When the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, he was widely viewed as the best prospect in basketball. In fact, he was often dubbed the best prospect to come out of the draft since LeBron James in 2003. So he should have the Rookie of the Year award in the bag, right?
Well, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren might have something to say about it. Holmgren was drafted in 2022, but he missed what would have been his rookie year with a foot injury. Now, he’s back on the court and playing high-level basketball for one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
Former NBA player JJ Redick recently shared his thoughts on the ROTY race on his podcast, “The Old Man & The Three with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter.”
Holmgren has the wins, but Wembanyama is the top option on his team. Either could win the award. In all likelihood, it will end up coming down to the wire.
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