Chet Holmgren grew up hooping at random parks throughout the Twin Cities. If there was a pickup game to be played, no matter the location, the lanky teenager and his friends were always up for the challenge.
“We would go all over the place,” Holmgren said. “Wherever people were playing.”
In a perfect world for Holmgren, his return to the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in St. Paul on Thursday afternoon would have been much less conspicuous.
“There’s a bunch of media here,” he said. “I don’t even know how this happened.”
Such is life for an NBA champion.
Less than weeks after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 to win the NBA championship, Holmgren returned to the Twin Cities and brought the coveted Larry O’Brien Trophy with him to share with the community that helped raise him.
In the hour leading up to Holmgren’s arrival at the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, hundreds lined up in the parking lot to take pictures with the hardware. They did so while wearing hats and bouncing basketballs that were being handed out for the occasion. There were also a number of food trucks set up in the parking lot, as as well as makeshift basketball court in the distance.
“This is for this kids,” Holmgren said. “Just to kind of show them that anything is possible.”
After talking to reporters inside the recreation center for roughly 15 minutes, Holmgren made his way outside where everybody was anxiously waiting for him.
“This might be a little overwhelming,” he said. “It’s a great problem to have.”
That perspective was on display in Holmgren, who handled himself with grace despite being bombarded as soon as he walked out the door.
Never mind that there were items being shoved in his face as he slowly made his way around the parking lot. He signed autographs for roughly 45 minutes with the sun beating down and temperatures sitting in the mid-90s.
As soon as that crowd started to die down, Holmgren went back inside to cool off, then returned outside and played 1 on 1 with anybody who was up for the challenge.
As the sweat dripped form his forehead it was almost as if Holmgren had been transported back in time. He wasn’t an NBA player for the 30 minutes he was playing on the blacktop, just a hooper sharing the game he loves with those that love it as much as he does.
“It’s all about the kids,” Holmgren said. “Just trying to inspire them and give them something that they’ll remember for a long time to come.”
Why is that part so important to him?
“To show them what they can dream of,” Holmgren said. “The hardest thing for a lot of kids is that they can’t work to accomplish something if they don’t think it’s possible. It’s big for them to be able to see something like this, just so they understand that if they want to do something, they can strive for that.”
Related Articles
Timberwolves agree to one-year deal to bring back Joe Ingles as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luka Garza depart
Timberwolves decline options on Josh Minott, Luka Garza
Timberwolves reach three-year deal with Julius Randle
Why the Timberwolves fell in love with first-round pick Joan Beringer
Timberwolves, Naz Reid agree to five-year, $125 million extension
Leave a Reply