'A generational player': OKC Thunder fans excited by Chet Holmgren selection in NBA Draft

Cold beers hit the bar top, crispy fries were consumed and televisions blared throughout Fassler Hall on Thursday night ahead of the NBA Draft.

An hour before the draft began, hundreds of Thunder fans packed into the bar that featured garage doors leading to its patio area in midtown Oklahoma City. In mid-80-degree weather, some fans played ping pong, others corn hole, while the majority sat under the TV conversing with fellow fans in anticipation of the big night at one of several watch parties in town for the draft.

The Thunder organization had acquired the second pick in the NBA Draft before, selecting Kevin Durant in 2007 while the organization was still in Seattle. But the No. 2 pick was the highest the organization has selected since its arrival in Oklahoma City in 2008. So, at the NBA Draft party, Thunder fans gathered far and wide of all ages to watch the historic pick in action on Thursday night.

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“At the end of the day, in (Sam) Presti we trust, OK?” Brixton Schmitt, a 21-year-old Thunder fan said minutes before OKC’s selection. “So, whatever he does, we’re fine with it.”

As the NBA Draft bell chimed to signal Oklahoma City’s No. 2 pick was in, hundreds of fans stopped what they were doing and stared at the screens as NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma City. There were mixed reactions of fans raising their arms and yelling in excitement, hi-fives, while others stood in amazement as a majority of the fans warmly received the pick.

“We’re thrilled,” said Ben Bumpus, 23. “He’s a generational player, he can do it all on defense and he can facilitate like no other, that’s the big man we needed in this league. We are stoked for Chet!”

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One TV inside Fassler Hall was ahead of the others so the fans closest to the bar watched the pick happen first, but the other near dozen TVs were wired to the loudspeakers in the bar allowing the other fans in attendance at the inside tables and outside patio area to hear the selection of Holmgren.

“Ecstatic,” Bryton Schmitt, 25, said of the Holmgren pick. "It’s exactly what we needed, it’s where we’re going, it’s the best!”

The Houston Rockets went against pre-draft predictions taking Duke’s Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick instead of Auburn’s Jabari Smith. Many fans were expecting the Thunder to select Smith after Houston’s choice of Banchero. A small crowd even chanted Jabari’s name before Oklahoma City’s selection. But the Thunder stood pat with what everyone, who thought Smith would go first, expected before the draft by taking Holmgren.

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“I’m hoping we get Chet Holmgren,” Antwon Harris, 47, said before the NBA Draft started. “Somebody who’s big, (can) switch off and do some things that we need him to do and somebody that the city can rally around.”

“I think we’re going to draft Chet Holmgren at No. 2,” Josh Kintsel, 29, said before the NBA Draft, “and then we’re going to trade up to No. 4 and then we’re going to draft (Bennedict) Mathurin.”

The Indiana Pacers took Mathurin with the sixth pick, but the Thunder did move up one spot. The Thunder entered Thursday night with Nos. 2, 12 and 34 picks. And after the New York Knicks selected Ousmane Dieng with the 11th pick, it was reported that the Thunder had traded for the rights to the pick while also keeping its No. 12 and 34 picks.

The trade received excited boos from the crowd as Silver walked to the podium once again, announcing the Thunder’s selection of Santa Clara’s Jalen Williams. The fan reaction wasn’t as animated as the Chet Holmgren selection, but there were fist pumps and head nods from many in attendance.

The Holmgren selection remained the talk at the bar as the picks inside the draft lottery concluded.

“They’re wary about the frame,” Matthew Holmes, 27, said of Holmgren’s 7-foot, 195 body. “That’s not modern NBA standard. You can get by with whatever now. He’s not going to grow into being a Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he’s going to grow into being a better version of himself. He’s got to get the free throw percentage up; he’s got the 3 down. But he’ll grow into his body enough to compete in the modern NBA.”

James D. Jackson covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for James? He can be reached at jjackson@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @JamesDJackson15. Support James' work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

2022 NBA Draft results

First round

1. Orlando, Paolo Banchero, f, Duke.

2. Oklahoma City, Chet Holmgren, c, Gonzaga.

3. Houston, Jabari Smith Jr., f, Auburn.

4. Sacramento, Keegan Murray, f, Iowa.

5. Detroit, Jaden Ivey, g, Purdue.

6. Indiana, Bennedict Mathurin, f, Arizona.

7. Portland, Shaedon Sharpe, g, Kentucky.

8. New Orleans (from Los Angeles Lakers), Dyson Daniels, g, G-League Ignite.

9. San Antonio, Jeremy Sochan, f, Baylor.

10. Washington, Johnny Davis, g, Wisconsin.

11. a-New York, Ousemane Dieng, f, New Zealand (Australia).

12. Oklahoma City (from LA Clippers), Jalen Williams, g, Santa Clara.

13. b-Charlotte, Jalen Duren, C, Memphis.

14. Cleveland, Ochai Agbaji, g, Kansas.

15. Charlotte (from New Orleans), Mark Williams, c, Duke.

16. Atlanta, AJ Griffin, f, Duke.

17. Houston (from Brooklyn), Tari Eason, f, LSU.

18. Chicago, Dalen Terry, g, Arizona.

19. c-Minnesota, Jake LaRavia, f, Wake Forest.

20. San Antonio (from Toronto), Malaki Branham, g, Ohio State.

21. Denver, Christian Braun, g, Kansas.

22. d-Memphis (from Utah), Walker Kessler, c, Auburn.

23. e-Philadelphia, David Roddy, f, Colorado State.

24. Milwaukee, MarJon Beauchamp, g, G-League Ignite.

25. San Antonio (from Boston), Blake Wesley, g, Notre Dame.

26. f-Houston (from Dallas), Wendell Moore Jr., f, Duke.

27. Miami, Nikola Jovic, f, Mega (Serbia)

28. Golden State, Patrick Baldwin Jr., f, Milwaukee.

29. Memphis, TyTy Washington Jr., g, Kentucky.

30. g-Oklahoma City (from Phoenix), Peyton Watson, f, UCLA.

Second round

31. Indiana (from Houston via Cleveland), Andrew Nembhard, g, Gonzaga.

32. Orlando, Caleb Houstan, f, Michigan.

33. Toronto (from Detroit via San Antonio, Washington and Chicago), Christian Koloko, f, Arizona.

34. Oklahoma City, Jaylin Williams, f, Arkansas.

35. Los Angeles Lakers (from Orlando via Indiana and Milwaukee), Max Christie, g, Michigan State.

36. Portland, Gabriele Procida, g, Fortitudo Bologna (Italy).

37. Sacramento, Jaden Hardy, g, G-League Ignite.

38. h-San Antonio (from Los Angeles Lakers via Chicago and Washington), Kennedy Chandler, g, Tennessee.

39. Cleveland (from San Antonio via Utah), Khalifa Diop, c, Gran Canaria (Spain).

40. i-Minnesota (from Washington via Cleveland), Bryce McGowens, g, Nebraska.

41. New Orleans, E.J. Liddell, f, Ohio State.

42. New York, Trevor Keels, f, Duke.

43. LA Clippers, Moussa Diabate, f, Michigan.

44. Atlanta, Ryan Rollins, g, Toledo.

45. Charlotte, Josh Minott, f, Memphis.

46. j-Detroit (from Brooklyn), Ismael Kamagate, c, Paris (France).

47. Memphis (from Cleveland via New Orleans and Atlanta), Vince Williams Jr., VCU.

48. k-Minnesota, Kendall Brown, f, Baylor.

49. Sacramento (from Chicago via Memphis and Detroit), Isaiah Mobley, f, USC.

50. Minnesota (from Denver via Philadelphia), Matteo Spagnolo, g, Cremona (Italy).

51. l-Golden State (from Toronto via Philadelphia), Tyrese Martin, f, UConn.

52. New Orleans (from Utah), Karlo Matkovic, c, Mega (Serbia).

53. Boston, JD Davison, g, Alabama.

Milwaukee (forfeited)

Miami (from Philadelphia via Denver; forfeited by Miami)

54. Washington (from Dallas), Yannick Nzosa, c, Unicaja (Spain).

55. Golden State, Gui Santos, f, Minas (Brazil).

56. Cleveland (from Miami via Indiana), Luke Travers, g, Perth (Australia).

57. Portland (from Memphis via Utah), Jabari Walker, f, Colorado.

58. Indiana (from Phoenix), Hugo Besson, g, New Zealand (Australia).

Proposed trades

a-Oklahoma City from New York.

b-Detroit from Charlotte.

c-Memphis from Minnesota.

d-Minnesota from Memphis.

e-Memphis from Philadelphia.

f-Dallas from Houston.

g-Denver from Oklahoma City.

h-Memphis from San Antonio.

i-Charlotte from Minnesota.

j-Denver from Detroit.

k-Indiana from Minnesota.

l-Atlanta from Golden State.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder fans excited by Chet Holmgren selection in NBA Draft