Fair or not, Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama will be linked to one another for the entirety of their respective NBA careers.
Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, stands at 7-1 and has made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor for the contending Thunder. Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, stands at 7-4 and has made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor for the rebuilding Spurs.
Because Holmgren missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to injury, he stands alongside Wembanyama at the forefront of the race to win Rookie of the Year in 2024. Midway through the season, the answer of which 7-footer should win the award seems to be a matter of personal opinion, though Holmgren appears to hold a slight edge.
With the race to Rookie of the Year not slowing down soon, here's a look at key stats to know in the ROY debate.
(All stats current as of Jan. 24, 2024)
MORE: Where voters stand in Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren Rookie of the Year debate
Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren stats
Concerning regular season numbers, the different roles that Wembanyama and Holmgren play for their respective teams are evident in the averages. Wembanyama has the edge in every counting stat but Holmgren is the more efficient player.
The Spurs, who are at the bottom of the West standings, rely heavily on Wembanyama to do a bit of everything. And while Holmgren is looked upon to do several things for the Thunder, the amount of talent around him allows him to thrive in a much more defined role.
Per game stats
| Wembanyama | Holmgren | |
| PPG | 20.3 | 17.1 |
| RPG | 10.0 | 7.2 |
| APG | 2.9 | 2.8 |
| SPG | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| BPG | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| TO/G | 3.2 | 1.7 |
| MPG | 28.5 | 30.1 |
| FG% | 46.4 | 54.1 |
| 3FG% | 29.9 | 38.2 |
| FT% | 80.7 | 78.8 |
Per 36 minutes stats
| Wembanyama | Holmgren | |
| Points | 25.7 | 20.4 |
| Rebounds | 12.6 | 8.6 |
| Assists | 3.7 | 3.4 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Turnovers | 4.0 | 2.0 |
Total stats
| Wembanyama | Holmgren | |
| Points | 751 | 735 |
| Rebounds | 370 | 311 |
| Assists | 108 | 121 |
| Steals | 39 | 27 |
| Blocks | 117 | 111 |
| Turnovers | 118 | 73 |
| Minutes | 1,054 | 1,296 |
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Victor Wembanyama vs. Chet Holmgren advanced stats
It doesn't take long to realize that the advanced numbers favor Holmgren. Some figures are largely impacted by the massive difference in team success experienced in Oklahoma City versus that in San Antonio.
Holmgren is stepping up and thriving as a rookie in high-leverage situations — there is an argument as to whether or not that is more difficult than putting up big numbers for a team that struggles to string wins together.
| Wembanyama | Holmgren | |
| Player Efficiency Rating | 21.5 | 20.5 |
| Value Over Replacement | 1.2 | 2.0 |
| Box Plus/Minus | 2.4 | 4.0 |
| Win Shares | 1.2 | 4.7 |
| True Shooting% | 55.7 | 64.0 |
| Usage% | 31.6 | 21.6 |
