League sources continue to pinpoint Charlotte's Brandon Miller as the top contender to join a club that, to this point, features only Wallace, San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama, Utah's Keyonte George, Golden State's Brandin Podziemski and twins Amen Thompson (Houston) and Ausar Thompson (Detroit).
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: League sources continue to pinpoint Charlotte's …

#sources #wallace

With eight different teams the winners over the past eight seasons, it is hard to predict who takes home the NBA's Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.
If there is to be a ninth different name in as many seasons, you might look to San Antonio Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama leading the team to the Finals last season before coming unstuck against the New York Knicks.
Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers off-season moves to acquire Jaylen Brown and sign the NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James is an attractive pick, or perhaps the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As the season tips off, the first British-born coach in the NBA, Tim Lewis will be hoping he can ******* ist Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves to their first NBA ******* le.
Lewis has been something of a journeyman in basketball.

#seasons

Showing off his jewelry to Jared McCain, Aday Mara is hoping to add more championship rings in the future. Reading the room across the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder realized they needed serious size in the frontcourt to keep up.
You come to that realization when you see Victor Wembanyama beat you in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. The 22-year-old has arrived. He'll keep the San Antonio Spurs in the ***** le picture for the foreseeable future. Which directly conflicts with the Thunder and their ambitions.
In comes Mara. The Thunder drafted the 7-foot-3 giant with the No. 12 pick of the 2026 NBA draft. They hope he can strengthen their frontcourt depth for the foreseeable future and possibly be Chet Holmgren's running mate for the rest of the contending window.
Before we find out the answers to those valuable questions, though, Mara earned some well-deserved reflection on his collegiate journey. He showed off his rings on a recent social media post. After two so-so years at UCLA, his decision to transfer to Michigan completely changed his life for the better. He helped the Wolverines capture the 2026 national championship.
Michigan went a dominant 37-3 in the 2025-26 season. Mara's breakout helped with that. It had a three-headed frontcourt monster — alongside Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. All three went in the lottery range of the 2026 NBA draft. And head coach Dusty Mays joined the Dallas Mavericks in a rare college-to-NBA job promotion.

#michigan

Charles Barkley, a former NBA player, believes the San Antonio Spurs have a promising future. The Spurs already have Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 superstar who is at the center of the team's foundation. They also have De'Aaron Fox, a promising backcourt star veteran. In the franchise's recent postseason run, however, two youngsters took the spotlight.
Along with Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper demonstrated that they can contribute to the Spurs' promising future. During San Antonio's playoff run, Castle averaged 18.2 points, the second-most points on the team. Harper, meanwhile, averaged 14.1 points per game, the most from a player off the bench.
Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; NBA TV ***** yst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Charles Barkley issued a stern warning to other NBA backcourt players regarding their postseason performance during his recent appearance on "The Bill Simmons Show". Barkley also compared the Spurs' young guards to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Those two guards, I don't want to see them for the next 10 years if I'm a guard in the NBA," Barkley said. "Harper and Castle, if I'm a guard in the NBA, I do not want to see them boys for the next 10 years. They're gonna be the new Steph and Klay."

#SPURS #charles #castle #points

Victor Wembanyama has a gargantuan task ahead of him as he looks to bring the San Antonio Spurs back to basketball glory. He is entering his fourth season, and so far, he has done a good job.
Most recently, he willed the Spurs to an NBA Finals appearance, although they ultimately lost to the New York Knicks. The 2026 season marked the first time since 2019 that the Spurs made the playoffs, and they went all the way to the NBA Finals.
On a personal level, expectations are also high. Many believe Wembanyama can go down as one of the best players ever to grace the NBA. So far, he is exceeding the lofty standards set for him. He won the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year award unanimously and was named to the All-NBA First Team. He also came close to winning the Most Valuable Player award.
All eyes are on Wemby as he steps into greatness.
A member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team is also closely watching his development, believing the French star is carrying the torch for the next generation.

#wembanyama #team #award

Victor Wembanyama gets a big shout-out from French UFC fighter Ciryl Gane originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Over the past decade, it has become clear that basketball is one of the biggest sports in the world. The rise of international players is a testament to this because there has not been an American regular-season MVP since James Harden's MVP in 2018.
Players like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been dominant as non-American players. However, it seems San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is ready to carry the torch moving forward as the best player to come out of France, a country that's well-known for producing some elite athletes.
As the current UFC interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane knows what it's like to succeed. He is, in fact, a two-time holder of that **** le, so he is quite successful in his mixed martial arts career. The orthodox heavyweight striker stands out in the UFC with his natural talent and light feet despite being a 6'4" fighter.
Just like Gane, Wembanyama shares some traits with his fellow Frenchman. Being a giant who can move light on their feet is certainly a good trait to have, but it matters the most in a sport like basketball.

#ciryl #fighter

Nikola Jokić does not do empty optimism. So when the three-time MVP was asked about the Denver Nuggets' decision to trade Peyton Watson and offered a calm ****** sment of the team's future, it carried more weight than the usual offseason platitudes.
After leading Serbia past Victor Wembanyama and France in a FIBA World Cup qualifier, Jokić addressed the multi-team sign-and-trade that sent Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I'm happy for Peyton," he said. "He deserved it. We will miss his energy and skill. I don't think about the season yet; we have to play this, but it's gonna be okay."

#joki #peyton #serbia

In an interview for Sports Illustrated, the retired former NBA superstar revealed that he actively rooted for the Knicks to win the championship. "I kind of had them winning the entire time," Rose admitted. "My son is a Jalen [Brunson] fan. So he was cheering for them the whole playoffs. I called Rick [Brunson] right before they got to the Finals and told him that they was going to play against Wemby [Victor Wembanyama] now. And if they was going to play against them, that they was going to win."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Derrick Rose on Knicks' ******* le: I had them winning the entire time

#sports

For the third year in a row, Yahoo Sports is simulating a full NBA season in the latest entry in the NBA 2K franchise — NBA 2K27.
Last year's simulation proved to be shockingly accurate. Not only did NBA 2K26 predict the Knicks to win the NBA Finals and Jalen Brunson to be named NBA Finals MVP, it also nailed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's repeat bid for MVP, Victor Wembanyama's Defensive Player of the Year nod and Cooper Flagg's Rookie of the Year victory. It even had the Wizards as the league's worst team, albeit with half of the wins the real-life version managed to muster.
All things considered, it was safe to say one of the best simulation video game experiences on the market walked the walk.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
For those new to this series, here are the rules: We select one team, at random (Miami Heat) and run through a MyEras season with CPU trade offers turned off, with G-League, scouting and rotational decisions set to automatic. The simulation is halted to record the NBA Cup winner, at the end of the regular season and before the NBA Finals.

#season #simulation #league #jalen

When the 2025-26 Spurs season tipped off last fall, ***** ody knew who the Jackals were. But that all changed over the following months as the Victor Wembanyama-founded fan section went viral for their over-the-top energy, hilarious signs and memorable moments. This season will be no different, except for the fact that everyone knows who they are - and everyone wants in.
But not everyone will be allowed in the Frost Bank Center's sections 114 and 115 for the 2026-27 season, the Jackals said on social media. Auditions for the upcoming season, which will take place on September 19 and add 100 members, require an 18+ age limit. The sign-up form on the Spurs website requires Jackal hopefuls to check a box affirming they are 18 or older before they can RSVP for auditions.
One social media user asked the fan section on X what was behind the decision to "raise the age limit and force kids out of the program? Just don't quite understand that."
"It was a tough choice for sure, we love our kid Jackals, but as the Jackals have and will continue to grow, the atmosphere will become more intense, with constant standing, chanting, and coordinated movement and support," the fan club explained in a post on X. "After evaluating the past season, we feel an 18+ environment is the best fit for the direction of the section."
Not everyone seems to be happy with that change. Paul Salazar, who was an inaugural Jackal along with his son, said on Instagram that he felt "that PJ was one of the Best Jackals that showed up every night and gave it his all! never complaining about standing not one time!"

#best #Media

The San Antonio Spurs' most boisterous fan section is getting bigger next season, but younger fans won't be part of the pack.
The Spurs Jackals will require members to be at least 18 years old for the 2026-27 season, a change that has prompted debate online over whether children should be excluded from the supporter group.
Founded with the help of Spurs star Victor Wembanyama ahead of the 2025-26 season, the Jackals are expanding their "Lair" across Sections 114 and 115 at Frost Bank Center and adding 100 members. Auditions for new members are scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 19.
The new age requirement has drawn criticism from some fans online.
"Bad call imo. Spurs are a family franchise," one fan wrote on X. "The super-fan section should reflect that."

#season #section #antonio #founded

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama played his first game as captain, leading France to a dominant 92-67 win over Slovenia in the ongoing FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers. He finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and five three-pointers on 6-for-10 shooting from the field in under 22 minutes of action.
During his postgame interview with L'Equipe, Wembanyama didn't want all the credit. So, the San Antonio Spurs center paid homage to his frontcourt partner, Rudy Gobert, who had nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks on 9-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) walks back up the court during the fourth quarter during game one against the New York Knicks of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
"Everything depends on the circumstances. At halftime, we had almost the same score as we did against Serbia in the friendly game. We made mistakes in the previous game that we didn't repeat today. It wasn't perfect. You have to know how to find the right words depending on the context," Wembanyama said.
"That's normal," he added about his improving chemistry with Gobert. "That's the only direction it's supposed to go. I hope to share the court with him for a long time, for years. It's good. It's a step forward. We're working."

#antonio #points

Victor Wembanyama made a sensational return to the FIBA world stage Thursday, scoring 22 points in 21 minutes as Team France trounced Slovenia 92-67 in World Cup qualifying action.
For the 22-year-old Spurs superstar, recently minted as the French captain, it marked his first international game that counted since the Les Bleus took a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Wembanyama was a mixed bag in a pair of friendly contests against Nikola Jokic and the Serbian team last week. On Thursday, playing before a partisan home crowd at Bercy Arena in Paris, Wembanyama looked more like his All-World self.
In addition to several highlight reel plays, Wembanyama added nine rebounds as the French squad cruised to victory over a Slovenia team missing its top player in Luka Doncic. The Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star has opted to sit out this round of qualifying games due to family reasons.
With the win, the French continued their march toward next year's World Cup in Qatar. Les Bleus are 6-1 and in first place of Group L, with their next game coming Sunday against Sweden in Stockholm.

#Paris #qualifying

Seven weeks ago, Victor Wembanyama did his franchise a favor. The 22-year-old center and the Spurs agreed to a massive five-year contract extension, albeit one that will pay him about $50 million less than he might have received if he sought the largest contract allowed by the NBA.
The significance of that discount can be hard to process. After all, to a hard-working stiff, the gap between making $252 million and $303 million is a lot like the gap between taking a rocket ship to the moon and one to Mars. Most of us recognize there's a difference, but we'll never come close to experiencing it firsthand.
In the realm of NBA team-building, though, salary-cap savings of $10 million per year can turn losses into victories. Theoretically, signing Wembanyama at that lower price point could enable the Spurs to add an extra veteran once extensions for Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper kick in. It might allow them to keep De'Aaron Fox an extra year.
And if the Spurs play their cards right? Playoff trips that might otherwise have ended in the conference semifinals in 2028, 2029 or 2030 might turn into league championships, all because they had a little more flexibility to operate under the NBA's punitive luxury-tax aprons.
So it's possible to see how Wembanyama's sacrifice might pay off. In fact, they just lost in the NBA Finals to a New York Knicks team that benefited from a similar contract discount by their star player, Jalen Brunson.

#year #SPURS #contract #wembanyama

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle & Dylan Harper listed as early frontrunners for major NBA awards originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dynasties don't just appear out of nowhere in the NBA. They are built over years of front-office hiring, coaching staff revamps, offseason acquisitions, strong drafting, and player development. This is exactly what the San Antonio Spurs did. For the 2026-27 NBA season, every member of their organization will be awarded. ESPN projects Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and even Coach Mitch Johnson as frontrunners for major awards.
ESPN just unveiled its Summer Forecast, and a lot of Spurs are expected to take home hardware in major NBA awards. Let's break them down, starting with Stephon Castle. Projections posit that the incoming third-year player will become the frontrunner for the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award.
1. Stephon Castle
34 points

#castle #major #dylan #harper

Spurs' Dylan Harper predicted to make James Harden-like leap & win NBA 6MOTY originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Antonio Spurs dynasty is largely built on big men, yes. David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Victor Wembanyama are all astounding leaders who are capable of winning the biggest awards. On the other hand, they also have a great supporting cast that helps them chase 60 wins or more and deep postseason runs. This is where legends like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili come in. Dylan Harper is on that similar trajectory. ESPN even boldly predicts that he will become a frontrunner for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, all while he is expected to emulate a jump like that of James Harden.
Dylan Harper was a revelation for the Spurs during their postseason run en route to the NBA Finals. He may have finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, but his invaluable numbers helped Coach Mitch Johnson's squad stay afloat when Victor Wembanyama looked wonky. His postseason numbers saw him average 11.8 points on a 50.5% field goal percentage while racking up 3.4 rebounds, 3.9 ***** ists, and 0.8 steals.
The 2026-27 NBA season is set to be a big year for Harper. Heading into Year 2 of his career, ESPN projects that he will become a frontrunner for the NBA 6MOTY award.
1. Alex Caruso

#sporting

Even with their offseason changes, most expect the Oklahoma City Thunder to remain in the thick of the ***** le race. They enter the 2026-27 season as co-title favorites — alongside the San Antonio Spurs. Now, add ESPN's projections as the latest fan of that theory.
In a poll of NBA insiders, ESPN's Summer Forecast has the Thunder in second place in the 2026-27 Western Conference standings with a 60-22 record. The Spurs are ahead in first place with a 62-20 record. Both also serve as the league's best overall records.
"Just when you thought Oklahoma City might strengthen its hold on the West, Wembanyama and the upstart Spurs embarked on a surprising run to the NBA Finals and knocked off the defending champions along the way," ESPN wrote. "This rivalry has been brewing for years, but it ramped up last season. Including the NBA Cup, the regular season and the playoffs, the Spurs and the Thunder met 12 times last season, with the former seizing eight victories."
I think that's a fair prediction to make. The Thunder lost some of their depth this summer. They sent out Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins in cost-cutting trades. Meanwhile, the back of their bench is filled with question marks. Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz are virtually unknown.
Even if they're not as deep as years before, if the Thunder enjoy better health luck, they'll be in the running for the first seed for a fourth consecutive year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are one of the top trios in the league — with one championship ring already in hand.

#oklahoma #place

Ralph Sampson is kind of overlooked, if not forgotten today, but he was sort of the original Wemby, minus the three-point shooting, and he was a much better athlete than Victor Wembanyama is.
At Virginia, the 7-4 Sampson was a revelation. He was very thin, but was immediately dominant in the ACC, and he made Virginia a very tough out.
He made a great impression on many people, including a young Michael Jordan. Jordan was recruited by Duke, NC State and UNC, where he of course ended up, but at one point, Jordan very much wanted to team up with Sampson at Virginia.
For whatever reason, then-coach Terry Holland didn't make a big push. In fairness, Jordan was a late bloomer who was famously cut as a high school sophomore. People knew he was special by the end of his junior year, but by then it was probably too late for Virginia.
For a moment though, imagine what might have been. UNC won a **** le during his freshman year. With Sampson and Jordan, Virginia might have won two or three, and arguably could have pulled off an undefeated season or two.

#virginia #people

When the Olympics come to Los Angeles in 2028, the USA taking home a gold medal in men's basketball is far from a sure thing — the world is catching up fast with the five-time reigning gold medal winners.
The two biggest threats to take that gold away from the USA are France, led by Victor Wembanyama, and Serbia, led by Nikola Jokic. Those two countries met Thursday in a friendly prep game for upcoming World Cup qualifying, and Jokic put on a show with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight ****** ists to lead Serbia to the 90-87 win.
Wembanyama had a tougher time, scoring 10 points, shooting 1-of-6 from 3-point range, but he had his moments as well.
After the game, Jokic had the highest of praise for Wembanyama.
"He is a special opponent because he is unique as a player and as a person. I don't see him as a rival, and I don't take this personally," Jokic said to the media, via Eurohoops.net. "He has the opportunity to be the most unique basketball player we've ever seen – to be the best ever."

#serbia #World #time #take

Jaylen Brown is focused on settling into his new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, but the legacy he built with the Boston Celtics will not be forgotten.
His final season in Boston was the best of his career statistically, but he was heavily overlooked in the MVP race, which even Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady found surprising.
McGrady is triggered by the MVP voters, as Brown produced the best statistical season of his career last season and carried Boston while Jayson Tatum missed significant time. However, Brown ultimately finished sixth in MVP voting even after cementing himself as one of the NBA's elite two-way players.
Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 ****** ists per game during the regular season. However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claimed the MVP award, Nikola Jokić finished as the runner-up, and Victor Wembanyama was among the finalists, leaving Brown out of serious MVP consideration.
McGrady said he was frustrated by the lack of recognition Brown received from MVP voters.

#brown #season #mcgrady #even

Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney is one of the players that the Nets could sign to an contract extension if the franchise was inclined to keep him in the fold moving forward. When it comes to Brooklyn and how they approach the rest of its rebuild, every decision has to be weighed against what could be so it's fair to wonder if the Nets should extend Clowney.
Keith Smith of Spotrac recently put together a primer of every player that's eligible for an extension this offseason, broken into different aspects of how someone could be extended and when. For someone like Clowney, he is one of 22 players from the 2023 NBA Draft class that is eligible for rookie-scale extensions after San Antonio forward Victor Wembanyama signed his earlier this summer.
"Over the years, Brooklyn has taken care of some of their own drafted-and-developed players, while others haven't been extended. Clowney may be more in the latter camp, like Day'Ron Sharpe was before him," Smith wrote on Clowney earlier this summer when giving his prediction. Granted, Sharpe was re-signed by Brooklyn this offseason on a two-year, $20 million deal so it's fair to wonder if the Nets will go the same way with Clowney.
"The challenge for Clowney is that the rim-protecting, stretch-big archetype is still there, but it's also still unrealized," Smith continued with his prediction. "If he had shown just a bit more consistency on both ends, an extension might have come. As it is, the Nets will continue to prioritize flexibility and let things play out to restricted free agency in 2027."
Smith predicted earlier in the summer that Clowney would not be signed to his rookie-scale extension, but that doesn't mean that his future with Brooklyn ends after this season if an extension is not reached. Clowney, 22, is coming off the best season of his three-year career as he averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 ***** ists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from behind the three-point line last season for the Nets.

#Nets

NBA 2K27, the latest installment in the popular video game franchise, is scheduled to be released on Sept. 4, with some people getting early access starting on Aug. 28. With a few weeks to go before it becomes available, some of its player ratings are being leaked.
Walker Kessler, the Lakers' new starting center, is considered an elite shot-blocker and rebounder, and he should considerably help the team in both categories right away. In NBA 2K27, he is rated as the ninth-best shot blocker with a rating of 93 in that category. San Antonio Spurs superstar center Victor Wembanyama is first in that department with a 99 rating.
Overall, however, Kessler only has an overall rating of 81, which ranks 100th overall among all players.
A few fans on X (formerly Twitter) felt Kessler should have been rated a bit higher.
The 25-year-old has career averages of 9.5 points on 68.1% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game. He has never been a big offensive threat other than converting on lob passes and offensive rebounds grabbed near the rim, but in the five games he played last season, he showed very early signs of adding a 3-point shot by hitting six of eight attempts from that range.

#shot #center #blocker

Sometimes, when we get an unrelated cameo on Hard Knocks, it's a juicy little tidbit that is sure to spark some unintended conversation. That's exactly what might happen with a clip from the latest episode featuring San Antonio Spurs general manager Brian Wright and head coach Mitch Johnson chatting with Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald.
The discussion concerns Wright and Johnson expanding on the Spurs' initial process in trying to get young phenom Victor Wembanyama onto their team. Wright and Johnson claimed that the Spurs knew Wembanyama would be special when they saw him at age 16. From there, they put a "plan in motion" to "turn the team over" about a year later in an effort to put themselves in as good a position as possible to draft Wembanyama.
Hmm, turn the team over? You mean ... make the Spurs worse for draft lottery odds? The Spurs notably had a paltry 22-60 record in the season they earned the No. 1 overall pick that allowed them to draft Wembanyama. If I didn't know any better, that sure sounds like ... what amounts to tanking! I don't think the NBA would retroactively punish the Spurs for this, even in light of a reformed anti-tanking draft lottery plan.
However, I still can't imagine this is something San Antonio wanted out in the open because of the potential bad optics:
Whatever the truth is here, I'm sure that franchises like the Spurs are so grateful that draft lottery reform came after they were able to position themselves for a new MVP-caliber superstar like Wembanyama.

#SPURS #wright

The NBA announced its Christmas Day slate this morning, and sitting under the tree are some big names in new places like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LaMelo Ball. We've also got a rematch of the NBA Finals with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs heading back to New York to take on Jalen Brunson and the Knicks.
James is at the center of the biggest game of them all, as the Philadelphia 76ers are taking on his former team in the Los Angeles Lakers. It'll be must-see TV as James and Luka Doncic square off after spending the last two seasons together.
With the NBA Christmas Day slate unveiled, let's the rank the games we're most excited to see.
Neither team appears to be a serious ******* le contender in 2026-27, but at least Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry play an aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball. A 10:30 p.m. ET tip-off is a tough ask on Christmas Day, too.
A rematch of the 2025 Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves will be eager to make a Christmas Day statement after losing that series in five games. The addition of LaMelo Ball will give Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a harder time defensively in addition to it being great TV alongside Anthony Edwards.

#james #rematch #addition

Thunder young star Chet Holmgren's future in limbo because of Spurs' Victor Wembanyama's success originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Oklahoma City Thunder did not make the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season. Instead, the San Antonio Spurs knocked off the defending champions in a thrilling series that went all the way to seven games.
The Thunder were stunned that they were unable to make another deep playoff run. However, their center, Chet Holmgren, struggled to make an impact in Game 7.
"To even say Holmgren was passive on Saturday night would be giving him too much credit. He was basically invisible. Of the four shots he took, zero came in the second half. Zero! That is inexcusable for a guy who will start a five-year, $239 million contract next season. A guy who was voted Third Team All-NBA this season," CBS Sports' Brad Botkin wrote.
At the end of the season, Holmgren met with the media to discuss the Spurs series and acknowledged that he underperformed. He did not hold back when discussing his performance.

#thunder #SPURS #season

LeBron James is expected to make his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, at Madison Square Garden, where the Sixers will face the defending champion New York Knicks on the opening night of the 2026 NBA season.
The four-time NBA champion announced his decision to go to Philadelphia in July, signing a two-year, $8 million deal.
"This is my last decision. I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win, and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship," James said in a thread on X on July 24.
"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time."
The 2026 NBA season tips off with a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock, featuring a star-studded lineup. First at 3:00 PM ET, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics face Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then at 7:00 PM, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks receive their championship rings before hosting James, Jaylen Brown, and the 76ers at the Garden. At 9:30 PM, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

#james #want #york

LeBron James is set to headline the NBA's marquee dates after joining the Philadelphia 76ers, starting with an opening night matchup against the New York Knicks followed by a Christmas Day showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The arrival of James has transformed Philadelphia into prime-time viewing, ensuring the team is featured prominently across the league's flagship broadcasts.
His 76ers debut will take place on October 20 at Madison Square Garden against the NBA champion Knicks. The game forms part of an opening night tripleheader that will see New York raise a banner to honor its first championship since 1973, while James begins the final chapter of his basketball career.
New York Knicks are the defending NBA champions (Getty)
On Christmas Day, James will return to Los Angeles to face the Lakers. That matchup is embedded in a five-game slate that opens in New York, where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs feature in an NBA Finals rematch.

#york #Lakers #night #matchup

Now that the NBA Draft, summer league games, trades, and the LeBron James decision to head to the Philadelphia 76ers is over with, the league is releasing its schedule for the 2026-27 season.
Good Morning America and The Today Show both revealed a few key marquee matchups on Tuesday morning. They did not release the entire NBA schedule.
With the NBA having multiple contracts with different companies for television rights, it's important to know which games will air where and who'll play on the marquee parts of the season. Important dates such as Opening Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are typically when the stars get to play one another in a marquee matchups on national television.
Like expected, the reigning champion New York Knicks have much going on in terms showcase games, as does LeBron and the Sixers. Other stars such as Oklahoma Thunder two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, the start of the NBA finalist San Antonio Spurs, will also spend time on the main stage.
Here's what we know about the schedule so far:

#schedule #league

The NBA and NBC are bringing the drama this season right from the opening tip.
The NBA season tips-off on NBC on Oct. 20 with a triple-header that includes LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the new-look Philadelphia 76ers looking to spoil ring night in Madison Square Garden as they face Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the defending champion New York Knicks. Plus, we get a showdown of Western Conference powerhouses San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and it all starts with a showdown of two of the game's brightest stars, Cade Cunningham and Jayson Tatum.
This will be the first time that a network has ever broadcast three NBA Tip-Off games, and all of them can be seen on NBC and streamed on Peacock. The news was announced live on TODAY this morning.
It's a star-studded opening day lineup that includes 10 All-Stars and eight All-NBA players from a season ago. Among the players opening the season are the reigning MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), Finals MVP (Jalen Brunson), Defensive Player of the Year (Victor Wembanyama) and the Coach of the Year (Joe Mazzulla). The official lineup for the opening night triple-header is:
The NBA season on NBC begins with a matinee, a showdown between stars Jayson Tatum and Cade Cunningham, but also a meeting of the East's top two seeds from a season ago — and two teams expected to be near the top of those standings this year. It's a contrast of styles as Boston under Mazzulla will launch as many 3-pointers as any team in the league, while Detroit, with All-Star center Jalen Duren and the slashing-into-the-paint style of Cunningham, tries to dominate inside and work out from there.

#jalen #year #brunson #jayson

Victor Wembanyama's become an instant NBA superstar since making his way to America, but the internet is quickly latching onto "Indian Wemby" after a number of viral clips.
Jagmeet Singh is an internet highlight machine since being discovered as a 14 year old in his native India. However, the young basketball prodigy has NBA hopes after coming to the United States to play and attend school.
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The 7-feet 4-inches Singh is drawing stark comparisons to the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he prepares to enter college basketball in 2027.
India isn't traditionally a country that boasts a lot of basketball talent despite the country's interest in the NBA. Sim Bhullar and Satnam Singh are just two of the success stories that come from the Asian nation over the years.

#singh #since #victor #wemby