OKLAHOMA CITY — The atmosphere inside Paycom Center during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s win against the San Antonio Spurs was different than the average preseason opener.
The exhibition matchup was headlined by the debuts of Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. Both recent top-two picks played their first preseason game for their respective team and concluded the first of presumably several chapters of their budding rivalry.
The battle between seven-footers caught the attention of the entire NBA world, as national media and scouts across the league traveled to OKC to watch the game live.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was one of the more notable guests at Paycom Center. The longtime sportswriter made the trip to OKC to catch both Wembanyama and Holmgren duke it out.
Following the game, Windhorst talked with Thunder Wire and gave his extensive thoughts on the Thunder. Here’s what the national media figure had to say:
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.