Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren were not drafted in the same year, but they have been compared almost since the moment Wembanyama entered the league. It is not hard to see why. Both represent the modern center, long, skilled, and comfortable doing things big men were not supposed to do a decade ago.
Wembanyama is usually framed as the clear favorite in those debates. He is a Rookie of the Year, a franchise cornerstone, and already talked about the next big thing in the NBA. But at the same time, Holmgren just played a major role on a dominant Oklahoma City Thunder team that turned its season into a championship last season which has quietly complicated the conversation.
The comparison cycle picked up again when the two faced each other recently, with Wembanyama and the Spurs snapping the Thunder’s winning streak during the NBA Cup tournament. Predictably, that triggered another round of comparisons, with most leaning back toward Wembanyama.
Not so fast, according to Lou Williams. The former NBA guard sees at least one clear edge for Holmgren in this budding rivalry.
“Chet has a ring already. If we’re talking about the NBA Cup, I don’t know if that qualifies as the moment.”
“Chet has a ring already. If we’re talking about the NBA Cup, I don’t know if that qualifies as the moment.” 👀
– Lou Will on Wemby vs Chet
(🎥 @RunItBackFDTV )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 15, 2025
