A new age rivalry has begun. In the rookie season of Victor Wembanyama, the French center was widely regarded as the frontrunner for the ROTY honors. However, he wasn’t the only standout rookie. The NBA fraternity eagerly awaited the matchup between Wemby and Chet Holmgren, the versatile seven-footer for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The race for Rookie of The Year was always between them. Yet, it wasn’t a race the two wiry centers asked for.

When Holmgren joined Paul George on his podcast, he was inundated with questions about matching up against Wenbanyama. While he acknowledged the community’s excitement, the 22-year-old remained focused on his primary goal: winning games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He wasn’t overly concerned about the matchup itself.

“No, I wasn’t looking at it like everyone else was. I don’t want to go into any matchup and try to make it about what it isn’t. It’s about trying to win the basketball game. I don’t want to fall into the trap of turning something into like a one-on-one. Obviously, there’s a lot of competitive juice anytime you go up against a really good player. You know, you can definitely sense that before the game,” Holmgren said on the Podcast P. 

Even though it wasn’t intended to be so, their rivalry became the main attraction in all of their three meetings. Their most ferocious showdown came when they faced for the last time in February. Victor Wembanyama became the first NBA player in history to log 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 5+ blocks, and 5+ 3 PM in a game. Holmgren had 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists that night.

The vigor with which both of them competed made it seem like they had some history. Maybe their motivation stemmed from a prior event. However, Holmgren was quick to dismiss any theory of him having a rift with the Spurs center.

“People be like ‘Y’all got beef’. I’m like beef? We’re out there competing but beef means like when I see you we are fighting. Honestly, I don’t even know the guy. We just play basketball against each other,” he told PG13.

These two generational prospects have only just begun to make a name for themselves. While it was Wembanyama who walked away with ROTY, Holmgren was instrumental behind the Thunder’s staggering success this season. And while they don’t have any malicious feelings toward one another, their tale began far before they set foot in the NBA.

Victor Wembanyama and Holmgren clashed at the FIBA U19 World Cup

In the first youth tournament held since the pandemic, Team USA had Holmgren, the then consensus number-one pick for the 2022 draft. Meanwhile, France showcased their standout player, the teenager Victor Wembanyama. Both the USA and France battled through their rivals to clash in the final showdown.

The matchup everyone anticipated was between Wemby and Holmgren. Prior to the clash, the Team USA center had delivered a series of thrilling performances. Meanwhile, Wembanyama was busy showcasing his talent to the world. When Wemby and Holmgren finally faced off, the game was a thrilling contest that came down to the wire.

Team USA secured a narrow 83-81 win, with Holmgren adding five points in the critical fourth-quarter stretch. Wemby’s impact was limited as he struggled with foul trouble and eventually fouled out of the game. On the other hand, Holmgren was named the MVP of the tournament. He averaged 11.9 points,  6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks with exceptional efficiency. Meanwhile, Wembanyama averaged 14 points per game and blocked 5.7 shots per game, showcasing his dominance on both ends of the floor.

Despite their past, Chet Holmgren treats Wemby like any other opponent. However, the Spurs centerpiece doesn’t forget so easily. “Every time I face someone that was on that (USA) team – and it has happened several times – I remember it, and it’s in the back of my mind,” he told L’Equipe.

While the OKC center isn’t focused on taking on Wembanyama, the latter is eager for the matchup. This sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling game.