The budding rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama was a central focus ahead of Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals. Ahead of the game, Wembanyama was asked about this rivalry, and his response didn’t sit right with Dirk Nowitzki.
Dirk Nowitzki Calls Out Victor Wembanyama for Being Dismissive of Chet Holmgren
One of the most intriguing aspects of the San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder matchup on Saturday was Wembanyama’s return. Specifically, it was the idea that a new chapter was about to be added to his rivalry with Holmgren — and on such a big stage, too.
That’s why, ahead of the game, Taylor Rooks asked Wembanyama about their rivalry. However, his answer focused solely on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Ultimately, on the court, the MVP is on that court. The reigning MVP,” Wembanyama said. “So he is our main focus. Anybody is hard to guard when you have to help on the MVP.”
This response from Wembanyama led to him being called out by 2011 Dallas Mavericks champion Dirk Nowitzki. Just before the opening tip of the Spurs-Thunder game, Nowitzki shared his criticism with his co-analysts.
“I didn’t love [Wembanyama’s] answer about Chet,” Nowitzki said. “I wish he would have given him a little credit.”
The Mavs legend then gave advice on what Wembanyama could have said before punctuating his criticism by saying, “To me it’s too swaggy, too dismissive of Chet.”
Dirk:
“I didn’t love (Wemby’s) answer about Chet. I wish he would’ve given him a little credit. To me it’s too swaggy, too dismissive” https://t.co/gGnLu3bXOZ pic.twitter.com/eoRKK8OtGW
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 14, 2025
Seeds of Wembanyama and Holmgren’s NBA rivalry were planted in 2023-24, a year after the latter was drafted.
Despite being taken second overall in the 2022 draft, Holmgren missed his supposed first year in the league due to a Lisfranc injury. This opened the door for him to play his rookie year at the same time as Wembanyama.
Both had a stellar first year in the league, which led to them competing for the Rookie of the Year award.
Holmgren hit an efficient 53.0% of his shots that year, averaging 16.5 points per game. He also utilized his 7-foot frame effectively, averaging 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while appearing in all 82 regular-season games.
Those impressive numbers were overshadowed by Wembanyama, who put up 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.6 blocks through 71 games.
When the results for the NBA’s season awards were announced, it was revealed that Wembanyama earned all 99 first-place votes to win Rookie of the Year. Holmgren was the runner-up, receiving 98 second-place votes.
