Who Are Chet Holmgren’s Parents? Everything You Need To Know About the OKC Thunder Star’s Family and Background

During open gym in middle school, Chet Holmgren didn’t make much noise. He’d just find a spot on the court, lace up, and start working through drills. No showboating, no talking. Just focus. Coaches noticed how he moved awkwardly but efficiently, like he knew his body was still figuring itself out. At home, that mindset wasn’t unusual. Both parents valued patience, detail, and staying even-keeled. You could tell Chet picked that up early. He wasn’t chasing attention—he was chasing improvement, one quiet rep at a time. But before we say anything more, let’s look at his family member in detail.

Who are Chet Holmgren’s parents? What is their nationality?

Chet Holmgren was born on May 1, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to his parents, David (Dave) Holmgren and Sarah Harris, both American nationals. They live in Minnesota and seem like pretty grounded folks. Dave, a 7-footer himself, once played college ball for the University of Minnesota in the 1980s. So yeah, Chet didn’t just wake up tall one day. Sarah, on the other hand, stays out of the spotlight—kind of cool how low-key she is. Both parents are white Caucasians, so ethnically, he’s not super mixed. We wonder if that shaped how people saw him growing up.

Sometimes people assume things based on looks or background, right? But nationality-wise, it’s straightforward that they are fully American. What’s interesting is how his roots are kind of quietly influential. You don’t hear much about his parents in the press. But clearly, they’ve been a steady presence. It makes you think, how much of an athlete’s success starts at home? But it won’t stop us from knowing more about his parents. So, come, let’s explore them in detail.

Who is Chet Holmgren’s father, Dave?

Dave Holmgren isn’t your average basketball dad. The basketball genes run deep in the family. But that’s not what made people remember him during Chet’s days. Nope, it was the camcorder. Every game, every gym, there he was, quiet, focused, camcorder in hand. It started when his son was in sixth grade. “He said I wasn’t boxing out,” the hooper once shared. “I said I was boxing out. He said he was going to start recording them to show me.” That kind of sums Dave up: thorough, direct, kind of hilarious.

The camcorder became part of his image. Didn’t matter if it was a small middle school gym or March Madness. He was there, capturing moments like a one-man ESPN crew. By the time the NBA Draft rolled around, he had already gone viral. Not just for the camcorder but also for the hair. Slicked back into a ponytail, paired with a suit that looked more startup CEO than sports dad. X loved it. Memes popped up. One person called him a Bond villain. Another said he looked like the “final boss” of youth sports. Honestly, it’s fair.

Then came draft night, when Chet went No. 2 to the OKC Thunder. It was a big moment, and he directly went up to give a huge hug between father and son; his dad was probably rolling the camcorder in the background. That night, ESPN gave Dave an actual videographer award. It wasn’t just a cute bit; it felt earned. Dude had been filming for nearly a decade. Love that. There’s something special about a dad who shows up consistently, not loud, not flashy, just there, always.

Dave seems like someone who blends seriousness with humor. He upgraded his camera gear over the years, didn’t just stick with the old home cam. “This year, some of the different TV outlets started making graphics during the game,” Chet laughed. “It was kind of funny to see this stuff on Twitter.” You can tell there’s respect there, but also a sense of fun.

We wonder when the Thunder fans will see Dave and his camcorder courtside next. Guys like him remind us that behind every athlete, there’s usually someone steady behind the lens. Sometimes, literally.

Who is Chet Holmgren’s mother, Sarah?

Sarah Harris Chet Holmgren’s mom has been his constant anchor. Behind the scenes, cheering quietly, steady as stone. She’s tall—somewhere around 6’4″, by the looks of her next to Chet. No surprise the guy turned out to be built like a skyscraper.

Sarah works in Minneapolis, high up at Aeon, doing strategy and partnerships. A big job, for sure, but she keeps family first. Her stories about Chet don’t feel filtered. They feel real. One time, when he was barely crawling, he scaled his crib like a ninja.

“It’s been a wild ride ever since,” she told Sports Illustrated. No fake modesty, no overhype, just honesty.

The hooper was only seven or nine months old, depending on who you ask, when the crib incident happened. After a crash landing, they ditched the crib, laid a mattress on the floor, and locked the door. Why? because the kid would not stop exploring. That story says so much. He was fearless, determined, and curious—and still is.

Sarah doesn’t chase the spotlight, but she’s not invisible either. She tells her stories with a smile and lets Chet do the talking. Now that is powerful parenting, knowing when to step back and when to step in. Even when he’s traveling, she stays close—not clingy, just present. She joked once that Chet missed their dog more than the family. He laughed and corrected her, “I miss them all equally.” You can feel the warmth in that exchange.

Watching your kid rise to national stardom isn’t easy, but Sarah’s grace makes it seem natural. She isn’t behind him. She’s beside him. Ever wonder how greatness starts? Maybe it starts with a mother watching quietly from the sidelines, smiling as her son climbs out of the crib—and never stops climbing. Well, that’s it about his parents; now let’s look at his siblings.

Chet Holmgren brothers: How many brothers and sisters does the Thunder star have?

Chet Holmgren has two sisters, Claire and Alexandra. Claire’s the older one, but honestly, not much is out there about her. There are no headlines, no big interviews, which, in a way, says a lot. Maybe she prefers it that way. Not everyone wants their life on display.

Then there’s Alexandra, his younger sister by two years. She’s an athlete, too, and not just casually. Volleyball is her thing. She played for Hopkins High School and suited up for the Royals as a sophomore in 2019. If you know Minnesota high school sports, Hopkins is no joke.

From 2017 to 2021, she also played club volleyball with Minnesota Select. She wore No. 15 and brought home some real hardware. That 14 Open Gold Division win in 2018? Huge. You don’t luck into that kind of win—it takes grind, chemistry, and real drive.

What stands out is how athleticism seems to run deep in this family. Not just height—though there’s plenty of that—but the competitive fire. Just imagine what dinner table conversations were like growing up? Three kids, all tall, all sporty, all chasing different dreams.

It’s easy to only talk about Chet when someone in a family goes pro. But Alexandra carved out her own lane, and it’s cool to see. She didn’t chase the basketball spotlight—she went with what felt like hers. So yeah, Chet’s the headline. But he’s got two sisters—one known, one quiet—and both probably shaped who he is in ways we don’t even see.

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