Born in 2002, Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder headlines our May 1 birthdays.
With over 5,000 players in NBA history, at least one player was born on every day of the calendar year – including three leap day ballers. Our day-by-day breakdown of the players born on each day of the year continues.
Below are the most notable NBA players born on May 1.
Chet Holmgren (2002)
Holmgren was one of the best players in the country at Gonzaga University, earning him the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After sitting that season due to injury, Holmgren returned with a bang in 2023. The big man finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, averaging 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game. He was also a key piece to a rebuilding Thunder team that has the best record in the NBA since his return to action.
Holmgren backed that up with a solid 2024 season, averaging 15 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.2 blocks per game. The sky is the limit for this soon-to-be 23-year-old, who’s already one of the best big men in the NBA.
Eddie Johnson (1959)
Not many bench players in NBA history were as impactful as this guy. “Piggy” was the 29th pick in the 1981 NBA Draft by the Kansas City Kings, spending his first six years with that organization. He was even there when they moved to Sacramento, with Johnson breaking out in his sophomore season.
The sharpshooter averaged at least 18.7 points per game in his final five seasons with the Kings, finishing third in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 1986. He joined the Phoenix Suns two years later and took down Sixth Man of the Year in 1989. That was his second season in Phoenix, averaging a career-high 21.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.7 steals per game. Johnson finished third in that award the following season, which was his final full year with the Suns. He suited up for the Seattle SuperSonics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets after that before officially retiring in 1999. Throughout his 17-year career, Johnson averaged 16 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Want to see every NBA player born on May 1? Here is the rest of the list in chronological order:
- Frankie Brian (May 1, 1923)
- George Lehmann (May 1, 1941)
- Barry Clemens (May 1, 1943)
- Barry Orms (May 1, 1946)
- Jim Owens (May 1, 1950)
- Ron Davis (May 1, 1954)
- Rock Lee (May 1, 1955)
- Craig Shelton (May 1, 1957)
- Billy Owens (May 1, 1969)
- Julius Nwosu (May 1, 1971)
- Austin Croshere (May 1, 1975)
- Amir Johnson (May 1, 1987)
- Jerome Dyson (May 1, 1987)
- Brandon Sampson (May 1, 1997)
