San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama is off to an unbelievable start to his 2025-26 campaign, with many, not just some, saying there is a chance that he will win both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards this year, at the tender age of 21.
Some say Wemby's performance is a result of an improved mental focus he got from training with Shaolin monks this past summer. Others say working out with Hakeem Olajuwon and reaching out to Kevin Garnett did wonders for his game.
However, while all of those have definitely contributed to his strong start, ESPN's Marc Spears says Wembanyama has one specific motivation that's fueling his dominance.
"Might be Chet," said Spears. "They've been going back to under 20s, under 18 even, right? And Chet got a championship. Wemby doesn't have a championship. So I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him in the championship."
OKC Thunder starting center Chet Holmgren faced Wembanyama in the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Championships title game. In that game, Wemby scored a game-high 22 points, but he fouled out in the fourth quarter. France blew a 58-50 lead and lost 81-83 to the United States. Chet scored just 10 points and added five assists, but was named the Tournament's MVP.
Holmgren returned to the United States and played one season at Gonzaga, then turned pro in 2022, where he was picked No.2 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, Wembanyama wasn't eligible to be drafted into the NBA until 2023. He became the No.1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.
However, because Holmgren missed his rookie season due to injury, he became Wembanyama's chief rival in the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year race. Victor won the award, but Chet established himself as the one who could rival him.
So far, they've played four head-to-head games in the NBA. Wemby has the edge in every statistical category except field goal percentage, 3-point shooting percentage, and effective field goal percentage. However, Holmgren is 3-1 in those games, and more importantly, already has one NBA championship ring.
Behind 2025 NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star Jalen Williams , the OKC Thunder won 68 regular-season games last season and went on to win the 2025 NBA Championship by beating the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling series that went the full seven-game route. Meanwhile, the Spurs won only 34 regular-season games and missed the playoffs for the second time in as many years with Wembanyama.
Wemby's 2024-25 season was cut short after he was diagnosed with DVT in his right shoulder. When he recovered, Vic had a busy summer that included visiting China to meet with Shaolin monks, training with Hakeem Olajuwon, and then meeting Kevin Garnett. The result? He is averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 13.8 rebounds, and 4.8 blocks per game through four games played so far.
Heading to the 2025-26 season, Las Vegas oddsmakers favored the Spurs to make the playoffs this year. If that happens, that will mark the first time in Wemby's NBA career that he will play in the postseason. However, if Spears is correct, he might not be content with that.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
