Top ‘21 recruit says it’s his ‘duty’ to demand change
Chet Holmgren stands head and shoulders above everyone else in the photo he posted on Instagram in June.
The 7-foot teenager, wearing a black T-shirt and a black-and-white bandana over his nose and mouth, was among thousands of emotional demonstrators in the streets of Minneapolis. Less than a month earlier and fewer than 5 miles away, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes. Floyd’s death helped spark a nationwide movement calling for justice, reform and equality.
Holmgren, who lives about 2 miles from the Cup Foods convenience store where Floyd died, is the No. 2 high school basketball recruit in the Class of 2021, according to the 247Sports Composite. He is expected to ascend to the top spot as soon as current No. 1 prospect Jonathan Kuminga officially reclassifies.
But Holmgren also is among the many high-profile high school basketball players leveraging their popularity on social media, where he has more than 179,000 followers on Instagram alone, in hopes of contributing to change.
For Holmgren, who is white, there is no alternative.
“I have so many friends, family, coaches, people I’ve grown up with – my brothers, basically,” he said. “I know people who fear for their lives every time they leave the house. It hurts me to see them hurt like this. Until people like myself, who aren’t negatively affected by systemic racism and social injustices, until people like me demand change, there won’t be change. The real change is going to come when people like myself start to plea for others.”
Holmgren – already ESPN’S topranked recruit, who attends Minnehaha Academy – recently narrowed his list of suitors down to seven schools: Memphis, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgetown.
He also said bypassing college and joining the G League is an option.
But, Holmgren said, such matters are better left for future discussions. That’s partially because the coronavirus pandemic has brought in-person recruiting to a halt and he hopes to delay any more decisions until he’s allowed to visit the campuses. And it’s partially because he wants to see how the G League route plays out for those who are taking it this year.
Primarily, he wants to keep the focus of those who listen and look up to him on more important matters.
Holmgren recalled the range of emotions he felt when news of Floyd’s death initially began circulating.
“I saw it on Twitter first,” he said. “It took me awhile to realize it was right down the street. I was amazed. I never thought something like that would happen this close to me.”
Holmgren decided to act. He marched with demonstrators in Minneapolis on multiple occasions last month until a close call led him to re-evaluate.
“I went to a couple of protests. One of them I was at went onto the highway,” he said. “That was the one where a semi truck barreled 40 miles per hour at a group of 10,000 people. I had left probably five minutes before that happened. That was eye-opening. After that, it was just hard to continue to protest. On top of that, there’s COVID-(19) going on. It was just a lot.
“But I’m still supporting. I think it’s part of my duty to advocate for change.”
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.