Chet Holmgren had plenty to say about his offseason work. His shooting, strength training, and film study were all fair game. But when the conversation turned to Victor Wembanyama, the Oklahoma City Thunder center became noticeably less forthcoming.
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Sitting down with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix at the Thunder’s practice facility, Holmgren was asked whether Wembanyama’s not-so-subtle digs over the years had made their rivalry personal.
“That’s a question for him,” Holmgren replied.
Mannix then asked whether facing San Antonio felt different from playing other Western Conference rivals like Denver, Minnesota or the Lakers. Holmgren didn’t answer for around 15 seconds.
When he finally did, he said, “I wouldn’t put it that way.” Asked how he would put it, he said, “I don’t know.”
It surely an awkward spot to be in for a player whose name is now what it seems like, tied to Wembanyama’s for the foreseeable future. Mannix touted the pair as a potential Tim Duncan-Kevin Garnett of this generation. Two big men who can shoot, defend the rim, and lead their teams to be title contenders.
Holmgren’s silence might have been respect, or he may not have wanted to give the Spurs extra motivation. It could also be that the May loss still hurts. Either way, he wasn’t going to add fuel to it.
Holmgren Looks Past the Conference Finals Loss
Holmgren was more comfortable discussing what he learned from last season’s Western Conference finals.
“The takeaways from that are tangible against the other 28 teams, too,” he said, adding, “I relish every game.”
The postseason numbers show why the matchup continues to attract attention. Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points per game in the seven-game series, compared with Holmgren’s 10.7. Wembanyama also shot 40% from the three-point range, while Holmgren converted 27.3% from deep.
The difference was especially noticeable in the deciding Game 7. Wembanyama finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Holmgren recorded four points and four rebounds as San Antonio won 111–103 and ended Oklahoma City’s title defense. The Spurs went on to lose the Finals to the Knicks.
That defeat came after a strong regular season for Holmgren. He posted career highs in points, rebounds, and field-goal percentage, made his first All-Star team and earned an All-NBA nod.
He and Nikola Jokić were the only players to average at least 17 points and eight rebounds while shooting 55% from the field and 35% from three. Wembanyama, meanwhile, became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and finished third in MVP voting.
The playoff result therefore became a difficult end to a campaign in which he had continued to establish himself as one of Oklahoma City’s key contributors on both ends of the floor.
“It definitely took me a couple weeks to sit there and reflect and think all the s–t was for nothing,” Holmgren said of the defeat. He then went back to work. He studied how defenses mixed coverages on him, worked on his strength and focused on getting his shot off quicker.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault rejected the idea that San Antonio has Holmgren figured out. “I think they pose problems that are difficult to solve,” he told Mannix, before adding, “I’m riding with Chet Holmgren.”
The preseason, however, was not as expected for Holmgren. He missed the entire preseason with a quad injury. But he has been cleared for Tuesday’s season opener against the same team that bounced them out of the Conference Finals last season, the San Antonio Spurs, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman.
The two big men have faced each other 15 times across the regular season and playoffs, with the Spurs holding an 8–7 advantage, according to Sports Illustrated’s accompanying caption. Their next meeting will add another chapter to a matchup that is likely to remain under scrutiny as both young players continue to develop.
Holmgren may not want to define the rivalry, and he doesn’t have to. Tuesday’s game will show whether the summer’s work closed any of the gap from May.