Wembanyama and Holmgren's matchup dates back to 2021, as top international and NBA prospects
Source: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Getty
Victor Wembanyama did not ease into Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. He walked into Oklahoma City, watched Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get celebrated for winning his second straight MVP, and then played like he had something to prove to the entire league. By the time the Spurs left Paycom Center with a 122-115 double-overtime win, Wemby had put together the kind of performance that makes everybody stop playing cute with the conversation. He finished with 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal in 49 minutes, delivering a playoff masterpiece that immediately had fans, analysts and half the internet ready to crown him as the best player in basketball.
And honestly, that reaction did not feel forced. The Spurs were already coming into the series looking like a team nobody wanted to see, but Wembanyama’s Game 1 made it feel like the whole Western Conference had officially been put on notice. He was blocking shots, controlling the glass, hitting impossible threes, and turning late-game possessions into moments that felt bigger than just one playoff win. For a franchise that has already had David Robinson and Tim Duncan carry the big man torch, Wemby’s arrival on this stage felt like San Antonio history repeating itself in a new, alien-looking form.
Wembanyama admitted afterward that the night felt personal, and it was easy to understand why. SGA’s MVP moment happened right in front of him, and Wemby finished third in the voting behind Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić. For a player wired the way Wembanyama is, that was never going to be just another pregame ceremony. It was motivation. It was a reminder. It was one of those “watch this” moments elite athletes tuck away and turn into fuel.
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But the part everybody really noticed was what happened in the Wemby-Chet Holmgren matchup. Holmgren has been one of the league’s best young bigs, a first time All-Star in 2026, and a major reason the Thunder have already gone from rebuild darlings to defending champs. Still, in Game 1, Wembanyama looked like he was operating on a different level. Holmgren was not awful, but he did not have the same presence, the same force, or the same command of the moment. Against Wemby, the difference felt undeniable.
That is why Game 1 did not feel like the start of something new as much as the latest chapter in something that has been bubbling for years. Wemby and Holmgren have been linked since before either of them became NBA stars. They were compared as unicorn big, debated during Rookie of the Year conversations, measured against each other in head-to-head matchups, and now they are meeting on the playoff stage with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. This is not fake beef. It is not social media forcing a rivalry where one does not exist. This is two young All-Star bigs, both seven-footers with guard skills, both tied to small-market contenders, both chasing the same future — and only one of them can own it first.
TIMELINE OF THE CHET HOLMGREN-VICTOR WEMBANYAMA RIVALRY
July 2021: The Rivalry Starts On The International Stage
Before the NBA debates, before Rookie of the Year, and before the Thunder-Spurs battles, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama first had a real basketball collision at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup Final. Holmgren and Team USA beat Wembanyama and France, giving Chet the early bragging right in what would later become one of the NBA’s most natural young rivalries. FIBA itself revisited that matchup ahead of this Thunder-Spurs playoff series, framing it as the root of a rivalry that has been years in the making. That game mattered because both players were already being talked about like future NA cheat codes. Wembanyama as the international phenom with impossible length and movement. Holmgren, the American unicorn with shot-blocking, shooting touch and guard-like feel. The basketball world did not know exactly how soon they would meet again on a bigger stage, but the foundation was already there.
June 23, 2022: Holmgren Enters The NBA First
Holmgren got to the league before Wembanyama. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, pairing him with a young core that already included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and was beginning to look dangerous. That was important because Holmgren immediately became one of the faces of OKC’s rebuild. He was not just another lottery pick. He was supposed to be the defensive anchor, floor-spacing big and long-term frontcourt answer for a Thunder team trying to build something sustainable. Even before he played an official NBA game, he was already being compared to the next wave of oversized skill players — and Wemby’s name was never far from those conversations.
2022-23 Season: Holmgren’s Injury Delays The Matchup
The rivalry had to wait. Holmgren missed the entire 2022-23 season because of a Lisfranc injury, which pushed his NBA debut back a year. That delay created a strange twist: even though Holmgren was drafted in 2022, he and Wembanyama ended up entering their official rookie seasons at the same time. That only made the comparisons louder. Instead of Holmgren getting a full year to establish himself before Wemby arrived, both players were suddenly on the same rookie timeline. One was the No. 2 pick who had been forced to wait. The other was the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. The league was always going to turn that into a race.
June 22, 2023: Wemby Becomes San Antonio’s Franchise-Changer
The San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, officially making him the next great hope in a franchise already known for legendary big men. From the moment he landed in San Antonio, the expectations were different. Wemby was not being discussed as a normal pick. He was being discussed as someone who could change the geometry of the sport. That naturally placed him next to Holmgren, because Holmgren was the closest thing the league had to another young seven-footer who could block shots, handle, shoot and move like a wing.
Oct. 9, 2023: Their NBA Preseason Debut Becomes Must-See TV
Their first NBA-adjacent meeting came in the 2023 preseason, and it immediately delivered. Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 122-121, but the bigger story was the show both bigs put on. Holmgren finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Wembanyama had 20 points, five rebounds, two steals and one block. It was only preseason, but nobody treated it like a random October game. Fans wanted to see how Holmgren’s physicality and polish would look against Wemby’s length and creativity. Both flashed enough to make the basketball world realize this was going to be a real thing.
Nov. 14, 2023: Chet Gets The First Regular-Season Win
Their first regular-season meeting came during the NBA In-Season Tournament, and Oklahoma City made a statement. The Thunder beat the Spurs in a blowout, and neither young big had a huge scoring night. Wembanyama finished with eight points, 14 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Holmgren had nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. The team result mattered more than the individual numbers. OKC looked further along, more complete and more ready to win. San Antonio had the bigger phenom, but the Thunder had the better team. That became one of the early themes of the rivalry.
Jan. 24, 2024: Holmgren & OKC Win Again, But Wemby Starts Pushing Back
The second regular-season meeting again went OKC’c way, but Wembanyama’s individual production started to jump. He finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and four blocks, while Holmgren had 17 points, nine rebounds, fur assists and three blocks. This was the type of matchup that made the rivalry feel bigger than wins and losses. Holmgren was contributing to a better team and playing winning basketball. Wemby was putting up numbers that made it clear his ceiling was something different. The Rookie of the Year debate was still technically alive, but games like this showed why people were already starting to separate Wembanyama’s individual upside from everyone else in his class.
Feb. 29, 2024: Wemby Gets His First Real NBA Win Over Holmgren
The rivalry flipped on Leap Dy. San Antonio beat Oklahoma City, and Wembanyama delivered one of the first signature performances of the matchup: 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and five made threes. Holmgren was excellent too, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but this was Wemby’s night. This was the first time the matchup really felt like it belonged to Wembanyama. He did not just block shots and rebound. He controlled the game as a scorer, passer and defensive centerpiece. It was a reminder that even if Holmgren was attached to the better team, Wemby’s takeover ability was already terrifying.
May 2024: Wemby Wins Rookie Of The Year, Chet Finishes Second
The Rookie of the Year race ended with Wembanyama winning unanimously. He received all 99 first-place votes, while Holmgren finished second. That result added another layer to the rivalry. Holmgren had a great rookie season and helped OKC win much sooner than expected, but Wemby’s individual dominance won the award race clearly. From that point forward, the conversation shifted. It was no longer “Who will win Rookie of the Year?” It became “Can Chet and the Thunder keep winning while Wemby eventually becomes the best player in the world?”
Oct. 30, 2024: Holmgren Gets A Defensive Statement Game
Their next regular-season meeting came early in the 2024-25 season, and Holmgren had one of his cleaner head-to-head showings. Holmgren finished with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, while Wembanyama was held to six points, eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks. This was the kind of game Holmgren supporters could point to and say the gap was not as wide as the hype made it seem. Holmgren’s efficiency, defensive timing and role within OKC’s system all stood out. Wemby was still the bigger name, but Holmgren had shown he could win the matchup on a given night.
2025-26 Season: Both Become All-Star Level Bigs
By 2025-26, the matchup had grown up. Wembanyama and Holmgren were no longer just exciting prospects. They were All-Star bigs on serious teams. The NBA’s 2026 All-Star roster listed Holmgren among the USA frontcourt players and Wembanyama among the World frontcourt players, with Wemby averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists at the time and Holmgren averaging 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists. This mattered because rivalries hit different when bth players are driving winning. Early on, Wemby-Holmgren was about projection. By 2026, it was about power. The Thunder were trying to protect their spot at the top of the West, and the Spurs were trying to snatch the future ahead of schedule.
Dec. 13, 2025: Wemby Returns & San Antonio Steals One In OKC
On Dec. 13, 2025, Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence and helped San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 111-109. He finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Holmgren had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists. This was a tone-setter for the 2025-26 season series. OKC was still the more proven team, but San Antonio was n longer showing up like the little brother. The Spurs had enough talent, enough confidence and enough Wemby to make every matchup uncomfortable.
Dec. 23, 2025: Spurs Blow Out The Thunder
Ten days later, San Antonio beat Oklahoma City again, this time 130-110. Wembanyama did not have a monster stat line — 12 points, five rebounds and three assists — but the Spurs handled business as a team. Holmgren finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and one block. This game mattered because it showed the Spurs were not only capable of beating OKC in a dramtic one-possession finish. They could beat them comfortable too. The rivalry was becoming less about one-on-one highlights and more about which young core was really built to run the West.
Dec. 25, 2025: Wemby & The Spurs Make It Three Straight Over OKC
On Christmas Day, San Antonio beat Oklahoma City again. Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, while Holmgren had 11 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. This was when the season-series conversation really started to turn. The Thunder were the defending champs, but the Spurs had beaten them three times in less than two weeks. For Wemby, every win against OKC felt like another step toward forcing the league to reat San Anotnio as a real problem right now, not just a future one.
Jan. 13, 2026: OKC Finally Answers Back
The Thunder finally got one back on Jan. 13, 2026, beating the Spurs 119-98. Wembanyama had 17 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block, while Holmgren finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. That win stopped the bleeding for OKC in the matchup, but San Antonio still took the regular-season series 3-1. When you add the Western Conference Finals opener, the Spurs have now won four of their five games against the Thunder this season.
May 18, 2026: Game 1 Turns The Rivalry Into A Playoff Headline
Game 1 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals is now the biggest chapter of the rivalry. Wembanyama put up 41 points and 24 rebounds in a double-overtime win, while the Spurs stole home-court advantage from the Thunder. The matchup with Holmgren was one of the biggest talking points afterward because it looked like Wemby had taken the rivalry personally. Holmgren has the ring, the team success and the respect that comes with being part of OKC’s ride. But in Game 1, Wembanyama looked like the one bending the series — and maybe the league — around him.
