NBA Rookies: Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama Star in Close Wins

Rookie seven-footers Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama each led their team to victory on Friday with late surges.

After shaking off any debut jitters, NBA rookies looked to get going in Friday night’s NBA slate, which featured most of the top picks from the 2023 NBA Draft.

Here were some of the top rookies performances on the night:

Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder

16 points, 13 rebounds, 7 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal, 5-for-9 FG, 3-for-4 3P

After failing to truly announce himself in his NBA debut, Holmgren did so with aplomb in game two, pouring on 16 points, 13 rebounds and a whopping seven blocks: a Thunder rookie record.

Most importantly, Holmgren did so against his 7-foot counterpart Evan Mobley, who’s become a feared defender across the league.

The highlight of his night, which featured plenty of them, was nailing the game-tying three with just one minute remaining in the game.

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 blocks, 6-for-13 FG, 2-for-4 3P

After a solid outing in his first NBA action, Miller was productive again in his second contest, pouring on 17 points on the bench on 6-for-13 shooting.

He nailed two of four 3-pointers, and while he couldn’t power the Hornets to a win over Detroit, he’s still been a bright spot for the team through just a few games.

It looks like Miller will have a decent scoring role with Charlotte this season, with more opportunity to add in the future.

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

21 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 1 assist, 7-for-19 FG, 0-for-6 3P

Wembanyama was inefficient again in his second contest — largely due to his poor 3-point shooting: zero buckets in six tries — but was able to showcase why he’s a potentially generational talent in, well, every other way.

He scored 21 points overall, tacked on 12 rebounds, and added three blocks and two steals defensively.

In both the fourth quarter and overtime, Wembanyama starred, taking hold of the momentum of the game and helping San Antonio to the victory.

Other performances:

Dereck Lively, Dallas Mavericks: 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 4-for-4 FG, 17 minutes

Keyonte George, Utah Jazz: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-for-5 FG, 2-for-3 3P, 12 minutes

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