Chet Holmgren Opens Up About Matchup Against Victor Wembanyama

The Oklahoma City Thunder took down the San Antonio Spurs 140-114 in a dominating win on Wednesday in the middle of NBA Rivalry Week. The NBA is putting Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama out there as a rivalry despite the two playing their first season in the NBA this season.

While the Thunder is in a much better position than the Spurs and the game wasn't close, the matchup between the two seven-footers was entertaining to watch, and for obvious reasons.

Coming into the NBA just a season apart, though Holmgren missed his entire first season, the two are naturally going to receive comparisons to each other as they grow into their own NBA players.

On Wednesday, Holmgren finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 30 minutes while finishing as a plus-11 in the box score.

Wembanyama scored 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, adding 12 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. His stats looked better, though Holmgren was more efficient, and that's how the two will be compared given their situations.

After the game, Holmgren talked about the matchup and rivalry, and how it impacted the game.

"It's obviously like human nature. But to really be uncommon and not just do whatever else does, you have to kind of fight that. Obviously, that's the headline that you guys have. That's what ESPN is promoting, that's what NBA is promoting, and rightfully so," Holmgren told The Oklahoman's Joel Lorenzi on Wednesday.

Wembanyama's role is to be the primary focus on the offense, whereas Holmgren is the third option on a Thunder team that's leading the Western Conference. Both teams are in opposite positions as each other, and that's going to impact the narrative around both players.

"Vic's a great player. I think I have a long way to go in this league. But I plan to be a great player and play a long time. But that doesn't take away from what the focus is, and the focus is Thunder vs Spurs," Holmgren continued. "We gotta win a basketball game. So you got to make sure you go out, compete at a high level, but do the right thing. Falling bait to the matchup can lead you to (not) make winning plays and hurt the team and I never want to be that guy."

To have been around the NBA for a season before appearing in 43 games, Holmgren speaks like a veteran and seems to understand the big picture. For him, that'll help him block out any potential rivalry and continue stacking good days as a player.

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