Chet Holmgren vs Victor Wembanyama hints toward the next era of superstars

Do the Warriors need a super giant of their own?

There’s plenty of times I’ll scroll through the comments of the DNHQ articles and find some observations or comedy that I’ll absolutely nod my head in vehement agreement with. Our very own Asher B. had one such comment recently that tickled my fancy:

Chet Holmgren faced Wembanyama in preseason action and there are some highlights and breakdowns on YouTube. I find this a fascinating duo and hope to watch them healthy and improving for years to come. Thoughts on these lanky lads?

— Asher B

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are like…Godzilla vs Mothra in terms of sheer box office from their freakish height and athleticism combined with intruiging multifaceted hoop skills. Here’s one of those aforementioned highlights of the two going at it:

I along with Asher felt an innate desire to observe these two lithe giants showing off a modern basketball skillset that is like a wild NBA 2K amalgamation of Kevin Durant and David Robinson (hyperbole on max here).

In fact, Asher and I weren’t the only ones intrigued by the matchup of two youngsters with the size and talent to possibly affect the game of basketball in ways we’ve simply never consistently seen. Just ask BBall Breakdown who labeled these two as the NBA’s next great rivalry:

That’s pretty amazing. I’m also extremely annoyed neither of them are a part of the Golden State Warriors (although I’ll take Jonathan Kuminga aka Dr. Trampoline and Moses “Quiet Storm” Moody any day of the week (nicknames courtesy of me).

For kicks and giggles, I’ve researched and quoted the draft profiles of three giants with new age skillsets who were taken as top lottery picks in recent history. I’ve redacted their names; can you guess which profile belongs to whom?

Prospect #1 “Buddy”

Just looking at BUDDY, it’s easy to see why he’s a generational prospect. He stands at 7-foot-4 with nearly an 8-foot wingspan. When you combine that elite size with the skill BUDDY has, he has the upside to one day be the best player in the entire NBA.

The defensive upside for a guy of BUDDY’s size is obvious. The impact he’s able to make on that end of the floor is tremendous. If he’s not able to block a shot, he’s at least impacting it and drastically reducing the chance of the shooter converting

Offensively, BUDDY is also a unicorn. His 3-point shot still needs some work, but most scouts have no concern that he’ll improve on that front.

He often settles for questionable looks when he could get an easy bucket any time he wants it. When the level of competition increases for him at the NBA level, it will be interesting to see if he can make better decisions. The 7-footer has an advanced post package, boasting a plethora of moves to get a clean look at the rim. Not only is he bigger than everyone, but BUDDY actually has quality post moves.

Prospect #2 “Big Sonny”

BIG SONNY’s physical tools are impeccable. Standing at 7’1” with an outrageous 7’6” wingspan he’s got all the length you could ever want and his 9’6” standing reach is among the NBA’s best. Coupled with those dimensions is athleticism that is unrivalled by any other big man in the class. Whether it’s in transition where he runs like a gazelle or in the paint where he can leap out of the gym he’s a tremendous athlete, a skill which has cemented him as a lottery pick.

Considering the role of centers in today’s game SONNY’s defensive potential is going to garner a lot of attention but he brings some offensive tools to the table that you don’t normally see from that position.

It’s not uncommon to see him grab a defensive rebound and lead the fast break using a rather smooth looking handle and in the half-court, he’ll break down slower defenders with crossovers and in and out dribbles. Will he be in a system that will allow him that freedom? We’ll have to see, but if you’re looking for outlier skills in this draft SONNY’s ball-handling abilities at 7’1” have to be made known.

Offensively SONNY wants to play like a wing and while that offers some intrigue it also makes him tough to project. Instead of a post-up game, he uses dribble moves and instead of a hook shot he’s got a pull-up jumper. Instead of relying on brute strength, he relies on finesse. Understanding what the ceiling for a center could be in the modern NBA is a challenge but when you look at the ones that are currently having success, they look a lot like BIG SONNY.

Prospect #3 “Mickey”

MICKEY's tall (7-foot), skinny as a beanpole (approximately 200 pounds)His 7-foot-6 wingspan helps him affect and block shots routinely. Even when he's not necessarily in perfect defensive position, he can recover with sheer length.

MICKEY’s an elite defender. As a freshman he was top-10 nationally in college hoops in block rate and 94th percentile as a defender around the rim, according to Synergy data.

On offense he's an additive force as well, ranking last season in the 99th percentile around the rim and finishing just about every shot attempt within arm's reach of the bucket. As nearly a 40% 3-point shooter, he can space the floor as a true deep threat and also has some true guard skills as a handler. There's not much he can't do as a prospect, and with his sky-high ceiling being among the highest in the draft, he has a legitimate case to be considered as this year's top prospect.  

Guard-like skills with the ball in his hands. Can create on offense, particularly off the dribble by attacking and can pull up to take shots over defenders. We could have this unique shot-blocker and shot-maker that maybe the league has never seen before with his size and ball skills. 

Prospect #1 is Wembanyama, the 2023 #1 overall lottery pick for the San Antonio Spurs, the anchor to their future hopes and dreams in the mold of franchise legends like David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

Prospect #3 is Chet Holmgren, drafted with the #2 overall pick of the 2022 draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder who are also known as the franchise the Warriors completely ruined back in 2016. Holmgren missed his first season with the club with a foot injury but looks to be well on his way to being a problem in the league.

Prospect #2 is the 2020 #2 overall pick and 2022 NBA champion, James Wiseman. That’s right folks, never forget Wiseman was touted as a potentially genre bending big man who could score like a wing threat while anchoring the defense. Alas, he got hurt a lot and never found his way into the rotation once the team rounded into championship form. He was traded midseason last year and as of right now is battling for playing time in Detroit.

That may have been Golden State’s one chance during the Splash Bros era to groom a budding star with the height of Shaq, the speed of Kevin Garnett, and the skillset of KD. Then again, do the Dubs really even need that?