Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren insist there's no beef between them. NBA fans, however, think otherwise.
The two elite defensive big men are set to square off in the Western Conference Finals, with Game 1 of the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs set for Monday night. Though both players deny it, many think there's more to this rivalry than the play on the court.
As the theory goes, the perceived beef between the two dates back to 2021, when Holmgren and the United States defeated Wembanyama and France 83-81 in the U19 World Cup final. Holmgren earned tournament MVP honors, leading to what fans believe is a one-sided beef with most of the ire coming from Wembanyama.
Some of Wembanyama's comments certainly haven't helped his case. In December, Wembanyama dismissed the talks about a rivalry while potentially taking a shot at Holmgren.
"No, I don't think about that," Wembanyama said at the time, per Yahoo Sports. "At least from a basketball standpoint, there's no comparison between us."
The Spurs defeated the Thunder in the NBA Cup Finals earlier this year, and Wembanyama made some comments that some saw as backhanded criticisms of Holmgren and the Thunder. Namely, he praised San Antonio for playing "pure, ethical basketball" while noting that some players are built for high-leverage moments while others aren't.
He also noted that Holmgren gets opportunities because of the attention back-to-back NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander commands on the court.
“The reigning MVP is on that court, so he’s our main focus," Wembanyama said. "Anybody is hard to guard when you have to help on the MVP.”
Holmgren has been a bit more diplomatic in his public comments about Wembanyama, praising the 7-foot-4 superstar's ability and the unique matchup he presents.
"The game definitely changes anytime a very unique player comes into the game. He does things that other lineups don't replicate," Holmgren said. "Definitely changed the game. Changed how they play. Changed how we have to play them."
While the two stars have never openly criticized each other, it seems there may be some history between them. That history will be settled as the top two seeds in the West face off for a spot in the NBA Finals.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Victor Wembanyama – Chet Holmgren perceived beef, explained
