Heading into the Rookie of the Year race this season, the top two favorites have been linked with each other for years.
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are often grouped together. The young seven-footers were top-two picks in the last two drafts. Both have similar profiles: Lanky players with superb ball-handling skills and defensive chops.
Buy Thunder TicketsIt seems the NBA is leaning toward this comparison, too. It deemed the matchup a budding rivalry: The first two games between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are scheduled for national television.
Despite the nonstop comparisons and the impending battle for rookie hardware this season, it sounds as if both players have a mutual respect for each other.
When asked about Holmgren, Wembanyama spoke highly of the 2022 No. 2 pick — calling him a generational talent that is in the next crop of NBA superstars.
“I think there’s a lot of talent coming — either that’s already been developing in the league for a couple of years or coming this year or even coming in the next years,” Wembanyama said. “Yeah, Chet Holmgren is a really good player. I played against him once a couple of years back. He’s part of the great players of this generation.”
Wemby on Chet: “He's a really good player. I played against him once a couple of years back. He's part of the great players of this generation.”
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 5, 2023
The first of several matchups between the two will happen in a few days in OKC. The Thunder host the Spurs for their preseason opener on Monday, Oct. 9.
Since it’s the first preseason game, the odds of both rookies playing extensive time are extremely low. Regardless though, it’ll be a fun matchup to see both players on the court together for the first time since the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup.
