Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren had an amazing 20-point first half in Game 2 against New Orleans on Wednesday, adding six further points after the break to help the team to a blowout win. Holmgren exchanged buckets early on with Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas and already matched his Game 1 tally of 15 points in the first quarter. He finished with 9-for-13 shooting, including 3-for-6 from downtown. Holmgren's efforts included the Thunder's only two blocks in the game, and he wrapped up his line with seven rebounds and one assist. The 21-year-old rookie has a tough matchup in the series against Valanciunas, but he's stood tall in the battle so far and boasts some outstanding numbers. With two games played, Holmgren is averaging 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks with 41.7 percent shooting from deep.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren made history in Sunday's win over Houston, becoming the first rookie in NBA history to register 150-plus blocks and 100-plus three-point makes. He hit the milestone with three blocks and a 5-for-8 effort from deep against the Rockets. Holmgren made his presence felt all over the court at Toyota Center and added 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and one steal to his stat line. He finished 11-for-16 overall from the field. The uniquely skilled big man was well worth the wait for the Thunder, and Holmgren looks set to be a fantasy darling for years to come.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (ankle) is listed as available for Wednesday's meeting with the Denver Nuggets. Holmgren was not spotted at the team's morning shootaround, which spelled pessimism for his availability, but he's good to go and will avoid missing his first game of the campaign. The 21-year-old Rookie of the Year candidate may be hitting the proverbial rookie wall of late, averaging 11.7 points on 41.8% shooting from the field, 8.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.0 treys in 30.7 minutes over his last nine games, but he's returned second-round fantasy value in nine-category leagues overall in Year 1. Considering the defending champions are without Nikola Jokic (back) on Wednesday, Holmgren's matchup outlook should be brightened significantly.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren (ankle) could be unavailable for the first time this season on Wednesday against Denver, as he has landed on the injury report as questionable. The rising star is nursing a left ankle sprain. Jaylin Williams could get a massive workload without Holmgren on Wednesday, while the rest of the frontcourt will also be asked to step up, especially with Jalen Williams (ankle) already ruled out for the contest.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren may have experienced the worst shooting performance of his young career in Monday's 126-;117 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, but he tallied his third double-double of the campaign and connected on all seven of his free-throw attempts. Holmgren ultimately closed with 16 points on 4-of-14 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick has been phenomenal thus far, following an entirely missed 2022-23 year due to a Lisfranc injury. Holmgren is returning first-round value in 12-team 9-category settings with averages of 17.0 points (55.3% shooting overall, 90.0% from the stripe), 8.0 boards, 2.7 dimes, plus 3.4 combined steals and blocks. Already resembling a young version of Kristaps Porzingis, the 21-year-old's next chance to impress is on Wednesday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. Holmgren swatted seven shots along with a double-double against the Cavs on Oct. 27.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said forward/center Chet Holmgren (foot) is fully recovered from his foot injury at Tuesday's training camp. This serves as confirmation that the 2022 No. 2 overall pick is good to go for his NBA regular-season debut after tearing up the Summer League this past July. Holmgren suffered a Lisfranc injury during last year's summer exhibitions, costing him his rookie campaign, but should slide right into OKC's starting center spot this fall. The 21-year-old is looking like the fourth or fifth scoring option in an up-and-coming Thunder lineup, but Holmgren's blocks and percentages upside could make it hard to let him slip past the top 50 in fantasy drafts this fall.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren once again had a big performance at both ends in the Summer League Wednesday, totaling a game-high 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting and swatting away five shots in a 98-87 win over Indiana. He added one steal on the defensive end, while also tallying a couple of assists in 30 minutes of action. This was likely Holmgren's final Summer League appearance and he wraps things up after a very impressive four-game run. Holmgren averaged 16.5 points with 9.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.5 blocks, and he looks set to be a major contributor for the Thunder next season.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren hasn't suffered an injury, but the team might decide to shut him down for the rest of the Summer League. Thunder Summer League coach Kameron Woods said the organization is unsure when Holmgren is going to play again. The Thunder selected Holmgren with the No. 2 overall pick during the 2022 NBA Draft. Sadly, Holmgren suffered a season-ending foot injury during the Summer League last year. That being said, the Thunder want to be cautious this time around. Holmgren has already played in three Summer League games, so the team might hold him out the rest of the way.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren had another productive Summer League outing on Saturday, posting a full line in a 91-80 win over Dallas. He had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, and added three assists, one steal, and two blocks with 5-for-10 shooting from the field. After missing the entire 2022-23 campaign with an injury, Holmgren looks set to be a great addition to the Thunder squad, and he has all the potential to become a fantasy darling. The second pick of last year's draft has produced 13.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.0 blocks in three Summer League games.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren had a double-double in Wednesday's Summer League loss to Memphis. He struggled shooting, going 3-for-8 from the field and 0-for-4 from deep. However, the 21-year-old at least made up for it by adding 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Holmgren has played well this summer, which is a relief for dynasty managers, considering he missed all last season with a foot injury. But the 2022 No. 2 overall pick has added some bulk since draft night, so his redraft stock should increase more in the coming months as long as he proves the foot injury is behind him.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren had a solid outing in Monday's Summer League victory over the Utah Jazz. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick received 29 minutes of action and had 15 points and nine rebounds. While he did have trouble shooting the ball, going 6-for-14 from the field and 3-for-6 from the charity stripe, he made up for it by recording four blocks. Holmgren missed all of last season with a foot injury. However, outside of his shoddy shooting percentages, he looked as good as ever. That said, as long as Holmgren stays healthy, he is expected to be a productive fantasy asset for managers in all formats.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (foot) is hopeful to suit up for the upcoming summer league, according to the team's general manager Sam Presti. Holmgren was the No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 NBA draft. Sadly, he missed all of last season after he suffered a foot injury while playing in a pro-am game. The organization says Holmgren is having a great offseason. He should be ready to suit up alongside Cason Wallace and the other young players on this Thunder roster. The hope is that the 21-year-old will be ready to make his NBA debut this fall.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (foot) has a good chance at suiting up for the summer league alongside Jalen Williams and Ousmane Dieng. Holmgren was the No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft. Sadly, he has been forced to undergo multiple surgeries to repair a Lisfranc injury suffered in a Pro-Am game last summer. Luckily, it sounds like Holmgren is on the brink of getting back on the court. Obviously, health is a big concern, but the talent cannot be denied when looking at Holmgren. He's expected to be a top fantasy contributor once he's back to full health.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward/center Chet Holmgren (foot) is making promising progress toward returning to the court. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick had multiple surgeries to repair a Lisfranc injury suffered in a Pro-Am game last summer. While conducting an exit interview with the media on Saturday, Holmgren reported he's beyond rehab and plans on participating in five-on-five work next, which is undoubtedly positive news. Although Holmgren's preseason injury was disheartening for fantasy managers, his talent can't be ignored. That said, concerns regarding his health will remain at the forefront until he proves he can stay healthy. However, Holmgren will still be a top fantasy option in all formats heading into the 2023-24 campaign.