On Sunday, it was revealed that OKC Thunder big man Chet Holmgren was selected to participate in his first career All-Star game.
While Holmgren has built a strong case for such a nod, it was still seen as a bit controversial by some, as several big-time studs were ultimately claimed to have been snubbed as a result.
One of the most critical and downright heinous takes came from former NBA point guard and current basketball personality Gilbert Arenas.
"Nothing against Chet, but 17, eight, and seven. Yeah, your team is number one. We get it. But it’s a third option. It’s a third-option player, right? It’s like, please get the first option players first, then you can move on to option twos, then threes. That’s exactly what Kawhi Leonard is doing, right? James Harden, right? The names that people want to go see," Arenas said.
Arenas' comments come on the heels of a 50-game stretch where Holmgren has been the second-leading scorer for OKC. Though he calls the big man a "third option," Chet has operated as the number two man in the Thunder's offense for the majority of the season, especially considering forward Jalen Williams has missed 26 games due to injury.
Regardless of whether J-Dub is in the lineup or not, Holmgren's offensive numbers have been prolific. Without Williams, he is averaging 17.8 points per game. With Williams, he is averaging 17.7.
Arenas also contradicts himself in the midst of complaining about Chet's third-option status.
After emphasizing the importance of sending first options to the All-Star game, he proceeded to use both the first and second options for the Los Angeles Clippers as substantiation.
The take is perplexing, to say the least, as Harden represents the very dilemma the former Wizard mentioned regarding Holmgren. While Harden is indeed averaging 25.4 points, he is doing so on 41.9 percent shooting.
He also has a defensive rating of 118.3, 15 points worse than Chet's.
Arenas' intellectual dishonesty is on display regarding the Thunder big
Arenas' decision to completely omit Holmgren's defensive prowess has to be a calculated move, as any acknowledgment of the defensive side of the basketball would have completely derailed his argument.
Holmgren has been the league's best defender around the rim and is the main reason why OKC has been the toughest team to score on in the painted area.
He has firmly entrenched himself as the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year in his third year in the league, and for Arenas to imply the irrelevance of such a fact is nothing short of journalistically dishonest.
By ignoring half of the game of basketball, the former All-Star has failed to enlighten his online following about what makes Chet Holmgren truly elite. Whether this is intentional or not is up for speculation, but Arenas is showing novice-level IQ when it comes to watching Thunder basketball.
Luckily for Holmgren and the Thunder fanbase, those in charge of sending the seven-footer to All-Star Weekend weren't so naive when they made their final decisions.
While snubs like Kawhi Leonard and Alperen Sengun are truly regrettable, Holmgren has put together a resume that no other player in the league has been able to replicate to this point.