playoff hopeful, with a reliable guard like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a rising star like Holmgren on the roster.
