Why Chet Holmgren's Likely Rookie of the Year Defeat Won't Spoil Thunder's Astounding Success

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama all-but finalized his spot as Rookie of the Year with a win over Chet Holmgren and the Thunder Thursday night, but for an Oklahoma City squad with much taller aspirations, that isn't a bad thing.

As much excitement as there's been in the Oklahoma City air, Thursday night was one of the few bumps in the road in its 41-win season. 

In its latest matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder fell apart in the closing minutes, resulting in a dramatic 132-118 loss. 

Not only did the loss result in the breaking of its six-game winning streak, but it also likely settled the Rookie of the Year debate in favor of Victor Wembanyama, once and for all.

The debate between Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama has been one of the NBA's biggest storylines of the entire season. At their young ages, the two 7-footers have already marked their names as two of the brightest upcoming stars and potential best big men in the league for years to come. 

The Rookie of the Year race has hardly garnered any competition outside of these two, and because of the nature of their talent, comparisons have been drawn all year long between each other.

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Because of this, every matchup has been highly-anticipated and filled with excitement. Both Holmgren and Wembanyama are hungry for success and want to be better, so they give each matchup their full energy from start to finish. 

Thursday night featured the best duel between them yet.

Holmgren brought his A-game to San Antonio, dropping 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a block on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting night. He matched Wembanyama's intensity, especially in the first half, and even made history by becoming the fastest Thunder play ever to reach 1,000 career points. 

Any other night, Holmgren probably would've outmatched his opponent. However, Oklahoma City was in for a special night from the Spurs' franchise player. 

In one of the best performances of his short career, Wembanyama recorded a ridiculous stat line of 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and five blocks on 9-of-17 shooting. He was simply unbeatable, blocking countless shots in the paint and hitting some 3-pointers from Steph Curry range. 

Although Holmgren was no slouch, it was undoubtedly Wembanyama's night. And to pour salt on the wound, he blocked Holmgren's mid-range attempt to all-but seal the win — and likely the Rookie of the Year award. 

Wembanyama always had the better chance to win the award, as noted by the preseason odds. He has unmistakable generational talent that hasn't been this obvious since LeBron James entered the league two decades ago, and on a San Antonio team in the early stages of a rebuild, he has all of the opportunity to showcase it. 

Holmgren is playing behind an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and sometimes another young star in Jalen Williams, so the opportunity to stuff the stat sheet is much lower. It's nearly impossible for him to keep up the same scoring pace Wembanyama has, especially at this stage of the season. Unless a miracle happens, the likelihood of his season averages matching up with Wembanyama is extremely low. 

But for Oklahoma City and Holmgren, that's alright. 

The Thunder is currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference — compared to the Spurs' No. 15 seed — and is gearing up for a playoff run filled with championship aspirations, even at the roster's young age. Holmgren is a huge contributor to that, asserting himself as a franchise cornerstone and anchor to its defense. 

The 21-year-old has fit perfectly with how Oklahoma City and its top talents play, spacing the floor with his 40 percent 3-point shooting clip and bringing versatility that is so important to the center position in the modern NBA. The Thunder is certainly happy to have him on its roster, whether or not he wins an award this season.

Looking back throughout the last several Rookie of the Year winners, Holmgren likely would've won in most years. It just so happens that he has to compete against a generational talent for it, which most players couldn't stand a chance against. 

The loss — and the circumstances behind it — will sting for a little bit. But Oklahoma City has its eye on a much bigger prize than the Rookie of the Year award, and one San Antonio still has a few years to wait for. 

The two 7-footers will face off many times in those few years. The rivalry will only continue to grow, especially once the Thunder and Spurs are on the same playing field and competing in a playoff atmosphere. For now, fans can only relish in must-see TV each time they take center stage. 

Holmgren may have lost Thursday night's battle, but the war wages on. 

Bon joué, Wembanyama.

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