Oct 20, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) gets in an altercation with San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams (6) gets in an altercation with San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The brewing rivalry between the Thunder and the Spurs flared tonight on the opening night of the 2026-27 regular season. A massive brawl broke out in the second quarter after De’Aaron Fox shoved Chet Holmgren to the ground after Holmgren tried to take undue advantage of his size in a mismatch below the post.
Jaylin Williams of the Thunder took exception to Fox’s aggression and pushed him for shoving his teammate. Victor Wembanyama also jumped in to defend Fox, pushed Williams away, and then officials, other assistant coaches, and teammates stepped in to separate them.
LETS GET NEGATIVE
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) October 21, 2026
NBA fans saw the incident and flooded social media with mixed remarks about how a player like Fox, nearly a foot smaller than Chet Holmgren, could toss him to the ground like that.
“Chet got b–ched, and he let his teammates do all the shoving.”
“Chet is so weak, gang. You’re 7’1”; how do you get dummied by a 6’2” man? Smh lmaooo.”
“Fox was mad he sold in the Finals; keep your anger to yourself.”
“He threw Chet like he was nothing. 😭”
“Chet didn’t even bother to get in the weight room this offseason.”
“Chet needs to put on some weight 🤣”
While Chet Holmgren faced most of the criticism on social media, many fans also called out De’Aaron Fox for his actions. After a long review, the officials assessed a flagrant foul (penalty one) on De’Aaron Fox and multiple technical fouls on Victor Wembanyama, as well as Jaylin Williams, Jalen Williams, and Kenrich Williams of the Thunder.
All eyes were on this fixture because the rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama dates back long before either player made the league. Despite denials of any rivalry, the 2026 playoffs proved how much the two players looked forward to competing against one another.
Even before tonight’s matchup, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated asked Chet Holmgren about his rivalry with Victor Wembanyama, and Holmgren seemed to stall.
“That’s a question for him,” Holmgren said when asked whether Victor Wembanyama had made their rivalry personal.
The two bigs went at it tonight, blocking each other several times. But the Spurs face an uphill battle as they look to bounce back from a 21-point deficit at the halfway mark.
With Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama at the center of an increasingly heated rivalry, every possession feels personal, and every confrontation adds another layer to their ongoing battle.
While the officials will undoubtedly want to keep tempers under control, fans can’t help but get invested when two teams refuse to back down. If this opening-night clash is any indication, the Thunder vs. Spurs rivalry could deliver plenty more drama for many years to come.
It will be interesting to see what either side says about the brawl in the postgame press conference. Ultimately, this is exactly the kind of intensity that makes NBA fans fall in love with basketball. Beyond the highlights, dunks, and box scores, it’s the emotion, pride, and competitive fire that turn a regular season matchup into must-watch television.
Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA Analyst and Columnist at Fadeaway World, based in New Delhi, India. His passion for basketball began in 2018 after watching James Harden during his prime, eventually leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism in 2021. He began writing professionally while completing his law degree at Jindal Global Law School in Sonipat, India, where he graduated in 2022 and developed a particular interest in Sports Law. Chaitanya ultimately chose journalism over a career in law after realizing that his passion for sports, and basketball in particular, was where he wanted to build his career. His work focuses on breaking down complex NBA storylines, analyzing player and team decisions, and presenting different sides of an argument to provide readers with a balanced perspective. While he strives to maintain an objective approach in his journalism, Chaitanya openly admits to being a passionate supporter of the Houston Rockets and Arsenal. That combination of analytical thinking and personal passion allows him to simplify complex ideas and present them in an accessible way for basketball fans. Beyond journalism, Chaitanya hopes to establish his own sports management agency and represent athletes. His long-term goal is to help create greater equality of opportunity for athletes across different sports and genders, using his legal background and experience in sports media to help bridge gaps within the industry.