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OKC Thunder fans were thrilled to see Chet Holmgren on the basketball court for the first time in almost a year. The No. 2 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft last season to recover from a broken foot, which he suffered in a Drew League game.
Holmgren reminded basketball fans of his superb potential after the Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 95-85 in the NBA California Classic.
The lanky center’s performance had Oklahoma supporters buzzing:
“ROY HE CLEARS WEMBY FIRST GAME IN A YEAR”
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Basketball fans can’t wait to see Holmgren take on this year’s No.1 pick Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. Both are of the same build, but the French phenom is notably a few inches taller.
“Wemby” is not available until the summer league games in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the Spurs will not meet the OKC Thunder in their six scheduled games.
Some scouts are convinced that Holmgren and Wembanyama could be the next biggest rivalry in the NBA if both can stay healthy. They could be linked together throughout their respective careers, particularly with how they’re supposed to develop.
The physicality and bruising play in the NBA might force the two to put on more weight, something “Wemby” has already questioned. It remains to be seen how their lanky frames will hold up in their first year in the league.
In the Thunder’s win over the Jazz, Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and two assists. Holmgren’s mobility and defensive presence are already impressive. Thunder fans can’t wait to see him debut in the regular season.
The OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will be very patient with Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama
The OKC Thunder patiently waited for Chet Holmgren to recover from a foot injury. They would likely ease him back in the regular season. The young center will push to get more playing time after watching his teammates battle on the court last year.
OKC has the roster to limit Holmgren’s minutes as he develops and as he tries to get 100% healthy. He is going to be one of the team’s franchise cornerstones and wouldn’t want to push him too hard and too early.
The San Antonio Spurs are taking that route as well. Coach Gregg Popovich has insisted that they want Victor to be himself and wouldn’t put pressure on him to do too much. San Antonio is building the roster around him.
Perhaps no team is as better as the Spurs in protecting their players. They arguably started the “load management” trend and will closely monitor Victor Wembanyama’s development.
