Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero may be rivals on the NBA hardwood, but their recent clash on the sticks gave fans a fun look at their personalities and basketball minds through NBA 2K26. Appearing on a new episode of The Boardroom, the two young stars squared off in a friendly 2K matchup while also sharing their takes on the game’s new features and their own all-time starting fives.
The game itself pitted Holmgren’s Oklahoma City Thunder, fresh off their first championship run, against Banchero’s Orlando Magic. On paper, OKC’s status as a Tier 1 team in NBA 2K26 should have given Holmgren the edge.
But clips from the session showed the opposite, Banchero was in complete control, blowing Chet out despite the Magic not being rated as highly in the game. The Orlando forward showed surprising skill as a 2K player, prompting plenty of laughs as he demanded a trophy afterward to commemorate his “win.”
As part of the feature, both players unveiled their personal all-time NBA 2K starting lineups. Holmgren opted for a modern twist, going ultra small-ball with Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.
His group leans heavily into perimeter firepower, spacing, and versatility, with Durant slotting in at center and LeBron sliding to power forward. It’s a lineup designed to run and gun, switch everything on defense, and pour in buckets from every angle.
Banchero, meanwhile, went a little more traditional, though he still had plenty of star power. His five featured Penny Hardaway at point guard, Jordan at the two, LeBron at the three, Durant at the four, and Shaquille O’Neal anchoring the middle.
With three of the same picks as Chet, Jordan, LeBron, and Durant, Paolo differentiated himself with Hardaway’s unique blend of size and playmaking at guard, plus Shaq’s unstoppable presence in the paint.
If Chet’s team is built to shoot opponents out of the gym, Paolo’s squad could beat them inside while still spacing the floor around a dominant post game.
Beyond the fantasy rosters and digital bragging rights, the episode also gave fans insight into the mindset of two of the league’s brightest young stars. Holmgren spoke about the surreal feeling of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy with the Thunder last summer, a moment that validated OKC’s rebuild and confirmed him as one of the league’s premier young bigs.
Banchero, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, touched on the rookies he’s most eager to watch this coming season, including Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, while reflecting on how the rookie experience continues to evolve year by year.
The two also dove into some of NBA 2K26’s newest features, like the expanded MyTeam options and MyPlayer mode. Both stars praised the ability to integrate WNBA players into MyTeam, highlighting how talents like Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson would fit alongside NBA stars such as Tyrese Haliburton.
For Holmgren and Banchero, seeing their own likenesses in the game and watching fans use them in creative ways remains a surreal but gratifying part of being NBA players in the digital age.
In the end, Paolo may have walked away with bragging rights in their 2K matchup, but both players gave fans plenty of reasons to be excited for the future, on the court and in the game. Whether it’s Holmgren trying to repeat as champion with the Thunder or Banchero pushing the Magic further into contention, the two are shaping up to be faces of the league both in reality and in the virtual world of NBA 2K.
