The latest news drop on Victor Wembanyama is exactly what the NBA was missing last season

I’ll be honest. I went into this season hesitant. Last year’s NBA product? Borderline unwatchable. Between load management, fake rivalries, and everyone acting like they’re at a summer camp for millionaires, the league felt stale. Half the stars were hurt including our guy Joel Embiid, along with the golden boy of the next class in Victor Wembanyama missing significant time.

Maybe it’s because the Sixers are 3-0 and actually look like a team that enjoys playing basketball again. Maybe it’s because Tyrese Maxey has fully arrived as a superstar. Or maybe it’s because Victor Wembanyama is out here playing like a seven-foot-five alien with a grudge against humanity.

According to Marc J. Spears, that edge might have a name: Chet Holmgren.

Victor Wembanyama is a psycho and I love it

"Chet [Holmgren] got a championship. [Victor Wembanyama] doesn't have a championship. I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on the championship."

— Marc J. Spears 👀

(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/bhUDly1NeO

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 27, 2025

“Chet got a championship. [Victor Wembanyama] doesn’t have a championship. I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on the championship.”

No More “Buddy-Buddy” Basketball

That’s it right there. That’s what the league’s been missing.

This is the rivalry the NBA needs. Forget LeBron’s banana boat era of offseason group photos and wine nights. I want tension. I want pride. I want two guys who genuinely want to destroy each other every time they share a court.

And it’s not some manufactured storyline either. Victor Wembanyama and Chet have history. France vs. USA. Draft debates. Social media clips comparing every dunk, block, and highlight since they were teenagers. It’s been simmering for years, and now it’s boiling over.

You can see it every night Victor Wembanyama takes the floor. He’s locked in. He’s not smiling. He’s not shaking hands. He’s trying to ruin lives.

Honestly, I love it.

The NBA has been desperate for some genuine edge and some animosity that doesn’t feel like performance art. Wemby might just be the one to bring it back.

Desmond Bane tried to punk Tyrese Maxey and got absolutely lit up instead

So yeah, I’m officially tuning into every Spurs game this year. Shoutout to Ryan Conway here at The Liberty Line for the League Pass hookup. Don’t worry, the Sixers still come first but if Wemby’s out there putting Chet in a blender, I’m not missing a second.

Join The Chase