Top 2022 NBA prospect Chet Holmgren on playing for Jamie Dixon, USA Basketball
Chet Holmgren earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. He was a McDonald’s All-American. The list goes on.
But Holmgren called making USA Basketball’s U19 World Cup Team his greatest achievement this year. He ranks among the most notable players on the 12-man team, which has been training in Fort Worth this week and will depart today for the FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia.
“A lot of those (awards) are a committee of people that picked somebody,” said Holmgren, who is headed to Gonzaga next season and viewed as the top overall prospect for the 2022 NBA Draft.
“This is tryouts, competing against people over the course of a few days. You have to beat people out for a limited number of spots. It definitely means more that I had to earn this in front of people, if that makes sense, more so than some of these other awards.”
Holmgren’s impact on the team became evident early on in training camp. As TCU and USA Basketball U19 coach Jamie Dixon said, Holmgren brings a unique skill set as a 7-footer. He’s known for his shot-blocking abilities and rim protection on the defensive end and also has the versatility on the offensive end to play inside and be a threat on the perimeter.
“He’s got a very unique game. He’s very coachable,” Dixon said. “He seems to be very grounded in how he prepares and how he moves about with his teammates. He’s also a tough kid — a lot tougher than what you would think his frame would allow him to be. He loves the game, loves to play.”
Holmgren spoke with reporters over the weekend as the team went through its final preparations for the tournament at Schollmaier Arena. USA opens the tournament against Turkey on Saturday.
How has it been playing for Jamie Dixon? “It’s been great playing for Coach Dixon and learning from him. He won a gold medal with this team [in 2009], so knowing that he has that experience and knowing what it takes makes you want to listen even more.”
What do you think about the team’s prospects to win the gold? “I feel great about the team we have. It’s a great group of guys. We love to compete and love to go hard. All 12 of us are very talented in many different ways. I feel the committee put together a great fit for the team. I feel like we’re jelling pretty good on and off the court.”
How does it feel having the whole world going after you? “Whatever they’re trying to do, we’re trying to do the same thing. They might be coming for me or USA’s team ‘cause of what’s on our jersey or what’s being said about our name, but we’re doing the same thing. We’re trying to come out and compete and win gold. With that, you’ve got to go at people.”
What has former Gonzaga star Jalen Suggs told you about playing on the national team (Suggs competed on the U16, U17 and U19 teams in 2017, 2018 and 2019)? “He said it’s been a great experience on and off the court. He’s made lasting friendships to this day. He learned a lot and you get to see where you stack up not only against the best guys in the country but across the world. He told me not to take it for granted if I got the opportunity. That’s something I’m trying not to do. I’m trying to come out and go hard every day and give it my all.”
Finally, as arguably the biggest name going into college basketball next season, what are your thoughts on being able to profit off endorsements via NIL legislation? “I’ve been working on it for some time, me and my people to try to put the right people in place to help me with it. At the moment, that’s been pushed off to the side. I don’t think I’m going to be doing commercials and stuff in Latvia. That’s going to have to wait until we go on this run.”
