Victor Wembanyama is apparently keeping tabs on one of his longtime rivals.
The San Antonio Spurs phenom has been the talk of the NBA so far. After undergoing a highly publicized training regimen in the offseason, Wemby has put it all together on the court through the first week of the season.
Wembanyama has recorded 100 points, 40 rebounds, and 18 blocks through three games — all Spurs wins. But the unreal numbers don’t even do justice to how preposterous Wemby’s highlights have looked.
On Monday, NBA reporter Mark J. Spears shared a nugget on “NBA Today” about what could potentially be fueling Wembanyama behind the scenes.
“It might be Chet,” said Spears. “Chet Holmgren. “They’ve been going back to under-20, under-18, even. Chet’s got a championship. Wemby doesn’t have a championship. I was told by somebody inside that room, that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on championships.”
Holmgren and Wembanyama have been going at one another since they were teenagers, with the American and Frenchman clashing on the international youth stage. Chet and Wemby have carried over that friendly rivalry to the NBA floor.
The two share numerous similarities and play the same position, which makes comparison between them inevitable. They’re both above seven feet tall and possess the ball skills of players a foot shorter. They’re both perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidates who inhale blocks at the rim.
While Wembanyama has a slight edge over Holmgren in almost every category, the Spurs star does not have a championship ring like his rival. But if Wemby stays healthy throughout his career, it only seems like a matter of time before he gets one of his own.
