The San Antonio Spurs kept their Game 1 message simple before Victor Wembanyama’s latest meeting with Chet Holmgren.
“All business,” the team posted on X on May 18, alongside a photo of Wembanyama walking through the arena tunnel in a dark pinstriped suit. The timing was the point: Spurs-Thunder Game 1 opens the Western Conference Finals on Monday night in Oklahoma City, giving the NBA one of its cleanest young-star matchups on its biggest spring stage. The game starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
For San Antonio, the post was not just pregame style content. It was a tone-setter before Wembanyama faces Holmgren in a matchup that has followed both players from international basketball to NBA draft night, Rookie of the Year debates and now the Western Conference Finals.
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren Bring Rare Size to Game 1
Wembanyama and Holmgren are not similar just because they are tall. They are similar because they stretch the definition of what a modern big man can be.
Wembanyama is listed by the NBA at 7-foot-4, 235 pounds and 22 years old. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft by the Spurs after playing for Metropolitans 92 in France.
Holmgren is listed by the NBA at 7-foot-1, 208 pounds and 24 years old. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Thunder after playing at Gonzaga.
The wingspan gap is also part of the matchup. Wembanyama has widely been described as having an 8-foot wingspan, while Holmgren’s wingspan is commonly listed at 7-foot-6. That difference matters in the same areas that could swing Game 1: contested jumpers, lob windows, second-chance rebounds and whether either big can finish cleanly in traffic.
That is the basketball tension of the matchup. Holmgren is long enough to challenge almost anyone in the league, but Wembanyama is one of the few players who can make even an elite 7-footer look undersized in specific moments.
Their History Goes Back Before the NBA
The Wembanyama-Holmgren connection did not start in the NBA.
One of their most important early meetings came in the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup final, when the United States beat France 83-81. Wembanyama had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 8 blocks for France before fouling out, while Holmgren helped the United States close the game and later earned tournament MVP honors.
That game has aged well as a preview of where the league was headed. Wembanyama was the younger French prospect with the almost absurd shot-blocking range. Holmgren was the American No. 1-level prospect with guard skills, length and defensive timing. FIBA’s tournament stats had Wembanyama averaging 14 points and Holmgren averaging 11.9 points across the event, with both already standing out as future NBA lottery picks.
Then came the NBA draft timeline. Holmgren went No. 2 in 2022, missed his first NBA season with a foot injury, then entered the league as a rookie in the same 2023-24 class as Wembanyama. Wembanyama went No. 1 in 2023 and ultimately won Rookie of the Year unanimously after averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-high 3.6 blocks. Wembanyama led all rookies in points, rebounds and blocks while receiving the honor.
That race tied them together even more tightly. Holmgren was a central part of Oklahoma City’s rise, while Wembanyama became the face of San Antonio’s rebuild. Now the rivalry has moved from awards conversation to playoff consequence.
Why the Matchup Matters for Spurs-Thunder
The Wembanyama-Holmgren matchup is not just a novelty. It influences how both teams can play.
For the Spurs, Wembanyama’s presence changes the math at the rim. He can play in drop coverage, switch late, recover from positions that normally produce layups and turn broken possessions into blocks or rushed floaters. His offensive value is just as disruptive because Oklahoma City has to account for his lob radius, trail threes and ability to shoot over defenders.
For the Thunder, Holmgren gives Oklahoma City a counter most teams do not have. He can pull Wembanyama away from the basket, attack closeouts, protect the rim on the other end and keep the Thunder from having to play small against San Antonio’s size. With Jalen Williams expected back for Game 1 after missing six playoff games with a hamstring injury, Oklahoma City should have another creator available around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren.
That matters because Game 1 will likely test how much defensive attention San Antonio can devote to Gilgeous-Alexander without losing Holmgren as a spacer, roller or weak-side finisher. It will also test whether Holmgren can make Wembanyama work enough offensively to reduce his impact as a roaming defensive eraser.
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