Chet Holmgren, No. 1 HS basketball recruit in Class of 2021, commits to Gonzaga

Chet Holmgren, the No. 1-ranked senior in the country and anticipated No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, committed to Gonzaga on Monday.

Holmgren made his announcement on SportsCenter.

“The process was difficult,” Holmgren told ESPN. “I had to learn a lot along the way. I had to lean on others and get their advice. My dad went through it, and Coach Larry Suggs with Jalen. I was constantly getting advice that I get a feeling when I know. because everything sounds good, no one sells his weakness.

“It was [Gonzaga’s] consistent approach, how versatile they are on the field and their attacking style. They take their talent and adjust their system based on their workforce. They know how to put it all together. “

Coach Mark Few and the Zags were considered the big favorites for Holmgren if he chose to go to college, but the G League route was also an option. Other schools involved included the state of Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Minnesota, Memphis, and Georgetown.

“He’s a super honest stand-up guy,” said Holmgren of Few. “He’s a fan of the game, and I hear he’s a good fisherman too. He keeps learning about the game and loves what he does.”

Holmgren, a center of the Minnehaha Academy (Minnesota), made official visits to the state of Ohio and Gonzaga before the coronavirus pandemic essentially ended personal recruitment. He also made unofficial trips to Minnesota, Maryland and Georgetown. His father, Dave Holmgren, played basketball in Minnesota.

Chet Holmgren is good friends with and a former high school and AAU teammate of Jalen Suggs, who just finished a great freshman season at Gonzaga and is a projected top 5 pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

“He had a lot of influence,” he said of Suggs. “He’s someone I know and trust. We had a lot of casual conversations. He’s both a friend and a teammate. I could hear it from him first hand. I would see him play and watch the team play. we talk. It’s a culture in which everyone is willing to work. “

Holmgren had a dominant senior year for Minnehaha last season, averaging 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.7 blocks, while shooting 80% of the field. Minnehaha won his fourth straight state championship earlier this month, with Holmgren going for 18 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in an 80-29 victory in the Class AAA championship.

Holmgren is one of the most unique prospects in the game. He is the biggest mismatch in high school and will also play in the college game due to his 3 point shooting ability, inside game and physical metrics. With a length of 2 meters and a huge wingspan, Holmgren is a world-class shot-blocker with exceptional instincts to protect the rim. Offensively, he shows an unusual versatility with his scoring ability, ball control and lob-catching ability. His movements are fluid and mobile, show good coordination and safe hands. He plays with an edge, and his game has been compared to that of Kristaps Porzingis of the Dallas Mavericks.

[The plan is to] listen and learn and earn everything I get, “said Holmgren.” I will be able to use my versatility on both sides. Push it off the glass and go. I can take advantage of an offense attack and call in the defense when needed. “

Holmgren is the second five-star recruit to join Gonzaga’s class in recent weeks, after third-place guard Hunter Sallis, who committed in late March. ESPN 100 forward Kaden Perry will also join the fold next season, while ESPN 100 forward Ben Gregg graduated from high school early and signed up for the second half of last season. Rounding out the group is Fanbo Zeng, the No. 33 ranked prospect in the 2022 class who was reclassified in 2021 before returning to China to finish his high school career. Zeng is expected to enroll with Gonzaga this summer.

Suggs became the highest-ranking recruit in program history when he signed last spring, but Holmgren is now taking that credit upon himself; he is the first number one prospect to commit to Gonzaga.

It’s another step forward in the rise of the Zags as a real power over the past two decades. Gonzaga fell short of making basketball history earlier this month, losing in the national championship game to Baylor, the Bulldogs’ first defeat of the season. It was the second time in five seasons that they had reached the national title match.

Few’s schedule has won at least 30 games in five consecutive seasons and has the country’s longest run of Sweet 16 appearances, last being eliminated in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in 2014.

Gonzaga opened the off-season as the No. 1 team on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.