In what figures to be a career-long war for accolades, Chet Holmgren won the first battle over Victor Wembanyama. The Oklahoma City Thunder center is the Western Conference Rookie of the Month, per NBA Communications.

Although the San Antonio Spurs phenom has wowed fans with his skill level, Holmgren is the right choice for this award. He is averaging 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and nearly one steal in 30 minutes per game. What puts him above Wembanyama, however, is his shooting percentage (53.1 percent from field and 39.4 from 3-point land).

Many will argue that the disparity in offensive efficiency is a bit misleading given that Wembanyama is already morphing into the No. 1 option on the Spurs, while Holmgren benefits from sharing the court with superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC is also obviously the superior squad overall with a record of 13-6, as San Antonio languishes in the Western Conference basement at 3-16 (lost 14-straight games).

These two slender big men are going to stir debates throughout the season until the Rookie of the Year is officially crowned. For now, though, the former Gonzaga star gets his due. He missed all of what would have been his rookie campaign last year after suffering a Lisfranc injury before the season. The 21-year-old is making up for lost time and quickly making a significant impact in the NBA.

Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was named the best rookie in the East, seamlessly fitting in with the renowned culture of the franchise (12.0 points per game on 52.5 percent shooting). Chet Holmgren will keep building his case for December honors when the Thunder face the Houston Rockets this Wednesday.