3 reasons the upcoming nationally televised clash of two young titans will be must-see

1. The Rookie of the Year argument

On the latest NBA.com rookie ladder, Chet Holmgren was listed as the leader for the second week in a row, with Wemby following up at number two. Fans on both sides are adamantly rooting for their guy, and if the season ended right now, either player could win, and people would be forced to be okay with whatever decision was made.

The race is photo-finish close right now. Whether that should be the case is another opinion, but if you have paid attention to the weekly updates, it's obviously the case. Their numbers have been covered backward and forward, but feel free to revisit ESPN.com if you need a refresher.

The fact of the matter is that this award is likely to be won based on two factors: first, the player who can string together the most eye-popping stat sheets with wow play, and second, which player can get the best of the other in their head-to-head matchups.

Last season, Joel Embiid won the league's MVP award. It was well-deserved, but that did not stop Jokic supporters from pointing out their similar numbers. Most would have been fine with either option, but the two stars played a game where Embiid dominated Jokic. That was likely a determining factor for many voters. It's a hard thing to ignore when comparing two players so close in stats.

One thing is for sure: both players want to contribute to winning at a high level. To be recognized with a ROY award for what they bring to the table, they'll need to make their case before the world on January 24th on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. CT.