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‘Amateurish refs’ – I’m 7ft beast and was Victor Wembanyama’s biggest rival – but I know the pain of March Madness heartbreak
Chet Holmgren is trying to help carry Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals. But Holmgren was literally one of the biggest players at the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren already have a rivalryGetty The sensational 7ft 1in centre/power forward is currently ripping it up in the NBA with the high-flying Thunder, who are bursting with precocious young talent. Holmgren is a do-it-all unicorn who is rapidly emerging as fellow giant Victor Wembanyama‘s greatest NBA rival – and he was the biggest threat to the French phenom’s Rookie of the Year crown. But it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows for the towering Minnesota native, who happens to know a thing or two about March Madness heartbreak as the 2025 NCAA Tournament gets underway. Holmgren endured March Madness pain three years ago when his No. 1-seeded Gonzaga fell at the Sweet 16 stage to No. 4 Arkansas. The Bulldogs finished the 2021–22 season with a 28-4 record and punched their ticket to ‘The Dance’ as the West region’s top seed after winning the West Coast Conference tournament. Freshman Holmgren was named West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, and entered the NCAA Tournament as a potential No.1 overall pick in that year’s NBA Draft. The supremely skilled big, blessed with a deft shooting touch and a freakish wingspan, recorded 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists in the Zags’ 93–72 first-round win over Georgia State. The Bulldogs survived an upset bid from No. 9 Memphis in the second round to set up a Sweet 16 clash with the fourth-seeded Razorbacks. During the West regional semifinal, top-ranked Gonzaga’s ambitions of securing a first national championship were stopped in their tracks by a resolute Arkansas defence and questionable officiating. Holmgren only played 23 minutes of the game and was beset by foul trouble, which limited his impact. Holmgren was a beast in collegeAP Holmgren has fired the Thunder to the top of the Western ConferenceGetty He eventually fouled out with three minutes remaining and his fourth and fifth fouls were especially egregious. Holmgren was penalised for playing solid defense on one play and going straight up in the air against an Arkansas player driving to the basket on another. The questionable decisions sparked a backlash online, which included an outburst from Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless who blasted the ‘amateurish refs’. “I’M SORRY, NCAA BASKETBALL WITH ITS ONLY FIVE FOULS AND AMATEURISH REFS IS A JOKE,” Bayless wrote in all caps in a post on X. “SO IF CHET HOLMGREN JUMPS BACKWARD AND THE ARKANSAS PLAYER DRIVES THE BALL UP INTO HIS CHEST, THAT’S A FOUL ON HOLMGREN??? CLOWN COLLEGE CALL – AS WERE 3 OTHERS ON FOULED-OUT HOLMGREN.” It turned out to be Holmgren’s last action in college hoops and he effectively kissed goodbye to his March Madness dreams as he walked off the court in the 74-68 loss. March Madness Top Stories Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson ‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment Soon after, Holmgren declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility, and was selected second overall by OKC. “The way the ball bounces off the rim can change the entire tournament,” Holmgren recently said as he reflected on his own March Madness experience. “It’s like the perfect combination of everything these teams have been working towards this whole season, and yet the outcome is the most unscripted thing.” Everything was going to plan but Holmgren’s buzz came crashing back down to earth when he suffered a Lisfranc fracture in his foot during a Pro-am game in the summer. It was later announced that Chet would miss the entire 2022–23 season and would have to wait a full year to make his NBA hardwood debut. Fast-forward to 2023-24 and Holmgren was a major reason for the Thunder sitting atop the Western Conference standings. OKC kept rising this year, as the Thunder are 58-12 and dominating the Western Conference, while Holmgren is averaging 15.2 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. His former Bulldogs, meanwhile, are still a formidable team, although not quite the powerhouse they once were. The 2024-25 Zags fell to No. 1 seed Houston 81-76 in the second round. Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson consoled a crying Gonzaga player after the loss.
Chet Holmgren is trying to help carry Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals.
But Holmgren was literally one of the biggest players at the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
The sensational 7ft 1in centre/power forward is currently ripping it up in the NBA with the high-flying Thunder, who are bursting with precocious young talent.
Holmgren is a do-it-all unicorn who is rapidly emerging as fellow giant Victor Wembanyama‘s greatest NBA rival – and he was the biggest threat to the French phenom’s Rookie of the Year crown.
But it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows for the towering Minnesota native, who happens to know a thing or two about March Madness heartbreak as the 2025 NCAA Tournament gets underway.
Holmgren endured March Madness pain three years ago when his No. 1-seeded Gonzaga fell at the Sweet 16 stage to No. 4 Arkansas.
The Bulldogs finished the 2021–22 season with a 28-4 record and punched their ticket to ‘The Dance’ as the West region’s top seed after winning the West Coast Conference tournament.
Freshman Holmgren was named West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, and entered the NCAA Tournament as a potential No.1 overall pick in that year’s NBA Draft.
The supremely skilled big, blessed with a deft shooting touch and a freakish wingspan, recorded 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists in the Zags’ 93–72 first-round win over Georgia State.
The Bulldogs survived an upset bid from No. 9 Memphis in the second round to set up a Sweet 16 clash with the fourth-seeded Razorbacks.
During the West regional semifinal, top-ranked Gonzaga’s ambitions of securing a first national championship were stopped in their tracks by a resolute Arkansas defence and questionable officiating.
Holmgren only played 23 minutes of the game and was beset by foul trouble, which limited his impact.
He eventually fouled out with three minutes remaining and his fourth and fifth fouls were especially egregious.
Holmgren was penalised for playing solid defense on one play and going straight up in the air against an Arkansas player driving to the basket on another.
The questionable decisions sparked a backlash online, which included an outburst from Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless who blasted the ‘amateurish refs’.
“I’M SORRY, NCAA BASKETBALL WITH ITS ONLY FIVE FOULS AND AMATEURISH REFS IS A JOKE,” Bayless wrote in all caps in a post on X.
“SO IF CHET HOLMGREN JUMPS BACKWARD AND THE ARKANSAS PLAYER DRIVES THE BALL UP INTO HIS CHEST, THAT’S A FOUL ON HOLMGREN??? CLOWN COLLEGE CALL – AS WERE 3 OTHERS ON FOULED-OUT HOLMGREN.”
It turned out to be Holmgren’s last action in college hoops and he effectively kissed goodbye to his March Madness dreams as he walked off the court in the 74-68 loss.
March Madness Top Stories
Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson
‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance
NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever
Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment
Soon after, Holmgren declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility, and was selected second overall by OKC.
“The way the ball bounces off the rim can change the entire tournament,” Holmgren recently said as he reflected on his own March Madness experience.
“It’s like the perfect combination of everything these teams have been working towards this whole season, and yet the outcome is the most unscripted thing.”
Everything was going to plan but Holmgren’s buzz came crashing back down to earth when he suffered a Lisfranc fracture in his foot during a Pro-am game in the summer.
It was later announced that Chet would miss the entire 2022–23 season and would have to wait a full year to make his NBA hardwood debut.
Fast-forward to 2023-24 and Holmgren was a major reason for the Thunder sitting atop the Western Conference standings.
OKC kept rising this year, as the Thunder are 58-12 and dominating the Western Conference, while Holmgren is averaging 15.2 points and 8.3 rebounds a game.
His former Bulldogs, meanwhile, are still a formidable team, although not quite the powerhouse they once were.
The 2024-25 Zags fell to No. 1 seed Houston 81-76 in the second round.
Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson consoled a crying Gonzaga player after the loss.
