Olympics will be the Next Chapter in Chet Holmgren's Rivalry with Victor Wembanyama

Oklahoma City Thunder standout Chet Holmgren has had a few bouts against Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, with more likely coming on the international stage.

May 7, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

This weekend, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games wrapped up with the United States mens and womens basketball teams winning gold medals.

Both groups of American basketball players knocked of the host nation, France, to leave the 33rd Olympiad with a victory.

While Team USA's men came home with a gold medal, meeting France in the Gold Medal Game for the second consecutive Olympic Games shows that the French national team should be a staunch competitor for many years to come.

Spurs' superstar Victor Wembanyama notched 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal for France in the title match and was visibly upset after the loss.

With the talented Frenchmen set to be an even greater threat to Team USA's gold medal chances during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and a few of the players on America's current roster in the twilight of their careers, there is a chance the United States taps Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren to join the team.

Three players who are expected to make their Team USA debuts at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles:

Paolo Banchero
Chet Holmgren
Cooper Flagg

Keep an eye on the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar as a place where Banchero, Holmgren and Flagg will be their top overall talent as well. pic.twitter.com/HxRXYvm0Rz

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 12, 2024

Holmgren, who had a solid rookie season for Mark Daigneault in OKC, has experience playing with Team USA. In 2021, the former 5-star recruit took down Wembanyama and France in the FIBA Under-19 World Cup, sparking a rivalry between the two new-era big men.

Holmgren also won the tournament's MVP award after averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 62% from the field and over 53% from 3-point range. The Thunder star was joined in the World Cup's "All-Star Five" by Wembanyama, Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey and Nikola Jovic.

After the 2021 world cup, Holmgren went on to be selected with the second pick in the 2022 NBA Draft while Wembanyama went No. 1 overall in 2023. Despite being picked in consecutive years, Holmgren missed the 2022-23 season and competed as a rookie last year, like Wembanyama.

The two battled for top rookie honors with the Spurs' star eventually pulling away from Holmgren midway through the season and being crowned Rookie of the Year.

Even when the two played each other throughout their first season in the NBA, the competitiveness between them was evident. While the Thunder won three of its four matchups against San Antonio in 2023-24, the rivals battled on national TV in late February with Wembanyama coming out on top.

The Spurs lone victory over Oklahoma City last season came on Feb. 29, when the 7-foot-4 center went 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, tallying 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and two steals.

Holmgren played well in the matchup too, recording 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one block while going 8-of-12 from the field, but was overshadowed by a dominant performance from Wembanyama.

Now, the stage seems set for the Holmgren and Wembanyama to once again face off on the international stage.

With France and the United State playing for gold in the past two Olympic Games and each nation continuing to produce young talent, it seems likely that Holmgren and Wembanyama's rivalry will add another chapter in Los Angeles four years from now.

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