Inside The Spurs

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama vs. Thunder's Chet Holmgren: Rookie of the Year Favorite?

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren are the two favorites to win Rookie of the Year honors.
Jeremy Brener|
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama vs. Thunder's Chet Holmgren: Rookie of the Year Favorite?
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama vs. Thunder's Chet Holmgren: Rookie of the Year Favorite?

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San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama was a clear favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for months, if not years. However, his pursuit towards the league's Rookie of the Year honors may not be as clear-cut.

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but after suffering a Lisfranc injury last summer, he didn't see the floor in his first official NBA season. This makes him eligible to win this year's Rookie of the Year honors.

ESPN believes it will be a tight race between the pair, but in a poll by experts, Wembanyama slightly edged out Holmgren. 

In the poll, experts would award five points for a first-place vote, three points for second and one point for third. Holmgren receives more points (80 to 77), but Wembanyama receives more first-place votes (42.3 percent to 34.6 percent).

Going into the season, it seems like it will be a two-horse race between Wembanyama and Holmgren. While others like Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller will flash potential, the spotlight should be on the two big men.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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