San Antonio Spurs‘ Victor Wembanyama has made a statement on the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement shootings.

Wembanyama was asked about the recent ICE shootings after a Spurs practice. His fellow Frenchman, Guerschon Yabusele, made a public statement denouncing the shootings.

“Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified,” Wembanyama said, “I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or make it sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable.”

Two civilians in Minnesota, named Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed during ICE interactions. The specifics of the events are still being investigated. Good was a mother of three, and Pretti was an ICU nurse who had treated military veterans. 

The NBA Players Association, the league’s players’ union, issued a public statement saying that players can no longer remain silent on excessive immigration enforcement. The NBA has generally been pretty open to player activism in the past. NBA players famously wore jerseys with activism statements on the back during the 2020 season. 

A game between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves was postponed due to protests of the ICE shooting in Minnesota. The game was made up a day later, on Jan. 25. The Warriors won off a strong performance from Stephen Curry and Moses Moody. 

The Timberwolves were among many Minnesota sports teams that issued public statements denouncing ICE’s actions. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also made a statement. 

The WNBA has led the way in public denunciations against ICE. Wembanyama was one of the first NBA players to make an individual public statement. Injured Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns joined him shortly after. 

“What is happening in the Twin Cities and the Great North Star State is heartbreaking to witness.” Towns said on X. 

Prior to tip-off between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, the spotlight shone on Mavs debutant Cooper Flagg. Alongside the rookie were league veterans Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, who looked to open their season with a victory at the American Airlines Center.

Victor Wembanyama had different ideas.

Playing in his first regular-season game since February, the 7-foot-4-inch center tallied 40 points and recorded 15 rebounds in the Spurs’ 125-92 season opener victory against Dallas.

The performance, which broke a franchise record for most points in a season opener, highlighted the Frenchman’s improvements made over the offseason.

“[I was] much more in control of myself,” Wembanyama said after the win. “The mind, I’m not worried about [that] because I saw what it’s like to be confronted with potentially losing a lot, whether it’s your career or your health.

“I’m having more fun now that I’m not struggling to move as much. I know I still need to get better, and I’m still going to get better.”

A tight first half saw both sides take turns leading, with the Spurs going on a 15-3 run over the final 3:18 of the second quarter to lead by 11 at halftime. Wembanyama netted 21 points in the first 24 minutes and shot 61% in field goals.

Spurs never trailed after the break, extending to a 33-point advantage by the fourth quarter. The French center continued to dominate on the court with 19 points and seven rebounds in the second half. Wembanyama also recorded zero turnovers in a game for the first time since January 2024.

“It feels like every day we try to lay a brick to build a huge mansion, and it felt like the job was done for the day,” Wembanyama said. “This is what we’ve been working for. This is what we’ve struggled for, for so long, and I just felt like it fits. I felt like I was in my place.”

San Antonio will try to go 2-0 as the team faces the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The Spurs’ home opener will be on Sunday afternoon against the Brooklyn Nets.

“I was comfortable with the work we put in and with the preparation up to this point,” Wembanyama said. “Now all the dice are thrown in the Western Conference.”

A scuffle led to multiple ejections in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 146-132 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Spurs forward Julian Champagnie attempted to create space from Thunder forward Kenrich Williams by swinging his elbows. In the process, he caught Williams in the jaw before passing to Stephon Castle, who found Jeremy Sochan for a dunk. As that play developed, Williams and Champagnie got into a shoving match near the scorer’s table.

After appearing to be struck by – or nearly struck – by Champagnie’s elbow, Williams responded by stepping up to him chest-to-chest. The tension quickly escalated as teammates swarmed in, turning the situation into a frenzy of pushing, shoving, and shouting.

“When people are aggressive, there are a lot of coincidental elbows or contact,” Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “I don’t really know who was at fault, to be honest. But it just looked like that was what initiated it. And then there was the response on both ends. [It] just looked like Kenrich Williams was being aggressive, and Julian was opening up. I don’t know if that’s an offensive foul now. I don’t know where that line is of what space you’re allowed.”

Sochan and Thunder forward Luguentz Dort held onto each other’s jerseys as they exchanged heated remarks in a confrontation that involved more than 10 players, including Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Keldon Johnson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins.

“I went for a dunk, and then all I see is just everyone going to one spot,” Sochan said. “So, like I had to go to the same spot. It was a little scuffle. I think it was pretty playful. It wasn’t anything too serious. Yeah, it kind of evolved. I had to react a little bit in the playful scuffle.”

The altercation didn’t escalate to punches, and no injuries occurred. Following a review, the officials ejected Williams, Champagnie, and Dort after assessing technical fouls, while Sochan picked up a tech but was allowed to stay in the game.

The San Antonio Spurs announced on Thursday that Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the season due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

In a statement from the Spurs, the condition, a form of blood clot, was diagnosed after Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the NBA All-Star Game. Blood-thinning medication is the usual treatment for this, and it generally rules out participation in contact sports like basketball.

The Spurs are hopeful that he will fully recover in time for the start of the 2025-26 season. Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said the team’s medical staff assured them that Wembanyama’s long-term health will not be affected.

“The medical experts and the people that are smarter than everybody in the room have said and confirm that he’ll be done this year and there is no concern for Victor’s long-term health, personally, or anything related to his basketball activities,” Johnson said. “There is no reason to believe he won’t be ready to go starting next season.”

After Wembanyama told the team’s medical staff earlier this week that “his arm didn’t feel completely normal” upon returning from the All-Star Game, the Spurs decided to have him undergo a series of tests, according to Johnson.

“This started by conversations around Monday. I don’t know exactly the time. It was our medical staff. They looked into it, and that’s how we got here,” he added.

Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year and first-time NBA All-Star, was putting up averages of 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and leading the league with 3.8 blocks in 46 games for the Spurs.

According to the team’s statement, updates on his condition will be given as necessary.

Due to not meeting the 65-game minimum, Wembanyama will be ineligible for All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, and other major awards.

“[He’s] very intellectual and process-driven, and he won’t skip steps [in his recovery],” Johnson said. “He’ll go about it the right way.”

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama charged at Ivica Zubac after Zubac knocked him down in the paint and received no call from officials. Wembanyama explained after the game that his frustrations were not specific to his Clippers opponent, arguing that referees have not been giving him a fair whistle early in his NBA career.

“So it’s a hard thing to fight, because it feels unfair sometimes,” Wembanyama said. “But of course, we talk about it with the staff and there is some stuff I have to do to help myself. First of all, being strong and not bailing out shots, but also there is some work to do. Talking to the refs, of course, explaining myself. But for me, it doesn’t feel like it’s something I should influence. I’m a basketball player, I’m here to play, and yeah, this is why it’s frustrating. It’s not my job to do politics.”

The incident between Wembanyama and Zubac occurred late in the third quarter when Zubac arrived in the paint late as Spurs forward Harrison Barnes drained a three-pointer. The Clippers center, who expressed his frustration with referees several times earlier in the game, hip-checked and elbowed Wembanyama with a running start, sending him flying out of bounds. 

Wembanyama charged at Zubac as soon as he got up, requiring Spurs assistants to leave the timeout huddle and hold him back. The Clippers went on to win 128-116. Zubac scored 21 points and earned 22 rebounds, while Wembanyama finished with 23 and 12.

There are several factors leading to more physical play against San Antonio’s second-year star. Wembanyama is a massive presence in the paint, naturally marking him as a clear target in a crowded space on the floor. He is also a focal point on an otherwise middling offense, forcing opposing teams to key in on him. His skinny frame and relative inexperience have led some of these teams to try rougher tactics.

Playing physical defense against big men isn’t a novel concept in the NBA; stars who make their names in the paint always have to deal with elbows and bumps and frustrating no-calls, especially early in their careers. Wembanyama is more than a post-up scorer, considered by some to be the most well-rounded prospect in NBA history. His path to superstardom remains the same, however.

In a highly anticipated matchup between Giannis Antetokounmpo and rising star Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-105 to take a much-needed step forward in the Eastern Conference. Despite delivering a subpar performance overall, Wembanyama made a handful of plays to earn praise from his fellow big man.

“He’s an incredible talent,” Antetokounmpo said after his second time facing Wembanyama. “He’s probably one of the most talented players I’ve ever watched on TV, ever played against. This is his second year in the league, he’s way better than his first year, he’s gonna keep on improving and he has a very, very bright future. He’s just gotta keep working on his game, keep working on himself, keep playing the game with joy and he’s gonna be the face of the league for a lot of years.”

While Antentokounmpo finished the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, Wembanyama struggled to capitalize on a hot start and finished with 10 points. He did earn a double-double by earning 10 rebounds, but San Antonio needed much more from him to topple Milwaukee, a superior rival.

Wembanyama couldn’t do quite enough to take down Antetokounmpo in their second meeting, but some plays turn heads more than the stat sheet might suggest. An offensive flurry by Wembanyama early in the first quarter, including a one-legged three-pointer and a contested layup on Antetokounmpo soon after, firmly established the Frenchman as a potent threat. Milwaukee managed to contain him over time, but his status in the league is still quickly growing.

In the 2024-25 season, Wembanyama is scoring 25.1 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks, all improvements from his rookie season. The Spurs have vastly improved this year as he has taken another step forward. With an 18-19 record, they are on pace to earn more wins this year than they have in any season since 2019.

With LeBron James and Steph Curry playing at a high level deep into their careers, talk of the next ‘face’ of the NBA has remained a somewhat nebulous exercise in the past decade. Antetokounmpo has been one of many names thrown out there as the next big thing, along with the likes of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are more recent additions to the party. 

All of these players are in the midst of phenomenal careers, and those who haven’t won championships yet seem poised to do so at some point. Some are also highly entertaining off the floor, adding to their marketability. But none of them have the unique arsenal that Wembanyama possesses. 

His overwhelming size and sound fundamentals make him a nightmarish matchup on defense. On offense, he is as potent from the perimeter as he is under the rim. Still a raw prospect in many respects, he is already competing and getting the better of some of the best players in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo isn’t the only one that sees it. Wembanyama’s early displays have earned universal acclaim from the very best in the NBA. The Spurs are a notoriously professional organization and figure to build around him as he continues to develop. San Antonio should become a more dangerous contender over time, at which point Wembanyama’s individual superstardom could become part of something greater. His time is still coming.

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama took yet another step forward Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 50 points to completely overwhelm the Washington Wizards in a 139-130 victory. He is the fourth youngest player in NBA history to hit the 50-point mark. It was also the fastest 50-point game in NBA history, requiring only 26 minutes on the floor.

The reigning Rookie of the Year has been inconsistent this season, but the Wizards had no answer for him in a highly encouraging performance. Talking to reporters after the game, Wembanyama downplayed the milestone. He wants this to be one of many.

“My first thought is eventually I want the rest of our performances, the rest of our games, to overshadow this one,” Wembanyama said. “I want to make it where in the future, [this is] just another one.”

Wembanyama was the focal point for San Antonio all night, as the team obviously planned to feature him prominently and force the lowly Wizards to come up with a plan to stop him. The closest Washington ever came to responding was by delivering points on their end. Jordan Poole exploded for 42 points and kept his team in the game, but the Wizards’ defense faltered at every turn. Spurs veteran point guard Chris Paul racked up 11 assists, feeding Wembanyama with devastating efficiency. 

Several teams this year have found a way to stop Wembanyama, most notably the Thunder, who held him to six points on five attempts in a game on Oct. 30. In the past week, however, Wembanyama has found his footing, especially from beyond the perimeter. In his last three games combined, he has shot with 57.7% accuracy from three-point range, a mark he did not reach in any single game before this stretch.

The Spurs are still building a team around Wembanyama, and though the likes of Paul, Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell have improved matters, San Antonio still isn’t considered a serious contender in the Western Conference. The team has come a long way already, however, and is far from disgraced, with a 6-6 record to begin the 2024-25 season.

Rob Dillingham did not hold onto his black and grey hat for long, as the San Antonio Spurs sent him to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night during the first round of the NBA draft. The Spurs selected the Kentucky PG with the #8 pick, their second selection in the top eight, but struck a deal with Minnesota. In return, the T-Wolves sent back a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap.

At face value, the Timberwolves seem to have won the trade. Minnesota needed to address the one-guard position this off-season as Mike Conley turns 37. Dillingham brings youth and energy to his game, and Conley can take him under his wing to teach the rookie how to survive in the league, standing only 6’1”. The hope for the Western Conference finalists is Dillingham can complement star SG Anthony Edwards as he enters his prime.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are looking to build around rookie of the year C Victor Wembenyama but decided to trade away a 19-year-old oozing with talent. The picks they received may not be helpful six years later, with Edwards at age 29. After taking Stephon Castle #4 last night, San Antonio has a backlog of guards, but the team should focus on the present and not the distant future.

Dillingham won SEC sixth man of the year last season, averaging 15.2 points per game and 3.9 assists while shooting 44% from beyond the arc. His running mate, Reed Sheppard, went #3 to the Houston Rockets as the Wildcat guards became the fourth Kentucky duo to be taken in the first ten picks of an NBA draft.

Minnesota and San Antonio are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals this season and 56-26 during the regular season. The Spurs finished with the fifth-worst record in the NBA at 22-60 and were drafted in the top four for the second year.

Victor Wembanyama entered the league with the San Antonio Spurs as one of the highest-rated prospects of the century. The 7’4″ Frechman was taken with the first overall pick by the Spurs in the 2023 Draft, and though they are last in the Western Conference standings with a 15-54 record, their rookie is putting up record-breaking numbers.

Most recently in a win against the Brooklyn Nets, Wembanyama finished with a stat line of 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocks. Those numbers have only been reached three times in NBA history, once by Joel Embiid and twice by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but neither did it in their rookie season.

His ability to fill out the stat sheet in all categories is what differentiates Wembanyama from other young players entering the league. In a time where scoring seems to be prioritized, he still averages 20 points per game while also top 16 in rebounds and steals, and top of the league in blocks, averaging 3.5 per game. No other player has averaged at least 3.5 blocks per game throughout a season since Hassan Whiteside did it in the 2015-16 season.

“I am young, getting better every day, and I think we could say that for every month to the next one,” Webanyama said earlier in the season about his progress. “The good thing is my margin of progression, I don’t even know how big it is. I can get so much better, and this is what I am trying to do every game, every week and every month.”

Over the past month, Wembanyama has had some other unique performances that separate himself from the other rookies and young players around the league. On Feb. 29, he ended the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with 28 points on five three-pointers, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks for the third time in league history a player finished with at least five three-pointers, assists and blocks in a single game.

Less than a week earlier he finished against the Lakers with 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks and steals for the first time a statline similar to that has been put up since Hakeem Olajuwon in the 1990s. The night before that against the Kings, Wembanyama put up 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and five blocks and steals. He was one assist short of a 5×5 game but obviously reached that accomplishment the night after. Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko are the only players in league history to accomplish the 5×5 stat line twice, and Wembanyama almost did it on back-to-back nights as a rookie.

One of the worries for Wembanyama coming into the league was injuries, but so far he hasn’t missed a game this season, scoring at least 10 points in all but three contests this season. Over his rookie year, Wembanyama is averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists 1.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game. He leads all rookies in every category except assists and field goal percentage, separating himself from Chet Holgrem and the insistent comparisons. Wembanyama leads the league in blocks and has been gaining traction for winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. No rookie has ever won the award, and if it were given to Wembanyama, he would be the youngest player to win it by three years.

“Of course. I’m dedicated,” Wembanyama said earlier in the season when asked about comparisons to Holgrem. “At the end of the day, I’m going to get what I deserve. Every game is a statement (from) now on.”

Compared similarly to prospects like LeBron James and Zion Williamson, Wembanyama has already outpaced the expectations put on him before joining the league. As a rookie, he is putting himself on lists with Hall of Fame level players, and doing it all on one of the worst teams in the NBA. He’s broken records and made a name for himself as one of the most important assets in the league, all while only playing only 60 games.

Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama earned the first triple-double of his NBA career in a 130-108 win over the Detroit Pistons Wednesday night. Wembanyama accomplished the feat in just 21 minutes on the floor, making it the second-fastest triple-double in league history.

“Doing it in a win is everything, of course,” Wembanyama said after the game. “I didn’t know it was the second-fastest in NBA history. It matters to me. I’m not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is the type of statement I want to make as a player.”

Despite resting for most of the second half, Wembanyama still managed to burn the Pistons for 16 points, 12 rebounds and ten assists over 21 minutes and two seconds. In this obscure category, Wembanyama is only behind Russell Westbrook, who earned a triple-double for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014 in 20 minutes and 17 seconds.

Though the Spurs have struggled all season and currently hold a 6-30 record, their first overall pick in the 2023 draft has delivered in his first few months with the team.

In addition to making history in his career, Wembanyama also became the second player in Spurs franchise history to earn a triple-double, joining fellow big man David Robinson. Robinson earned his first triple-double at 23, making 20-year-old Wembanyama the youngest Spurs player to achieve the feat as well.

On the other side of the ball, the Pistons, one-time suitors for Wembanyama before they lost the 2023 draft lottery, struggled all night without injured point guard Cade Cunningham. After snapping their historic losing streak at 28 games earlier this month, the team has not won again and currently holds a 3-35 record. After the game, Wembanyama reflected on a time when he thought he might have been drafted by Detroit.

“It’s weird to imagine a different future and what it could have been,” Wembanyama said of the Pistons. “I’m glad it is the way it is though.”

After a forgettable debut, Victor Wembanyama had a way better second outing in his game against the Portland Trail Blazers before the Spurs decided to shut him down for the rest of the Summer League. San Antonio didn’t need to see much more of the former number-one overall pick from this past NBA draft, as it will likely be the last Summer League game for Wemby.

The 7’5″ French phenom had a shaky start last month, as the 19-year-old was rusty and looked nervous playing with a sold-out crowd at Thomas & Mack Center in Vegas against the Charlotte Hornets. In front of nearly 19,000 people, Wemby was disappointing in his first action for San Antonio and only had nine points total, while going 2-for-13 shooting from the field, including going 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. Even with eight rebounds and five blocked shots, the superstar was outshined in the same game by former second overall pick of this past NBA draft, Brandon Miller.

Wemby only played 40 minutes.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing on the court tonight,” said Wembanyama, as he stated conditioning was an issue that will have to be improved on before the NBA regular season.

“Even though it was only 40 minutes tonight when I was subbed out I was always tired and exhausted,” he said. “So, I think there’s a lot of conditioning to do.”

Despite his struggles offensively, his wingspan alone will make him a decent defender, as there are a few highlight blocks from Wemby playing in his first 2K24 Summer League game.

All eyes will be on the highly touted rookie, as the hype prior to the draft rivaled the likes of LeBron James back in 2003. But way more has to be done if he wants to reach any sort of potential, even with the likes of Hall of Fame Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

The 74-year-old coach for San Antonio is currently the highest-paid head coach in the NBA, after signing a contract extension more than a week ago. Pop getting the chance to draft and coach Wemby was likely a reason why he decided to stick around on the court for this coming season, as opposed to the office as the president of the team.

Just having Wemby playing in just two Summer League games propelled it to the second-most-watched Summer League ever, as his debut was the second-most-watched Summer League game ever also with 1.39 million viewers. This was only behind Zion Williamson and his debut back in 2019 for the New Orleans Pelicans against the New York Knicks, per Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch, at 1.61 million viewers.

Although his second matchup wasn’t as viewed, there still was a crowd. Wemby did have some interesting quotes prior to his second Summer League game against the Portland Trail Blazers more than a week ago.

When comparing the NBA with the Meta92 French team, Wemby noted that the NBA is “less physical” in comparison but faster, while also mentioning there is way more talent on the court in the NBA. He did prove in the second game that he can hang, as the star rookie redeemed himself with a way better performance, despite the loss against Portland without the former third overall pick of this past NBA draft Scoot Henderson.

Wembanyama had 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks on 9-of-14 shooting, as that would be enough to conclude his Summer League game appearances for the Spurs. Showing growth already in just his second game, Wemby was less impressed with his stat line and was focused on missing out on a win.

“I wish we could have won the game,” Wembanyama said. “I think I could have done more to help my team win the game. We got to keep learning. We haven’t been playing our best for like three quarters. Then in the fourth quarter, we were really dominating. It shows the personality of the team.”

“I think personally, it’s normal to get better every game. Two days ago was my first game.”

Wemby started off his second game slowly like his debut but after a pull-up jumper and dunking in the second quarter, things started to change for him.

“I told him at shootaround this morning, I said, ‘We got to get you going early,’ and you see what happened,” Spurs guard Blake Wesley said. “He had 27 tonight. When he gets going, he gets on fire.”

Wemby seems ready and prepared for the NBA season when it kicks off in late October, as he is just focusing on basketball for the three months prior to training camp, which is slated to start in early October.

“Like this past month, I think basketball wasn’t even 50% of my schedule,” Wembanyama said. “I can’t stand it. I know it’s a special moment in my life, but I’m just glad it’s over honestly. I just want to hoop, workout, and lift.”

“I just know that as I’m not playing in the World Cup,” Wembanyama added, “I’ve got two to three months – two to three great months – that are coming up and they’re going to change my life.”

Just playing 54 minutes in two games, Wemby had an up-and-down summer. However, it was enough for the Spurs to see him in action and to decide to sit the young superstar.

Wemby will get a much-needed break, as the French phenom has been out and about for the past year. The 19-year-old was in the French playoffs up until a few days before the draft in June, to then follow up with the Summer League.

This isn’t even mentioning the weird altercation between Wemby’s security and Britney Spears prior to his debut, as Spears tried to congratulate him at the ARIA hotel and casino in Vegas. She attempted to gesture by touching his shoulder before Wemby’s bodyguards intervened. This unusual situation led to the filing of an official police report and the former top NBA pick has been in the headlines ever since.

That is no surprise he’s been in the spotlight, as Wemby was scouted early on and was labeled as the next big thing for the NBA, even bigger than normal big men at the center position. This will likely continue into the regular season, as eyes will be on him and his connection with Pop.

His development will be key early on, as Wemby recently spoke about his head coach. “I could follow him with my eyes closed,” he said, along with other lines of optimism about him and Pop working together before the season starts.

This could be a special connection Spurs fans will want to witness on the court over the next few years, as San Antonio has missed the last four playoffs and will need to make some sort of progress that results in wins, despite having one of the younger teams in the NBA.

San Antonio will keep their 74-year-old Hall of Famer – Gregg Popovich signed to a deal to remain as the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Spurs. Pop is now the highest-paid NBA head coach, as he resets the coaching market with his five-year extension worth $80 million.

This new deal will likely not play out fully with Pop as a coach over the five seasons, but it could likely end with him in the front office as the president of basketball operations, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

But according to sources close to Pop, they say he has been “re-energized” the past few years with a rebuilding Spurs team currently. Now coaching with more of a developmental focus with a core consisting of younger players than before, Pop can get back to the kind of “hands-on, player development” by teaching the game kind of coaching he prefers rather than a contending team with star players with experience but troublesome egos at times.

The former five-time champion is considered one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time and will now get to shape French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the former top pick in this past NBA draft. Now with the star rookie at hand, Pop should be feeling like a brand new self on the sidelines for at least a couple more years before he decides to hang it up as the oldest coach with the longest tenure in the NBA currently.

Now with the 19-year-old superstar rookie center, along with a young core of power forward Jeremy Sochan, shooting guard Devin Vassell, small forward Keldon Johnson, and point guard Tre Jones, Pop will have his work cut out for him. All under 23, this core will be able to develop together under Pop’s tutelage, as the Spurs went 22-60 last season tied for the second-worst record in the NBA.

Although this team is nowhere near close to contending, at least there is hope with the youth they have and the talent San Antonio possesses should pay dividends on the court for Pop in the future.

Celtics forward Grant Williams is heading to the Mavericks in a three-way trade between the two teams and the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics received three second-round picks in the deal.

Williams has spent all four of his seasons in the NBA playing for the Celtics, serving as a key big man off the bench for teams that lacked size. After Boston acquired center Kristaps Porzingis in another three-team trade earlier this offseason, Williams became a key trade piece as the team began a refreshed hunt for a championship. The team likely expects the core of Porzingis, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to compete without the need for another presence in the paint.

The former Celtics forward will join a Mavericks team that is currently in flux. Though Luka Doncic remains a consistent force, Dallas seems torn as it considers options for Kyrie Irving, the controversial star who joined the team during the 2022-23 season. The Mavericks missed the playoffs despite his contributions.

Williams could serve a similar role in Dallas that he did in Boston for four seasons, providing physicality in the paint on both ends for a team that largely depends on shots from beyond the arc. Though he won’t launch the team into contention for a championship, the team is already a legitimate contender with Doncic on the payroll and may only need a few more supporting pieces. Williams has improved in each of his four seasons in the league and scored 8.1 points per game with 4.6 rebounds last year.

Before he began his career in Boston, Williams played three seasons at the University of Tennessee, where he was a first-team All-American and consensus SEC Player of the Year in 2019. As a key member of the Volunteers, he led the team to two NCAA Tournaments in 2018 and 2019. He was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

In Thursday night’s 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select the 7’5″ French star Victor Wembanyama as the number one overall pick.

The 19-year-old with an eight-foot wingspan will join the likes of Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Malaki Branham.

The future for San Antonio basketball is here with power forwards Wemby and Sochan, the 6’8″ 20-year-old hailing from Poland. The ninth overall pick in last year’s NBA draft averaged 11 points and around five rebounds in 56 games. This Spurs team last season already relied heavily on their youthful core, as their top five scorers in total points were all 25 years old or younger. Under president and head coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have 28 draft picks over the next six seasons, including 11 first-rounders. Here is Popovich making the phone call on draft night to Wembanyam.

San Antonio has hit big historically when they had the first overall pick in the draft, going all the way back to 1987 with David Robinson, their first ever number one overall pick, as he went out to win two NBA titles and NBA MVP in 1995. Robinson also won Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 and is a former 10-time All-NBA and All-Star selection. 1997’s Tim Duncan exceeded expectations even for a former number one overall pick, as he played till 2016 and is a former three-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time NBA MVP, and 15-time All-NBA and All-Star selection.

Despite not having an official head coach at the moment, the Spurs expect Pop to return as the coach for the next NBA season under a new deal, as the three-year he signed in 2019 has expired. But any retirement rumors may be put to rest for now with the selection of the French phenom, as he said Wembanyama will play for the Spurs in the summer league starting July 3 but that he didn’t know to what extent.

“As I said before, I’ve only spoken with him on the phone a couple of times, so I got to get a better feel for where his head is at,” Popovich said. “Talked to his people who’ve trained him his whole life. They’ve been with our people, and we’ve got to make those decisions once we’re all together. But he’ll be there at some point.”

After making the selection, Pop gave praise to Wembanyama’s parents for how they have raised him to handle the pressure of being a highly touted prospect expected to deliver in the pros.

“He’s got a great disposition, a good combination of intellectual ability and an emotional intelligence at the same time,” Popovich said. “He understands what hype is. He understands all the attention he’s getting, but he still welcomes it, and deals with it. … So I think he understands that there’s a way to handle that responsibility and still let people feel somewhat close to him. So he doesn’t need a lot of advice in that area.”

At the AT&T Center in San Antonio during the draft, Spurs fans were elated with the pick, as Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt was as well when they won the chance to take him first overall by winning the lottery this past May. Wemby made a statement to the fans and commented on their reaction to him being drafted to their team.

“I need to see footage of this,” Wembanyama said. “My message to them is I’m going to give 100 percent, make all that’s in my power to make this franchise win, to have an impact on the franchise and the fan base and the community.”

San Antonio didn’t make it a quick decision, however, as they used up all five minutes they had on the clock before turning in the card. Wembanyama called it the “longest five minutes” of his life.

“This is when I started getting the butterflies, and it’s where I started seeing my family get silent,” the 19-year-old French superstar said. “Everyone watching their watch. Then I got called, and I went to the back. I was congratulated by a lot of people there. I saw Adam Silver, shook his hand again, and gave him a hug.”

The Wembanyama era with the Spurs has now kicked off, as he is considered by many to be a generational player, a fluid shooter with his size that also has the range to defend and play above the rim.

“I can’t really describe it,” the Wembanyama told ESPN reporters following the pick. “One of the best feelings of my life. Probably the best night of my life. I’ve been dreaming about this for so long. It’s a dream come true. It’s incredible.”

San Antonio general manager Brian Wright said after the draft that Wembanyama’s name garnered interest from their international scouts when he was 15. Since then, the Spurs and essentially all other NBA teams around the league have followed his career path up to this point.

“You start hearing of this young player with tremendous talent, tremendous size, and so we started to see him, some of us maybe when he was 16, 17,” Wright said. “He always played up, and so the rumors of him had spread, and obviously as we all go see him, we saw the unique talent that he was.”

Wemby averaged 20.7 points, around ten rebounds, and three blocks per game in the French LNB Pro A League during the regular season. He led the league in all three categories and was named the league’s MVP, taking his Metropolitans 92 squad to the French league finals.

Wright followed up and stated this about Wembanyama’s growth as a player: “But you look over the course of that time period, just how he’s grown and developed as a player to now leading his team to the championship of the French league and that’s no easy task. That’s one of the best leagues in the world, and he did that carrying that team on his shoulder. So his evolution has been fun to watch.”

Wemby also showed out in two national exhibition games back in October, as his team took on the G League Ignite, scoring 37 points and 36 points in back-to-back games. The Ignite were led by third overall pick Scoot Henderson, who was selected by the Portland Trailblazers in this past NBA draft.

Wemby now plays with the winningest coach in NBA history, despite Pop and the Spurs not having winning seasons the last four years. Going 22-60 last season gave San Antonio a 14% chance of winning the lottery to award them the highly touted power forward. Under Pop, the Spurs made 22 consecutive trips to the playoffs from 1998 to 2019, which is tied for the longest such streak in NBA history. But San Antonio’s record has been less than stellar, going under 0.500 each season since the 2018- 2019 season.

On lottery night, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst that Wembanyama was “trying to win a ring ASAP.” After the draft, he tempered his expectations by saying this:

“Some players have tried to win the championship, win a ring for years, and haven’t made it. I don’t want to be one of those,” Wembanyama said. “My goal is going to be to get closer and closer every time to the ring and to learn how to make it.”

Pop acknowledges that even more eyes are now going to be on him and the comparisons people are going to make for a well-regarded prospect, stating “he will have a target on his back and has to be himself and not anyone else – not LeBron James, not Kobe Bryant and not Duncan.”

“He’s Victor, and that’s who we want him to be,” Popovich said.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas confirmed Friday that it was investigating allegations concerning former San Antonio Spurs player Josh Primo. Former team psychologist Hillary Cauthen filed a lawsuit against the organization and Primo on Wednesday. Cauthen is claiming that the former player exposed himself during private meetings on nine occasions and that the team did nothing to stop the behavior.

In the past week, Primo has been released from the Spurs and sued by Cauthen and attorney Tony Buzbee, who has previously defended accusers of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Now, he will face a criminal probe for his alleged actions.

When the Spurs waived Primo on Oct. 28, they did not reveal any details about his actions off the court. In a statement at the time, Primo said that he was taking the opportunity to focus on “previous trauma” and his “mental health.”

His attorney, William J. Biggs II, has vehemently denied accusations, stating that Primo was being “victimized” by Cauthen, “who is playing to ugly stereotypes and racially charged fears for her own financial benefit.”

Cauthen’s lawsuit revolves around what she claims was consistent sexual harassment from Primo, behavior that “went unchecked by the organization’s leadership for many months.” The team-appointed psychologist reportedly met with GM Brian Wright in March, two months after she first requested a meeting. At the time, the suit claims that Wright told her that the team would “develop a plan with regard to Primo for the remainder of the season.”

Cauthen was later asked to meet with Primo again, where he allegedly “exposed his penis,” leading her to abruptly end the session. She was also allegedly told by the team that Head Coach Gregg Popovich was aware of the situation and wanted to handle it.

But according to Buzbee, who also defended accusers of quarterback Deshaun Watson, there is little evidence to suggest that Popovich was ever informed. The coach has not commented on the issue.

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired injured veteran Joe Ingles from the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team deal Wednesday that also included the Spurs.

The Blazers also received Elijah Hughes and a second-round pick from the Jazz, who got Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Blazers and Juancho Hernangomez from the Spurs.

Portland gave away Tomas Satoransky to San Antonio, which also got a 2027 draft pick from Utah.

Ingles’ $13 million contract expires after the season; he tore his left ACL last month. Ingles played 45 games this season—his eighth in the league—with the Jazz, averaging 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

“Today hurts … I knew it was a possibility but didn’t want to believe it, we have been lucky to call this place home for 8 years! I got a lot more to say, but I’m going to have a beer & relax with some good friends. Go get a win fellas! I’ll always be watching,” Ingles said on Twitter.

Hughes, in his second season, averaged 3.1 points in 14 games for the Jazz this season. Alexander-Walker and Satoransky were traded to Portland a day earlier in the deal that sent longtime Blazers guard CJ McCollum to New Orleans.

In addition to McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell were also dealt to New Orleans in exchange for Josh Hart, Satoransky, Alexander-Walker, Didi Louzada, and draft picks.

Alexander-Walker has struggled to find consistency in his first three seasons in the league, and he’s averaging 12.8 points this season. Satoransky played in 32 games for the Pelicans this season, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 assists in 15 minutes a game.

A three-team deal with the Spurs and Nuggets will see the Celtics take a chance on injured center Bol Bol while also shedding salary.

The deal will bring Bol, 22, and PJ Dozier to Boston, with the C’s shipping Juancho Hernangomez to San Antonio and Denver receiving Bryn Forbes from the Spurs.

Hernangomez, barely seeing any playing time with the Celtics, will take his nearly $7 million salary with him, saving the team $4.3 million.

Seven-foot-two with a 7-foot-8 wingspan, Bol is set to have surgery on his injured foot and will be out for the next few months; he had been traded by Denver to Detroit recently, but the deal was voided after he failed a physical.

He has a chance to return at the end of the season, but there’s no guarantee. He’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Dozier, 25, has been out indefinitely (ACL tear) since late November; he previously played for Boston on a two-way contract during the 2018-19 season.

The moves won’t help the current Celtics team (23-22, 10th place in the Eastern Conference), but it does save them some salary.

Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins has agreed to a five-year, $125 million deal to stay with the team.

Collins is coming off a season where he averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for a Hawks team that made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals before being eliminated in six games by the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.

He had turned down an extension worth approximately $90 million before the start of the 2020-21 season in an attempt to earn more the following summer in restricted free agency.

He was expected to get offers from several teams, with the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs showing significant interest. Once those three teams used their cap space elsewhere, the path was cleared for Collins to return to the team that drafted him with the 19th overall pick back in 2017, who improved their original offer after his contributions towards one of the best seasons in franchise history.

Kawhi Leonard declined his $36 million player option for the 2021-22 season. However, the two-time Finals MVP has reportedly decided to re-sign with the L.A. Clippers, with the terms of the deal being hashed out.

Before this past season, Leonard was non-committal about his plans in free agency. “Not saying I’m going anywhere else or staying here, but I’m just focused on the season,” he told reporters. “Obviously, if I’m healthy, the best decision is to decline the player option, but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving or staying.” 

Leonard is coming off another stellar year during which he was named an All-Star for the fifth time and averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and a career-high 5.2 assists per game in the regular season. Unfortunately, his season came to an unexpected end in the playoffs after he partially tore his ACL in Game 4 of L.A,’s second-round series against the Utah Jazz. L.A. won the next two games to advance to its first-ever Western Conference Finals, only to lose to the Phoenix Suns in six games.

The Clippers announced that Leonard had successful surgery to repair the torn ACL on July 13, but there is still no timetable for the return of the two-time Finals MVP.

Ben Simmons is coming off a historically bad playoff run, but the three-time All-Star is still a worthwhile prospect – at least for some teams. Below are some possible spots Simmons could fit in well with, despite his five-year, $177 million contract.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

In this theoretical deal, the 76ers would deal Simmons in exchange for a first-round pick and newly acquired Kemba Walker. Walker already doesn’t fit in OKC’s schematics, and Simmons’ creator playstyle along with his size makes him a nice fit in the Thunder’s frontcourt. Walker would also provide Philadelphia with a three-point threat, something they sorely lack with Simmons on the court.

2. Indiana Pacers

The Sixers could deal Simmons in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren. The Pacers need a mix-up on their roster, as they have exited in the first round of the playoffs every year since 2016. Additionally, they lack a robust defensive presence on the perimeter. Simmons would fill in nicely here, providing lockdown defense and filling in where Brogdon normally fits in on the offensive side of the ball. Philadelphia would greatly benefit from Brogdon’s free-throw shooting and his ability to shoot the deep ball.

3. Portland Trail Blazers

Philadelphia could turn to the Trail Blazers for a trading partner and give up Simmons in exchange for CJ McCollum. Portland is in desperate need of a rebuild and a new identity. A defensive-minded Simmons could help shake up the Trail Blazers. McCollum would no longer be the scoring threat he is with Portland, but he can be an assist man when necessary, which is exactly how he would be used on the Sixers. Not to mention, McCollum shoots the three better than most players in the league.

4. Chicago Bulls

In order to get Chicago interested in a trade, Philadelphia would need to give up both Simmons and a 2022 first-round pick. In exchange, the 76ers would receive Zach LaVine and Tomáš Satoranský. Simmons would pair perfectly with Colby White on the defensive side of the ball, while also providing a big man presence from a player who has the agility of a guard. For Philadelphia, LaVine provides permitter offense. Pairing him with perennial All-Star Joel Embiid would make for a killer combination.

5. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors would receive Simmons but would be forced to deal picks from 2022 and 2023, as well as Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins would benefit from not having to be the number two option on offense and would be a solid wing defender when needed. On the other side of the trade, a duo of Simmons and Draymond Green would be terrifying for Western Conference opponents. Simmons playing with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson would also alleviate pressure on Simmons to shoot the three-point shot, which could open up other offensive opportunities.

6. San Antonio Spurs

The final trade scenario would have Simmons shipped to the Spurs in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Lonnie Walker IV and a 2022 first-round draft pick. DeRozan would give Philadelphia deeply-needed scoring, alleviating some of the burden normally carried by Embiid. He could also be an assist man, which he has proven capable of during his time with the Spurs. Walker would be a fantastic addition by providing scoring off the bench, which would deepen the weapons Philadelphia has available. For San Antonio, Simmons would give a younger presence on the court, and provide a defensive presence sorely lacking in the Spurs’ starting five.