Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama Stoke Already-Hot Rookie of the Year Race
NBA rookies Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama both stoked the Rookie of the Year fires on Saturday night, each putting on performances well beyond their years.
The two’s matchup has been proverbial ever since Holmgren missed his initial season due to a Lisfranc injury last offseason. Both highly-lauded 7-footers with fairly similar games — mobility, versatility and plenty of shot-blocking intermingled — there was no way they weren’t going to be compared.
And night’s like Saturday’s only further cement their link.
Holmgren’s night was one for the rookie history books. He poured on a career-high 36 points on 14-for-22 shooting, adding 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals and blocks apiece.
But the highlight of the night, and potentially Holmgren’s entire season, was a turnaround 3-pointer as time expired to tie the game up and send the teams into overtime.
Similarly, Wembanyama had a night of his own, scoring his typical 19 points on less-than-great efficiency, but adding a whopping eight blocks, matching Brook Lopez for a game-high this season.
Even more, the 7-foot-4 French phenom managed to bring down 13 rebounds and dish four assists in the process.
On the season, the two are neck and neck in a number of statistical categories, which Wembanyama edging Holmgren out in several counting stats. While the OKC center bests San Antonio's by a decent mark in efficiency.
On the year, Holmgren is averaging 17.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steal and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 55% overall, 44% from beyond the arc and 90% from the line. Wembanyama has totaled 19.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.6 blocks while shooting 43% overall and 28% from three-point land.
Regardless of who eventually comes out on top, the two are having some of the best debut seasons in recent memory, and the league will be in obviously good hands moving forward.
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