Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren has shown great potential in his first season in the NBA, but he is aware of where he stands in the league’s hierarchy.
Joel Embiid, the superstar center for the Philadelphia 76ers, is widely recognized as one of the most dominant players in the NBA, presenting a tough challenge for the slender Holmgren. Although Holmgren’s ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment did not occur in an actual game against Embiid, it still left an impact.
“Before I got injured, I was playing pickup games. I faced off against [Joel Embiid], your new teammate,” Holmgren revealed on a podcast hosted by Sixers star Paul George. “He wasn’t disrespecting me, but he was pushing me. I was hitting shots and even made a game-winner. Then, Drew started talking trash to him [Embiid], ‘You let a rookie…’ and that’s when he scored nine consecutive baskets as we played one-on-one in the midst of a pickup game.”
Embiid does not let criticism affect him and prefers to respond with his performance on the court. This was evident at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he faced boos from the French crowd in every game. The 30-year-old responded by delivering stellar performances to lead Team USA to the gold medal game.
“He positioned eight defenders on the other side of the court and told them not to double-team, and I couldn’t do a thing,” Holmgren recounted. “People always say, ‘He won’t be able to guard Embiid in the NBA’. Heck, no one can guard him one-on-one. He faces double teams every single night.”
Holmgren also shared another ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment when current Sixers center Andre Drummond stole the ball from him, causing him to stumble on a fast break.
The Thunder are aiming to secure the top spot in the Western Conference for the second year in a row, highlighting the importance of Holmgren’s contributions on both offense and defense.
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