By Marta Alizeh. Last updated: October 20, 2026.
The Chet Holmgren family handed down two things: height and the game. His father is 7 feet tall and played at the University of Minnesota. His son grew into a 7-footer who won an NBA title in 2025.
Here’s the twist. Dave Holmgren chose not to be his son’s coach. He wanted to be his dad.
This guide sticks to what credible outlets have reported about the family.
Quick facts
| Full name | Chet Thomas Holmgren |
| Date of birth | May 1, 2002 (age 24) |
| Birthplace | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Position | Center |
| Club | Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 7) |
| Father | Dave Holmgren, former Minnesota Gophers center |
| Mother | Sarah Harris |
| Siblings | Two sisters |
| Heritage | Jewish on his mother’s side, per The CJN |
| Religion | Not publicly disclosed |
Who is Chet Holmgren?
Chet Holmgren is an American basketball player, born May 1, 2002, in Minneapolis. Oklahoma City drafted him second overall in 2022 after one season at Gonzaga. He missed his first season with a foot injury, then won the 2025 NBA championship with the Thunder. In 2025-26 he made his first All-Star team and the All-Defensive First Team.
Who are Chet Holmgren’s parents?
Chet Holmgren’s parents are Dave Holmgren and Sarah Harris. Both were interviewed by KSTP in Minneapolis before the 2022 draft.
Dave Holmgren, the father
Dave Holmgren is 7 feet tall and played 57 games for Minnesota in the late 1980s. Bad knees limited him to about five minutes a game, Bleacher Report reported in 2019.
He didn’t coach Chet’s teams. He wanted to be a father first, so he found youth coach Brian Sandifer through a friend.
At home, though, he taught the basics of playing big. Boxing out. Blocking shots without fouling. Those habits are still the base of Chet’s defence.
Sarah Harris, the mother
Sarah Harris keeps a low profile. Her family has deep roots in Minneapolis, according to The Canadian Jewish News.
The CJN traced her line to Leo Harris, a Polish Jewish immigrant who later founded a company that dredged Mississippi River locks. Her father, developer Ray Harris, died in 2025.
Her own job hasn’t been reported in the sources checked for this article.
Does Chet Holmgren have siblings?
Chet Holmgren has two sisters and is his father’s only son. The sisters’ names and ages haven’t been confirmed in credible coverage, and they stay out of the public eye.
What is Chet Holmgren’s family background?
Chet Holmgren’s family background is Minneapolis through and through. His father played for the state university. His mother’s family has been in the city for generations.
The CJN describes him as Jewish on his mother’s side. It also notes that he hasn’t said publicly whether he identifies as Jewish.
Childhood and early life
Chet Holmgren didn’t look like a future star at first. At his first tryout in third grade, he turned up in cargo shorts and a polo shirt with a bowl cut. Sandifer remembered him as thin as a pencil.
He struggled. Holmgren has said he cried after his first week of practice.
In sixth grade he followed his friend Jalen Suggs to Minnehaha Academy, a private Christian school in Minneapolis. He broke his right wrist in his first season there. By ninth grade he’d grown about seven inches.
He and Suggs won four state titles together. Holmgren then followed Suggs again, this time to Gonzaga.
How did family shape Chet Holmgren’s career?
Chet Holmgren’s family shaped his career with genes, early lessons and restraint. His father passed on the height and taught the big-man basics. Then he stepped back and let other coaches lead.
The NBA path wasn’t smooth. A Lisfranc foot injury in a 2022 pro-am cost him his whole rookie season. He returned, and in 2025 the Thunder beat Indiana in seven games for the title.
That July he agreed a five-year rookie max extension worth up to $250 million, ESPN reported. In 2026 the Thunder lost the Western Conference Finals in seven games to San Antonio and Victor Wembanyama.
Other young NBA bigs grew up around a playing parent too. See Cooper Flagg’s family and Dyson Daniels’s family background.
Interesting facts about Chet Holmgren’s family
- Father and son are both 7-footers who played college basketball.
- His father deliberately chose not to coach him.
- His maternal great-grandfather’s company dredged Mississippi River locks, per The CJN.
- His childhood friend Jalen Suggs led him to both his high school and his college.
- He is his father’s only son.
Frequently asked questions
Who are Chet Holmgren’s parents?
His parents are Dave Holmgren, a former Minnesota center, and Sarah Harris.
Did Chet Holmgren’s dad play basketball?
Yes. Dave Holmgren played 57 games for the University of Minnesota in the late 1980s.
Does Chet Holmgren have siblings?
Yes. He has two sisters, whose names haven’t been confirmed publicly.
Where was Chet Holmgren born?
He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 1, 2002.
Is Chet Holmgren Jewish?
The CJN reports he is Jewish on his mother’s side. He hasn’t spoken publicly about whether he identifies as Jewish.
Why is Chet Holmgren famous?
He was the No. 2 pick in 2022, won the 2025 NBA title with Oklahoma City and became an All-Star in 2026.
The takeaway
A tall father who knew when to step aside, a mother from an old Minneapolis family and a best friend who kept leading the way. That’s the circle behind Chet.
This article reflects information available on October 20, 2026. It will be revised when real new details emerge about the Chet Holmgren family.
