The rivalry between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren explained
One part marketing and one part hand of fate, the NBA has got the makings of another generational rivalry and we’re taking a look at the 2 players involved.
With two unique styles of play and a more than enviable repertoire of skills, both the second-year OKC star and rookie occupy similar seats in the minds of NBA fans,m as they all wait to see which one will establish himself as the best big man in the business.
Holmgren vs Wembanyama: The story so far
You may have noticed that the NBA currently has two stand-out 7-foot-plus players in its ranks: There’s OKC Thunder’s Chet Holmgren and of course the talk of the town, No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. For the purpose of clarity, we should mention that Holmgren was actually the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft. Quite frankly, were it not for a severe ankle injury that ended his season before it really got going, it’s quite likely that this article would have a different spin to it. Nonetheless, let’s get into what we’ve seen so far.
It was back in October when the pair met for the first time in an NBA preseason game which ended in the Thunder winning by a tight 122-121 margin. As you can imagine, there was little anyone could talk about other than the matchup between the two giants. Indeed, a top-tier rivalry is something that one has to admit has been missing from the NBA’s landscape for quite some time. With regards to how the game actually panned out, it’s worth noting that where offense is concerned, both were more or less equal with Holmgren posting 21 points on 7-for-10 from the field alongside nine rebounds in 16 minutes of play, while the French prodigy registered 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting for the Spurs. If you’re wondering, both players reminded fans of their prowess from beyond the arc as well, something that will likely continue to turn heads as the season progresses.
OK, but what about the rivalry between Chet Holmgren & Victor Wembanyama?
Truth be told, things look to be intense. While proceedings were at all times respectful between the two players, the agitation was plain for all to see. Indeed, there was even a headbutt to Holmgren’s chin courtesy of Wembanyama in the first quarter, as well as a noticeable lack of eye contact during the postgame handshake. “I feel like [Chet Holmgren] hurt us in the first half,” Wembanyama said at the time. “I know it’s just preseason, but for sure the games against OKC are going to be interesting.” Adding further spice to the sauce was Wembanyama’s response when asked if he and Holmgren had any form of relationship. “No” he said flatly. Barring injuries - we’re knocking on wood - the pair will meet once again on Tuesday, ovember 14th, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and we can honestly say that we can’t wait.