The Spurs and Thunder will match up in Oklahoma City on Monday night. It will mark the first meeting between this year’s top pick, Victor Wembanyama, and 2022’s No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News notes. It could be the beginning of a rivalry between two highly-touted bigs.
Both players are looking forward to getting it started.
“There’s an eagerness and an excitement for sure,” Holmgren said.
“Chet Holmgren, he’s a really good player,” Wembanyama said. “He is part of the great players of this generation, I would say.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- E.J. Liddell had his rookie season delayed by a devastating right knee injury in July 2022. The Pelicans forward, who was on a two-way deal last season, received a three-year contract after a strong Summer League showing this July. He’s eager to show what he can do in regular season action. “I’m like a freshman again,” Liddell told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “It’s my rookie year. Having fun right now. Wherever that leads me, it leads me.”
- Former Hornets coach James Borrego is in charge of the Pelicans‘ offense this season. Head coach Willie Green, one of Borrego’s former players in Orlando, anticipates Borrego’s schemes will upgrade the attack, Clark writes in a separate story. “I don’t think it’s going to be a big overhaul,” Green said. “It’s just a matter of tweaks and adjustments that we feel can make us a better team. We want to play fast offensively. It’s no secret. I said it last year. We want to put teams on their heels. We want to get out and run.”
- Kyrie Irving is dealing with left groin soreness and he’ll sit out the Mavericks’ exhibition game against Real Madrid in Spain on Tuesday, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets.
Kyrie already sitting out games
Wembanya is a legit possible star. Holmgren wears sports bras. If he’s a star, just end the league, a. Silver completely destroyed it at that point.
Chet put up stats just like wemby did in preseason. If he can put on weight, he’s a star and could be even if he stays skinny and plays the 4 outside the paint.
I think Chet needs to play the 4.
He’s, 7’1 and only 208 pounds. To put that into perspective, Rudy Gobert is 7’1 and is 258.
It’s not that he lacks height it’s just he lacks mass and even in todays pace and space style he will get bodied by guys. Let him play the 4, with a centre that’ll anchor the paint and he would offer the best help at the rim in the league. He’s mobile enough to offer help defence in the paint and also still get out to his mate and contest shots. He would struggle which switched onto some guards but he’s mobile and with that length I’m sure he’d manage.
For example, Portland just got Ayton then made that other deal and got Rob Williams.
If they went hard for Rob Williams he’d be a great fit with what they have going on.
Poku, Deing, a 1st and 3 2nds for Rob Will.
Giddey SGA Williams Chet Rob
Jones Joe Dort Williams JRE
Blazers would be stoked they already have their centre position sorted and so instead they get back 2 forward prospects, a first and some seconds to continue with their build
Should of kept Lively then