"Welcome to the militia my boy" - Patrick Beverley describes sneaky conversation with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Chet Holmgren

Patrick Beverley and the Philadelphia 76ers secured a 127-123 win over the weekend against the OKC Thunder, who were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren. In a recent episode of the "Pat Bev Podcast," Beverley shared his experiences and interactions with the two young stars.

Patrick Beverley said he had to ask Gilgeous-Alexander about Holmgren.

“I like his (Holmgren’s) game too. But I had to ask Shai about him, ‘What's up?' He the real deal?’” Beverley said.

“Shai was like, 'No, Pat, he is an N-I-*-*-A.' I say, 'Oh, all right, cool, that's all I need to know. Chet, welcome to the militia, my boy.”

In that game, Holmgren led the Thunder with a two-way performance, contributing 33 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Before the matchup, there were doubts among fans about how he would handle a formidable presence like Joel Embiid, but he performed impressively. Embiid, on the other hand, scored 35 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and recorded four blocks.

Patrick Beverley noted that Holmgren's performance might not receive the attention it deserves.

“He played well, he played well, and it didn't feel as dominant, but it was dominant, ‘cause you're so worried about Shai that you forget, you look at [the scoreboard], 'Damn, Chet got 25, what the f**k?'”

Beverley mentioned that he typically doesn't express admiration for young players, but after the game, the two young stars from the Thunder approached him.

“You know, I don't talk to a lot of, especially young guys, I don't even shake their hands, probably, but he made his way to me like, 'Yo, Pat, what's up?' I'm like, 'Damn, that's what's up, that's what's up, Chet.'”

Holmgren is averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks this season. He is No. 1 in the NBA's latest rookie ladder.

Patrick Beverley says NBA players are impressed with Chet Holmgren's attitude

Patrick Beverley acknowledged Chet Holmgren's star qualities as early as June this year, saying Holmgren is highly respected within league circles for his mindset.

“I’ve been speaking to some guys around the league and I’ve been asking about him and their response has been this, ‘Hey Pat, he’s going to be nice,'” Beverley said on his podcast.

“Not because of his size. Not because of his talent. Because of his attitude… He don’t duck s**t. He ain’t scared of s**t. He tough. That’s what’s going to keep you in the NBA… He going to be challenged every game but they say he likes to go right back at (opponents) and I respect that.”

Given Beverley's own gritty persona, his expression of high praise for Holmgren is particularly noteworthy.