The NBA world was in shock on Thursday when the Oklahoma City Thunder announced the devastating news that No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren will miss the entire 2022-23 season due to a foot injury he suffered in a Pro-Am game.
The news opened up multiple public discourses that centered around Holmgren’s long-term health, his durability and if teams should allow players to play in non-NBA games.
Following the news, Holmgren’s teammate Aleksej Pokusevski spoke with EuroHoops about the injury and said that while it’s unfortunate news, he still believes Holmgren will live up to his potential.
“‘I’m really sorry, it’s really bad news for us,” Pokusevski said to Mozzart Sport. “But, he’s [Holmgren] a young guy, a real worker and I think he’ll successfully recover from everything and show why he was the No. 2 pick in the Draft.'”
Pokusevski will be entering his third season with the Thunder and could be one of the major beneficiaries when it comes to the vacant minutes Holmgren will leave behind. This is especially critical for Pokusevski, whose future with the Thunder will likely get decided based upon how he plays this season.
