Richard Jefferson Claims OKC Thunder's Chet Holmgren Deserved Rookie of the Year

Should the Thunder star big man have won Rookie of the Year?

Jan 24, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks to pass in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

The Rookie of the Year award was essentially Victor Wembanyama's during the 2023-24 NBA campaign, as it was written for him as a generational talent on the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall pick.

For former No. 2 overall pick and Oklahoma City Thunder star center Chet Holmgren, he didn't really stand a chance for the award. After missing his entire first year, Jalen Williams emerged as a potential star and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved to be elite and an MVP candidate.

Fast forward to last season, Holmgren's first season playing, and he was playing third-fiddle to those two essentially. His statistics were lower because of that, and his redshirt season made his rookie season be compared to Wembanyama -- another 7-foot-plus unicorn.

Still, Richard Jefferson -- a former NBA player and now analyst -- supported Holmgren, claiming he deserved Rookie of the Year while the Thunder center appeared on his Road Trippin' Show.

“I know the pressure that it comes with when you’re on a team that is battling and competing for something every single night. To do that as a rookie in 82. My beliefs were if you would have been on the San Antonio Spurs, the numbers that you would have put up would have been equally as ridiculous," Jefferson claimed.

How does @ChetHolmgren feel about Wemby winning Rookie of the Year?

Full episode with @Rjeff24, @channingfrye, and @RealAClifton drops tomorrow on all platforms: https://t.co/fn8RIN1D8Y pic.twitter.com/CBnanhI3dm

— Road Trippin’ Show🎧 (@RoadTrippinPod) July 16, 2024

Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while playing 82 games during his rookie season. They were impressive, considering they contributed to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference en route to 57 wins.

Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks per game as he earned 99 first-place votes for the award.

The two will forever be compared because they're taller than 7 feet tall and play a unique, "unicorn" brand of basketball.

Even without taking home hardware, Holmgren projects to be a star in Oklahoma City while playing a crucial role on a continuing team.

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READ MORE: 247Sports' Head Scout Praises how OKC Thunder Star Chet Holmgren has Handled Success

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