REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren already have a lot of connections as they begin their NBA careers, and the next chapter bwetween them will take place on Tuesday November 14 in Oklahoma City.

The next chapter of likely many to come - and some of those perhaps on even bigger stages.

Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs and Holmgren's Oklahoma City Thunder face off in the In-Season Tournament in what will be the pair's first official NBA showdown.

Victor and Chet - yes, these two have already reached first-name status - are similar players in quite a few ways. And Holmgren in one major aspect serves as a lesson for Wembanyama loyalists.

Both players are extremely tall - Holmgren at 2.16M (7'1") and Wembanyama 2.24M (7'4") - but are not considered traditional big guys. Both can handle the ball, allowing them to use mismatches on the wing against bigger players and drive by them. They both can pass with good basketball IQ and understanding of the game. And they both can shoot the ball beyond the three-point line.

Both players are good rebounders, and not just because of their length, while also attacking the offensive glass. It's clear that both bigs are serious intimidators as rim protectors.

Wembayama and Holmgren actually squared off in the first game of the pre-season back on October 9 and the matchup was a fun one with both players really showing why they are star talents.

Holmgren scored 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting with 2 three-pointers, 9 rebounds and 1 block in 16 minutes of a Thunder 122-121 victory. Wembanyama totaled 20 points on 8-of-13 shots and 2 triples to go with 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block in 19 minutes.

The French youngster got the better of the head-to-head actions. He tipped a miss in over Holmgren; blew by the Thunder big man after a crossover dribble on the outside, flexed after a driving layup, and also had a beautiful scoop layup around Holmgren. There was also an enticing moment when Wembanyama and Holmgren drained three-pointers on back-to-back possessions.

While Wembanyama did not shy away from attacking Holmgren, there was not much of the Oklahoma City big man going at the Spurs center.

The first matchup at the international leevl between these two came in Riga, Latvia on 11 July, 2021 at the Final of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021. France had already secured their best-ever result in the biennial competition after third-place finishes in 2007 and 2019. And USA were looking to secure a fourth title in the last five editions and eighth in total.

Holmgren arrived in Latvia as the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft ahead of his one season at Gonzaga. He didn't disappoint, finishing the tournament averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks while hitting 62.0 percent from the field including 53.8 percent on three-pointers. All of that production came in just 21 minutes a game, earning him TISSOT MVP honors.

In the Final, Holmgren was actually a bit overmatched by Wembayana, who was a full 20 months younger as a 2004-born player at a 2002-generation tournament. Holmgren did hit a three-pointer over Wembayama - probably one of the few people in the world who can convincingly do that - and beat him down the court on a break. But Wembanyama had two put-back dunks over Holmgren.

For the tournament, Wembanyama averaged 14.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 5.7 blocks to earn a spot on the All-Star Five. In the Final, he collected 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 blocks before fouling out with 2:42 minutes left in an 83-81 USA victory.

Holmgren had 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists in the title game but he had a major impact on the game. He picked up 5 of his points in the critical 11-0 fourth quarter run to decide the game. He also drew the third and fourth fouls on Wembanyama within 29 seconds of each other and USA down 68-65 with under 8 minutes to play essentially taking Wembanyama out of the game and deciding it for the eventual champions.

Still less than four weeks into the 2023-24 campaign, both star talents have already shown why they were so highly rated back in 2021.

Holmgren is averaging 16.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 blocks. He is also shooting 50 percent on three-pointers (6th best in the NBA), making 1.8 triples per game while also swiping 0.9 steals for a young and exciting Thunder team.

Wembanyama has been downright breathtaking at times with 19.7 points per game to go with 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.4 blocks (2nd best in the NBA). The 19-year-old center is making 1.7 three-pointers a night but shooting just under 30 percent thus far for the Spurs.

Wembanyama’s biggest performance was a monster 38-point showing against the Phoenix Suns while he also has grabbed 12 rebounds in a game and blocked 4 or more shots 3 times in 10 games.

Holmgren tallied 24 points against Golden State, buried 4 three-pointers in a game, grabbed 13 rebounds in another and swatted 7 shots in that same contest against Cleveland.

One major difference between Wembanyama and Holmgren are their standings within their teams. Wembanyama is clearly the main man in San Antonio with the Spurs looking long-term and making him the focal point of a team without lofty expectations.

Holmgren meanwhile has been called upon to fit into a Thunder system that is dominated by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but also features Josh Giddey among other young improving talent. Oklahoma City fans believe this could be their season after the young squad reached the Play-In games and just missed the playoffs, losing to Minnesota in the No. 8 seed game.

Wembanyama and Holmgren are not just the future of their respective clubs, but they also could possibly face each other again down the road while wearing their national team jersey.

Wembanyama already has played for France's senior national team in two windows of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Qualifiers. He averaged 19.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in games against Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Czech Republic in November 2022 and February 2023.

He has sounded fully committed for the Paris Olympics next summer, when he will undoubtedly be an important player for France.

"Performing well at the Olympics would be a great story," Wembanyama told the French sports publication L'Equipe. "I'll be present at the Olympics, and there's no other goal than gold."

Will Holmgren also be there? Well, he certainly impressed USA Basketball personnel this summer as part of the USA Basketball Men’s Select team that helped prepare USA for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Teaming up with players like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green, Holmgren and the Select Team even defeated the main USA team in a scrimmage.

"It's always a blessing to represent USA Basketball and put it on your chest, so any opportunity to do that, I'm excited for," Holmgren told USA Basketball.

Holmgren's skillset - a rim protector and rebounder who can also shoot well from the outside - is definitely something that USA Basketball teams can always use in international competition.

For now, we can enjoy the next chapter of the Victor and Chet saga - starting up again in Oklahoma City on November 14.

FIBA
David Hein

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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