Chet Holmgren 2022 NBA Draft.Photo: Jennifer Pottheiser/Neiman Marcus
Chet Holmgrenis getting ready to make his NBA debut this season, and luckily for the seven-foot-tallOklahoma Cityrookie, he’s hard to miss.
“I’d definitely say I’m huge on first impressions,” Holmgren tells PEOPLE during a break from shopping on the fourth floor atNeiman Marcusin Beverly Hills.
Chet Holmgren at Neiman Marcus.Neiman Marcus
“I want to emphasize that I’m unique,” Holmgren tells PEOPLE while he takes a break from trying on ready-to-wear suits from Dior and Prada.
“I don’t want to go do something that’s already been done. I want to step outside of the box,” he says.
Normally, he’s “not a big shopper” and keeps it low-key when getting ready for a night out. But for draft night? “That’s going to take a while for sure,” he confesses.
Jennifer Pottheiser/Neiman Marcus
As a kid, Holmgren thinks he was “like everybody else.” Now, he’s far from it. “I’d definitely say I’ve matured over the years,” he says.
“I’ve learned what hard work is,” the rookie tells PEOPLE. “But at the end of the day, I don’t want to be too mature and lose my sense of humor with things,” he says.
Holmgren is accustomed to handling the harsh criticism that comes with being in the league at this point, maybe even especially equipped to handle the pressure.
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Naysayers have doubted Holmgren’s longevity in the league because of his slender frame, but the 20-year-old athlete has only responded to the criticism with confidence.
In May, hisinterview with Bleacher Reportwent viral after Holmgren called himself the best player in the NBA, “in two months.” He was joking — sort of, but if there’s one thing Holmgren wants people to know before he makes his NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, it’s “that I should never be taken too seriously,” he says.
source: people.com
