Chet Holmgren is an American-born NBA professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Born on May 1, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Holmgren is the middle child and only son raised by Dave Holmgren and Sarah Harris.
Here’s what you need to know about Chet Holmgren’s family.
1. Dave Holmgren Was a Former Division 1 Basketball Player and is Still the Stereotypical Basketball Dad
It’s no surprise Chet has basketball in his genes. His father, Dave, was a Division I collegiate basketball player for the University of Minnesota in the 1980s. A 7-footer, Dave passed down his height and love for basketball to Chet.
Dave is endeared by the basketball community for his unwavering support of Chet. He is often captured on national broadcasts recording Chet’s games on a vintage camcorder. According to ESPN’s broadcast from the 2022 NBA Draft, Dave recorded every single one of Chet’s games since he was in sixth grade — befitting of a devoted basketball dad.
“He said I wasn’t boxing out. I told him, ‘I am boxing out,’ and he said he was going to start recording them so he could show me,” Chet said in an interview with ESPN.
“I was right, of course,” Chet added with a chuckle.
Dave, who, according to the Spokesman-Review, had been barred from recording the later rounds of the NCAA March Madness, was given a videographer award from ESPN during an interview on draft night for his work recording Chet’s games at Gonzaga.
2. Sarah Harris Recalls Tough Decision to Shut Down Her Son Chet Holmgren’s Rookie Year
GettyChet Holmgren impresses in his playoff debut
While Dave has often found the spotlight in attendance at Chet’s games, Sarah has preferred a quieter role in the background. Nonetheless, she has been equally impactful for Chet’s career — although she has had to make some difficult calls as a mother.
After suffering a Lisfranc injury in a showcase just a few months after being drafted, Chet and his family consulted with his agent and Thunder general manager Sam Presti to make a decision on surgery and shutting down what would have been Chet’s rookie year, according to The Athletic.
“Chet’s immediate reaction was: ‘Don’t say it out loud. It may be a season-ending injury. Just don’t say it out loud,” Harris told The Athletic.
3. Dave Holmgren Was Self-Conscious About His Height Growing Up
GettyChet and his parents at the 2022 NBA Draft ceremony.
Despite the advantages of being tall on the hardwood, Dave was self-conscious about his height growing up.
“He was crying,” Dave’s father and Chet’s grandfather, Chester, told The Athletic. “He said, ‘I don’t want to go to Sunday school. The kids call me names like daddy long legs and skinny.”
Chester, also tall, recalled stories from his days in the army, when many of his counterparts “tossed smart comments his way.”
“Then I had him stand next to me and said, ‘Son, you’re already a half-inch taller than me,’” Chester added. “He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Well, shorty, what should we do next?’ ”
Chet admitted that he wasn’t initially in love with the game of basketball. His height at a young age proved to be a challenge in becoming coordinated enough to excel.
4. Chet Holmgren’s Parents Kept Him in Basketball to Expose Him to Kids From Different Circumstances
Before Chet showed promise in basketball, his parents saw the game as another opportunity for their son.
Larry Suggs, the father of former Gonzaga star and Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, knew Dave and invited Chet to an AAU practice. Suggs’ teams always played four-plus years above their actual age-group, according to the Pioneer Press, which presented many challenges for the younger players.
Chet didn’t have the skill level of many players on Suggs’ team, but the challenge and trial and error of attaining a higher level of basketball was intriguing to Chet.
His parents saw playing AAU, at the very least, as an opportunity for Chet to be exposed to children who had different circumstances than him, per The Athletic.
5. Chet Holmgren’s Sisters, Alexandra and Claire, Were Both Promising Athletes
Chet has two sisters: Claire, who is two years older than him; and Alexandra, who is two years younger than him.
In a 2020 Q&A with Pro Insight, Chet revealed that both his sisters were athletes.
“My little sister played volleyball, but she’s taking a break from it right now. My older sister was a swimmer, but unfortunately she had some medical issues so it kind of derailed her career,” Chet said.
Chet Holmgren’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know