Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren showed plenty of promise in his rookie campaign, but knows his place in the NBA hierarchy.
The Philadelphia 76ers Superstar Joel Embiid is considered one of the most dominant players in the league, making him a tough opponent for the lanky Holmgren to face. While the OKC star’s “Welcome to the NBA” moment didn’t come in an actual game against Embiid, it happened nonetheless.
“Before I got injured, I was playing pick-up. I was playing against [Joel Embiid]your new teammate,” Holmgren shared on Sixers Star Paul George’s Podcast“He didn’t disrespect me, but he was an asshole. [expletive]. And as you know, I made shots and I made a game-winning shot. Then Drew was talking [expletive] to him [Embiid]”You’re leaving a rookie…” and then he came out and scored nine baskets in a row, we played one-on-one in the middle of a pickup game.
Embiid never lets himself be put down by criticism, he lets his game do the talking. This is what happened recently at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where French boos rained down at every matchThe thirty-year-old responded with a a monstrous performance to lead Team USA to the gold medal final.
“He put eight people on the other side of the field and said you’re not allowed to overtake, and I couldn’t do it. [expletive]”, Holmgren continued. “People always say, ‘He’s not going to be able to defend against Embiid when he gets to the NBA.’ [expletive]No one can defend him one-on-one. He sees double teams every night.”
Holmgren also shared a second “Welcome to the NBA” moment, where Sixers big man Andre Drummond stripped him of the ball and dropped him on the fastbreak.
Thunder seeks to end leading the Western Conference for a second consecutive seasonmeaning Holmgren’s contributions at both ends of the floor are crucial.
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