Gregg Popovich with the two prodigy rivals, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama

While the debate regarding the rookie of the year has taken a turn with the clear domination of Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren is not necessarily very far away either. But for this elder, that shouldn’t be the case.

In recent months, Victor Wembanyama has raised his level of play with the Spurs. The Frenchman dominates the competition and is set to win a new rookie of the month title for his prowess in February. And barring a cataclysm, it’s hard to see how he won’t win the final reward at the end of the season, especially with a sometimes more discreet Chet Holmgren.

The controversy against Chet Holmgren continues

What is even more controversial for the Thunder player is his rookie status. Drafted in 2022 but injured for a year, Chet still benefited from the infrastructure of his new team, while getting to know his teammates (as well as many other advantages). For former Rocket Ralph Sampson, he is therefore not a real rookie.

Ralph Sampson explains that Chet Holmgren is not a true rookie. “I would fight against this if I were Wembanyama and Popovich.”

The player’s status has often been questioned, although the NBA considers him a rookie, since he did not play a single second last year with OKC. As for Internet users, we tend to agree with Sampson.

Maybe if Wemby were losing to him

They won’t give it to Chet so it doesn’t matter

Rookie or not rookie, it is clear that Chet Holmgren had a clear advantage at the start compared to Victor Wembanyama. The Frenchman finally gained the upper hand on the floor, to the point where we don’t see how he could lose this title today.