The Oklahoma City Thunder are the defending NBA champions, but right now, they are in a tough spot. Victor Wembanyama just put up one of the greatest Conference Finals performances ever, and one ESPN analyst has a very direct message for Chet Holmgren heading into Game 2.
Stephen A. Smith went off on First Take, per the show’s official X account, calling out Holmgren after the Spurs took Game 1 in double overtime.
Why Chet Holmgren Is Being Called Out After Game 1
GettyChet Holmgren
Wembanyama dropped 41 points and 24 rebounds as San Antonio stunned Oklahoma City 125-118 in a double-overtime thriller. Holmgren, the 7-foot-1 center who should be the Thunder’s best answer to Wembanyama in the post, finished with just 8 points and 8 rebounds.
“Wemby bust your a**, 41 points, 21 rebounds and you respond with four points on two of eight shooting. That’s egregious,” Smith said.
And it was not just the numbers that got to him. Holmgren was standing around while shorter teammates were the ones trying to slow Wembanyama down inside.
“It’s one thing for the Caruso’s and the Jalen Williams’ of the world to be guarding Wemby on the perimeter. Get up under him. Compromise his movement with his legs. Try to make things difficult with him. Stay up in his grill. I got that part. What the hell are they doing on Wemby in the post? They can’t do anything against him in the post.”
He added, “When you look at guys that are undersized that have no prayer of guarding Wemby because he’s 7 feet 5 and they’re coming up to his belly for crying out loud and you’re 7-1 and you’re leaving that responsibility to somebody else shame on you. Shame on you. Chet Holmgren has to step up.”
Can the Thunder Recover in Game 2 Without Holmgren Stepping Up
GettySan Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama finishes a dunk over Oklahoma City Thunder defenders
The Spurs outscored the Thunder 52 to 38 in the paint in Game 1. That is the area where Holmgren, at 7-foot-1, should own.
“You got KAT, a foot shorter than Wemby taking on the challenge of trying to guard him in the post while Chet Holmgren is just standing around. You’re 7-1. You can do something,” Smith said.
There was also a bigger picture to all of this. SGA had just received his second straight MVP trophy before tip-off, and Wembanyama watched the whole thing. What happened next on the court felt like a statement.
“This man chooses to show out and drop 41 with 24 rebounds and a couple of blocks. So he already sent the message that he believes that trophy belongs to him, but okay, you can have it because I’m after the bigger prize and that’s that championship. Y’all been walking around with for the last year and Chet Holmgren is not going to stand in my way. Well, what the h*ll are you going to do about that? Chet Holmgren? What the h*ll are you going to do about that? You’re 7-1. You’re not 6-1. You’re not 6-5. You’re 7 feet 1. You can do something.”
Smith also made clear what another loss would mean for OKC.
“If you lose tonight’s game, it is over. You are not repeating as champions. You can’t go down 0-2 to San Antonio having to go back to San Antonio. I’m telling you that right now.”
The Thunder still have SGA and a roster built to compete at this level. But Game 1 showed that if Holmgren does not bring more in the post, no amount of perimeter scoring will be enough to slow Wembanyama down. Game 2 is the first real test of whether OKC can make the adjustments needed to keep their title defense alive.
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