Recently, the San Antonio Spurs, led by rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama, took on the Oklahoma City Thunder in their preseason opener. The matchup saw Wemby face off against a player that some might say has a similar trajectory in the league, Chet Holmgren. The game was a close-cut affair, with Holmgren and the OKC coming out on top in the end with a narrow 122-121 victory. Following the game, the French center gave Chet his flowers in the post-game press conference, commenting on how OKC would be a problem for the Spurs in the 2023-2024 season.
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This isn’t the first time Wembanyama and Holmgren have faced off against each other. Back in 2021, the two met in the FIBA U-19 World Cup representing France and Team USA respectively. The game was a close one, ending 83-81. The United States went away with the win despite Wemby’s 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight blocks. This time around, the two met in an entirely different competition, as they both suited up for their first-ever preseason game.
Victor Wembanyama hypes up future games between his Spurs and Chet Holmgren’s OKC Thunder
The NBA pre-season is underway and some of the games have served as teasers for some very interesting future matchups. During one such thrilling contest, the Thunder took the win, led by a 21-point performance from Chet Holmgren. On the other side, the Spurs put on a good fight, as their new star Victor Wembanyama registered 20 points.
Following the game, Wembanyama sat down for a post-game presser, where he was asked about Holmgren and the Thunder. Speaking highly of the former Gonzaga Bulldogs player, Wemby admitted that he hurt the Spurs during the first half. Additionally, the 19-year-old hyped up the upcoming 2023-2024 season and the tough clashes he is sure the Spurs will have against Holmgren and the OKC Thunder.
“I feel like he [Chet Holmgren] hurt us in the first half. I know it’s just preseason but for sure the games against OKC are gonna be interesting.”
Victor Wembanyama on playing against Chet Holmgren and the Thunderpic.twitter.com/6TfsoRKjyn
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) October 10, 2023
The Thunder and the Spurs are scheduled to go head-to-head on the 15th of November, 2023, and the 24th of January, 2024. It will certainly be an interesting matchup, as everyone will be watching Wemby and Chet closely. But the French center wasn’t the only one who had something to say about his opponent.
Holmgren also spoke about Wembanyama after the game, calling him out for headbutting him. Wemby was driving to the basket, but while he was crouched low, he smacked Holmgren straight on the head. But rather than being called out for a foul, the Spurs star received a free throw, something that clearly did not sit well with his OKC counterpart.
Both Wembanyama and Holmgren will go head-to-head for Rookie of the Year honors
Heading into the 2023-2o24 season, both Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren have a lot to prove. Wemby already has a ton of expectations heaped on him, especially considering he is a generational talent. On the other hand, Holmgren, who was actually drafted last season, missed out the entirety of the previous season due to injury.
So, with that in mind, both men will be fighting each other for the Rookie of the Year honors. Considering they are both exceptionally talented players, any one of them could win it. But one thing is for sure, whoever does win will have bragging rights over the other for a while.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the season goes. However, it’s important to remember that they aren’t the only players in the rookie race. The likes of Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller, and the Thompson twins are all great candidates. Only time will tell who will come out on top.
