Better Prospect: Chet Holmgren vs Victor Wembanyama

[rafale]

Man. Carter Bryant had as many FG in 3 minutes as Chet Holmgren did the entire game.

Not even hyperbole to say Chet just turned in one of the worst game 7 performances of all time.

I hated John Starks, and relished in his 2-18 Finals performance, but at least the dude wasn’t invisible.

There is also Chris Bosh game 7 in 2013 against SA, he had 0 points on 0/5 shooting, 7 rebounds 2 assists and 2 turnovers and he was not the defender Chet is, Chet was still great defensively yesterday (but yes invisible on offense).

In my opinion, Bosh was worse but everyone forgot his performance because Miami won.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Wemby vs Chet is this generation's lopsided "ATG vs poor man's version" rivalry

MJ vs Drexler
Kobe vs T-Mac
Lebron vs Carmelo
Curry vs Lillard
Wemby vs Chet

Early 00s you could easily argue TMac over Kobe

[The-Power]

Obviously this isn't a debate but people overreacting in the other direction – calling for a trade, or declaring his contract the worst in the league – aren't any better than people still picking Chet (if any such people are left which I doubt by now). Chet is a great young player who played very well in the playoffs up until this series. He's not a superstar or offensive focal point but a clear All-Star nonetheless. Certain bad match-ups don't change what we could all see for a couple years now. But reactionary takes are just part of RealGM, or the internet in general, I suppose. So you do you.

[badpotato]

Serious question for Thunder fans: what in the world happened to this guy? Is it mental, or did his game change after the injury?
I do remember Chet actually battling hard against Victor in their rookie year - he was shooting, putting the ball on the floor, and driving. That player feels gone. His performance throughout the entire series, especially in Game 7, was embarrassing.

Big part of that is how OKC’s tactics shifted as the series progressed. Early in the series it felt like Holmgren was getting a bit more structured involvement - especially in horns actions, PnP, and drag screens (addmittedly without stunning success). Over time, those touches disappeared.
I was surprised OKC didn’t try to bring some of that back in the elimination game, just to test whether there was still something to work with there, instead of leaning heavily into SGA + 4 out with occasional Caruso hero ball mixed in.
Still, when Chet did get the ball, it often felt like he was choosing conservative outcomes — kicking out of short rolls early, passing up catch&shoot opportunities (well, his release is so slow i feel noticeably older by the time he finishes) or not attacking mismatches when switches happened.

I'd love to hear some takes on it from people that watch him daily, as I do not watch Thunder outside of SAS matchups, but seeing this preformance from max extension guy was stunning.

[JayMKE]

Chet looking like a bad contract, boy and I mean boy got exposed. 4 points 4 rebounds 1-2 shooting game 7 at home

Reality is that the guy is not that skilled or athletic, he had one of the worst bodies I ever seen on a pro athlete. No fluidity to his movement on offense. Dude is a 200lb center, he’ll get punked in most tough match ups.

[Wolfgang630]

Lmaooo

[Wilfried]

So … Chet for Giannis than?

[JayMKE]

So … Chet for Giannis than?

OKC is gonna have to pay a lot more

[CobraCommander]

OK peeps, 'fess up. Who voted Chet?

Not me Mr Puddles… I didn’t vote till today tho!

[CobraCommander]

Chet worse than Harden in big games and Jdub looking like the new Bradley Beal… oft hurt and unavailable

[sikma42]

Wemby vs Chet is this generation's lopsided "ATG vs poor man's version" rivalry

MJ vs Drexler
Kobe vs T-Mac
Lebron vs Carmelo
Curry vs Lillard
Wemby vs Chet

This is so disrespectful to each of those guys.

This is more Shaq vs Rik Smits, if Rik Smits decided not to compete (but Rik did show up)

[Tha Cynic]

This was always a dumb comparison. One guy is simply way taller than anyone else on the court and can shoot. It’s like watching a college guy play in highschool.

[Indomitable]

Where are 33 who voted Chet?

[Indomitable]

Chet worse than Harden in big games and Jdub looking like the new Bradley Beal… oft hurt and unavailable

I love JDubb but Chet is nothing special

[Bornstellar]

Wemby vs Chet is this generation's lopsided "ATG vs poor man's version" rivalry

MJ vs Drexler
Kobe vs T-Mac
Lebron vs Carmelo
Curry vs Lillard
Wemby vs Chet

It's more like Tmac versus Corey Maggette or Curry vs Kemba. Chet doesn't deserve comparison to those other guys you mentioned

[Jeremy Lin 7]

Neither. Give me a wing who won’t get put on an island in the playoffs instead of a position locked dinosaur.

Exactly, I wouldn't want Wemby on an island in the playoffs

[The Golden Fang]

LOL

[Raps in 4]

So … Chet for Giannis than?

OKC is gonna have to pay a lot more

Yep. At this point, they'd have to include Ajay as well. And that's in addition to a mountain of picks.

Should have traded him last year.

[Raps in 4]

Serious question for Thunder fans: what in the world happened to this guy? Is it mental, or did his game change after the injury?
I do remember Chet actually battling hard against Victor in their rookie year - he was shooting, putting the ball on the floor, and driving. That player feels gone. His performance throughout the entire series, especially in Game 7, was embarrassing.

Big part of that is how OKC’s tactics shifted as the series progressed. Early in the series it felt like Holmgren was getting a bit more structured involvement - especially in horns actions, PnP, and drag screens (addmittedly without stunning success). Over time, those touches disappeared.
I was surprised OKC didn’t try to bring some of that back in the elimination game, just to test whether there was still something to work with there, instead of leaning heavily into SGA + 4 out with occasional Caruso hero ball mixed in.
Still, when Chet did get the ball, it often felt like he was choosing conservative outcomes — kicking out of short rolls early, passing up catch&shoot opportunities (well, his release is so slow i feel noticeably older by the time he finishes) or not attacking mismatches when switches happened.

I'd love to hear some takes on it from people that watch him daily, as I do not watch Thunder outside of SAS matchups, but seeing this preformance from max extension guy was stunning.

He was never that good. He's one of the most overrated prospects I've seen in a long time. I suspect it's because he was the first "White American" top prospect in decades.

The only reason he competed against rookie Wemby was because Wemby was raw. Since then, Wemby has developed his basketball skills. Chet has not.

[Mirotic12]

Victor was easily best player in recent U19 and he is 2 years younger than most players who played there. He is already better than Holmgren and he is 17. I dont think Victor will be all timer, cause his offense is limited, but he looks like all time great defender.

P.S. I will plug my utube mix of him that I made few weeks ago, hope you enjoy it (I purposely started the video with him guarding guards at perimeter after switch, to showcase that he can hold his own left ''on the island'') :

I think I watched your Garuba video a bit back. Good job.

The NBA's pre draft fascination with Usman Garuba was so totally bizarre.

Anyone with just the basics of fundamental basketball experience and knowledge, that watched him.play in the EuroLeague with Real Madrid, should have very easily been able to see that his upside was probably like a 3rd or 4th string center in the EuroLeague.

That was one of the all time classic examples of proof that the NBA talent evaluators do not actually know anything about players or teams in Europe.