The two best rookies of the year faced each other this past morning in the NBA: Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. The Frenchman, the clear favorite to win the award, surpassed the American, and allowed the San Antonio Spurs, bottom of the Western Conference, to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 132-118.
The Wemby game was once again exceptional, as he achieved 28 points (4 of 10 on two-point shots and an impressive 5 of 7 on three-pointers), 13 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks in the 32 minutes he was on the court. These numbers once again place him in the league’s history books, since he is the first player to achieve 10 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and five three-pointers in an NBA game.
Wembanyama, in addition, has had a month of February that establishes him among the most dominant players in the league, since he has played three games in the same month with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. No one had done anything like it since Hakeem Olajuwon signed similar numbers in 1993.
The Frenchman’s month of February places him, indisputably, in first position to win the rookie of the year. However, his great rival, Chet Holmgren, had a good match despite his team’s defeat. The Thunder player, who is in his second season in the NBA but can qualify for rookie of the year because he did not play a game last season due to injury, reached 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
The advantage that the American has over the Frenchman to win rookie of the year is the situation in which both teams find themselves. The Thunder are second, while the Spurs are last, with a very poor balance (12-48). It’s the only thing Holmgren can cling to, because Wemby’s statistics are from another era.
