International Notes: Oscar Wembanyama, Lee, Hezonja, Francisco, Richman
While his brother Victor has been busy with the NBA Finals, younger brother Oscar Wembanyama has been making a strong impression at Eurocamp, which was held over the weekend, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays.
Currently playing for SIG Strasbourg in France’s Betclic Elite after transitioning from handball in 2021, the 19-year-old forward is looking to improve his prospects for next year’s draft. He displayed impressive perimeter shot-making, transition fluidity, and efficient play, Askounis writes. Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony tweets that the younger Wemby has made dramatic improvements over the past 12-18 months.
Here’s more from around the international basketball world:
- Lithuania’s Zalgiris Kaunas is close to reaching an agreement with former NBA guard Saben Lee on a two-year contract, according to Sportando. Lee began last season with Olympiacos before joining Anadolu Efes, where he appeared in 16 EuroLeague games and averaged 11.2 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per contest. Lee appeared in 134 NBA games, mostly recently with Phoenix during the 2023/24 season.
- Mario Hezonja remains firmly committed to Real Madrid and has no plans to play elsewhere unless an NBA opportunity arises, Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net reports. Hezonja’s current contract runs until 2029 and contains an NBA opt-out clause. Hezonja was named the Most Valuable Player of Spain’s Liga Endesa regular season. He averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game over 31 games.
- Zalgiris point guard Sylvain Francisco, who went undrafted in 2019, is hoping to make the jump to the NBA next season, according to Eurohoops. “The main goal is the NBA. Things can change, but that is the place I want to go,” he said. Francisco averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 assists this season while being named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.
- Ryan Richman, the former Wizards assistant, is the new head coach of Alvark Tokyo in the Japanese B.League Premier, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line tweets. After leaving Washington to lead SeaHorses Mikawa to three-straight playoff appearances, Richman was sought after by numerous teams in Japan and also had a few NBA assistant opportunities before agreeing with Alvark.
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Knicks Notes: Game 3, Egoless Approach, Brunson, Home Game, Brown, Shamet
The Knicks won’t just be fighting the Spurs heading into Game 3 of the Finals — they’ll have to fight off complacency, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post opines.
After winning two road games to put the Spurs in a huge hole, the Knicks can’t afford to ease up despite playing the next two games at home.
“It’s still 0-0 as far as we’re concerned. Being up 2-0 means really nothing,” Josh Hart said. “The Spurs are going to come out on Monday with an unbelievable amount of energy and desperation, and we’ve got to be better.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- On a team filled with high-priced players, egos have not been a factor. In fact, pushing those egos aside has put them on the brink of a championship, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. “You work on connectivity throughout the course of the year for moments like these,” coach Mike Brown said. “And no matter what run (the Spurs) went on, no matter what time of the game, our guys just kept uplifting one another, not just the guys on the floor but the guys on the bench.”
- While the odds are stacked in the Knicks’ favor now, Jalen Brunson is taking nothing for granted, Zach Braziller of the New York Post relays. “In my mind there’s nothing really to celebrate yet,” he said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”
- The team can’t wait to have a home game in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. “The Garden is going to be rocking,” Hart said, per Peter Sblendorio of the New York Daily News. “Obviously, in this city we love our Knicks. So we’re going to come out, show love, support. The energy is going to be electric.”
- Former coach Tom Thibodeau was often criticized for riding his starters too long. ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill details how Brown came in with the intent of getting more out of the reserves. Goodwill also details how Brown lobbied the front office to re-sign Landry Shamet. “I thought Landry could be impactful,” Brown said. “He signed late because his agent convinced him to do that. Hopefully, it won’t happen going forward. I said, ‘Hey, I want you here. I’m sorry about the way the circumstances are contractually. I have nothing to do [with] that. I believe you can help us on both ends of the floor.'”
Raptors Agree To Extend GM Bobby Webster’s Contract
The Raptors have agreed to a multiyear extension for general manager Bobby Webster, according to a team press release. In addition to the extension, Webster has already earned a promotion, adding the new title of executive vice president to his existing GM title.
Webster, 41, is headed into his 10th season as the Raptors’ general manager. He assumed full leadership of the front office in August 2025 following the team’s split with president Masai Ujiri. Before being elevated to the GM role, he served as assistant GM and VP, basketball management and strategy.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported last month that an extension for Webster was likely. Toronto’s head of basketball operations had one year left on his contract and the organization was seeking continuity after making its first playoff appearance in four years.
“We’re building something special here, and I’m proud to continue to lead the Toronto Raptors as we work towards our next championship,” Webster said in a statement. “Thank you to (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO) Keith (Pelley) and the MLSE Board of Directors for their confidence and support. This is a franchise that’s focused on the future, and we’re ready for what’s next.”
“Bobby has an elite understanding of the game and the NBA, and he’s used that to build a team that competes at a high level,” Pelley added in a statement of his own. “It’s been an exciting year for the Raptors. They were a joy to watch compete together, and with Bobby and the Raptors, we’ve seen the results, and we believe in where his leadership will take us.”
The Raptors also announced contract extensions for three additional front office members: Dan Tolzman, vice president, player personnel and assistant general manager; Keith Boyarsky, vice president, basketball strategy and research; and Tyla Flexman, vice president, operations.
“This group has been integral to building the organization and shaping our long-term vision – their leadership, expertise and commitment is second to none,” Webster said.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic could be next in line for an extension, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Rajakovic also has one year left on his contract.
Windhorst: Heat ‘The Team To Watch’ In Giannis Trade Sweepstakes
The Heat are “the team to watch” as trade talks surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo intensify, Brian Windhorst said Monday morning on ESPN’s “Get Up” during a panel discussion of the Bucks star (Twitter video link).
“Miami would say … well, we’ve got Tyler Herro, who is a young player who’s been an All-Star, we’ve got draft picks, including the 13th pick in this draft – we can give you a lottery pick in this draft – and Giannis, I think, wants to be in Miami,” Windhorst said. “There’s more checkmarks on Miami.”
A report last week from Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic listed Herro and the No. 13 pick as part of the Heat’s likely offer to Milwaukee, along with second-year center Kel’el Ware, Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaime Jaquez Jr. and two future first-rounders. However, Amick stated Friday on a radio show that Antetokounmpo has “questions” about the quality of Miami’s remaining roster if that deal were to go through.
Antetokounmpo is under contract for one more season at $58.5MM and holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28, so there’s some risk involved in trading for him if he’s not fully committed to staying with his new team.
The Bucks are reportedly hoping to resolve the Antetokounmpo situation before the draft begins on June 23, either by trading the 10-time All-Star or getting him to commit to a long-term extension that he’ll become eligible to sign later in the year. Numerous teams have been pursuing Antetokounmpo since the trade deadline or even longer, with the Heat being among the most aggressive.
During the discussion, Windhorst became the latest reporter to throw cold water on the idea that the Thunder might part with Chet Holmgren or Jalen Williams to acquire Antetokounmpo following their playoff loss or that the Celtics may get involved with a multi-team deal involving Jaylen Brown.
“The message that Oklahoma City is sending out is that they are not touching that core,” Windhorst said. “You can choose to not believe them if you want; they say they’re running it back.”
Regarding the Celtics, Windhorst stated, “I’m not sure Boston is ready to trade Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have won a championship together. I thought there was a decent chance we’d be in Boston right now for Game 3 of these Finals.”
Hawks’ Quin Snyder Signs Multiyear Extension
10:29 am: The Hawks have confirmed the extension in a press release, although terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed.
“I am grateful to the Ressler family and humbled to continue leading this team. I love this group of players, love coaching this team and am fortunate to have a tremendous coaching staff. Atlanta has truly been home for my family, and I am excited to continue this journey,” Snyder said. “Tony (Ressler), Jami (Gertz) and the entire Ressler family are deeply committed to providing us every resource we need for success and the partnership Onsi and I have developed is strong, with the shared focus of bringing Hawks fans the success they deserve.”
9:54 am: Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has agreed to a multiyear contract extension, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The team also recently extended Onsi Saleh while promoting him from general manager to president of basketball operations and is focused on “organizational continuity,” per Charania.
Snyder led Atlanta to its first playoff appearance in three years, ending the regular season on a 20-6 run to grab the sixth seed. The Hawks lost to New York in six games in the opening round, but they’re still the only team to register a victory over the Knicks during this postseason.
The playoff berth came amidst a season of change that saw Trae Young get traded to Washington in January. The Hawks opted to place more emphasis on defense with a collection of young, athletic players, and CJ McCollum, who was acquired in that deal, became a reliable scorer and a late-game hero in their two playoff victories.
Snyder, 59, came to Atlanta midway through the 2022/23 season following a successful eight-year run in Utah. He has a 132-135 record with the Hawks and a 504-399 mark overall.
Charania points out that Snyder is the only head coach to ever have consecutive Most Improved Players, with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker winning the award the past two seasons.
An extension for Snyder was considered “inevitable,” Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line stated last month. They cited rumors during the regular season that Snyder was viewed as a potential replacement for Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland, but the Cavaliers weren’t ready for a coaching change.
Bogdan Bogdanovic Hoping For At Least One More NBA Season
Representatives for Bogdan Bogdanovic have told European teams that he plans to spend at least one more season in the NBA, BasketNews relays, citing a report from the Serbian website Meridian Sport.
There has been some overseas interest in the 33-year-old shooting guard, who could become a free agent later this month. The Clippers hold a $16MM team option for next season that has to be exercised by June 26. L.A. is expected to decline that option, but it’s not certain whether the team plans to seek a new deal with Bogdanovic or cut ties altogether.
Bogdanovic, who was acquired from Atlanta at the 2025 trade deadline, is coming off his worst NBA season. Appearing in just 23 games, he averaged a career-low 7.4 points in 19.7 minutes per night while his shooting numbers fell to 38.8% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range, far below his career averages.
Bogdanovic dealt with injuries through most of the season, beginning with a ruptured hamstring he suffered while playing for Serbia at EuroBasket last summer. He could be counting on a bounce-back season once he’s fully healthy, which explains why he’s discouraging interest from Europe.
A report in March cited Partizan Belgrade as a potential destination for Bogdanovic, stating that the Serbian team views him as the centerpiece of its plan to improve by signing former NBA players. Bogdanovic addressed that rumor in late March, telling reporters that he wanted to concentrate on finishing out the season before making any decisions about his future.
Bogdanovic began his professional career with Partizan in 2010 before coming to the NBA seven years later. He won four Serbian League titles in four years and was named Playoffs MVP in 2014.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Towns, Brown, NBA Finals
It was family connections that brought Jalen Brunson to the Knicks in 2022, more than the money or the chance to play in the NBA’s biggest city, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN writes in a lengthy profile of the All-Star guard. Brunson had deep connections to team president Leon Rose, who had served as an agent for both him and his father, Rick, and worked hard to get the elder Brunson a job in the NBA after his playing career ended. When the Knicks hired Rick as an assistant coach shortly before Brunson hit free agency, the deal was virtually sealed.
“I think Jalen had a loyalty to the Mavs because they’d drafted him, but the Knicks were his actual family,” a Mavericks source told Shelburne. “I don’t think we fully grasped that.”
Former Dallas general manager Donnie Nelson was thrilled to land Brunson in the second round in 2018 and team him with the Mavs’ other draft prize, Slovenian guard Luka Doncic. Both became rotation players right away, but Doncic showed immediate signs of stardom and their defensive liabilities raised questions about whether they could play together.
With the chance to offer Brunson an extension in the summer of 2021, the Mavs told him that they wanted to further evaluate the fit of the roster, according to Shelburne, who adds that they were also determining whether they could afford to keep Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Brunson reportedly told Dallas officials the following January that he would agree to an extension if it was offered then, but the Mavericks preferred to keep their options open if they had the chance to trade for a star, and an extension would have taken Brunson off the market. They made identical offers to Brunson and Finney-Smith after the deadline passed, but Brunson turned his down.
With free agency looming, the Knicks began clearing cap space on draft day with Brunson as their obvious target. The four-year, $104MM deal they ultimately gave Brunson was ridiculed by some as an overpay, but it turned out to be a huge bargain. Brunson became a star in New York and is on the verge of giving the city its first NBA title in 53 years.
“He’s comfortable there,” former Knick Jamal Crawford said. “They empowered him. They believed in him. He’s got guys on the team from Villanova that he knows and who fit his play style. He’s got his dad on the bench who knows exactly what buttons to push to get him going. He knows Leon. So with that comfortability, I think you’re going to get the best of him.”
There’s more from New York City:
- Karl-Anthony Towns‘ ability to alter his game in the midst of the playoffs has made the Knicks a more dangerous team, Steve Popper of Newsday notes in a subscriber-only story. After months of clashing with first-year head coach Mike Brown over his role in the offense, Towns accepted Brown’s vision when the team faced a 2-1 deficit against Atlanta in the first round. “It’s about impacting winning,” Towns said. “Especially this year throughout the year, I’ve always had to change my role for the betterment of the team. I’ve always had to change the way I play so it could be most beneficial for the team.”
- The Knicks began their coaching search last summer by calling several teams to ask about the status of their incumbent coaches, recalls James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. When Chicago, Houston, Dallas and others refused to grant permission for an interview, New York turned to Brown, who wound up being the perfect candidate and wasn’t bothered that he wasn’t the team’s first choice.
- Five Athletic writers discuss whether Towns is headed for Finals MVP honors and several other topics in a roundtable about the championship series.
Scout Discusses Building Around Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks are entering an important offseason as they look to build their team around star rookie Cooper Flagg. They have the ninth, 30th, and 48th overall picks in the 2026 draft, along with a new front office headlined by new president Masai Ujiri and first-time general manager Mike Schmitz.
NBA draft scout James Barlowe spoke recently about the options facing Dallas this summer as they look to add another cornerstone alongside Flagg, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal.
Barlowe points to more consistent outside shooting as a need for the team moving forward. He highlights Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville), Kingston Flemings (Houston), Brayden Burries (Arizona), and Nate Ament (Tennessee) as likely top options when the Mavs are on the board, and calls Brown the top long-term guard prospect, given his ceiling as a shooter and play-maker. Brown is seventh on ESPN’s big board by Jeremy Woo, with Flemings ranked one spot lower at No. 8.
As teams like the Knicks, Spurs, and Thunder have shown, having as many players as possible with positional size who can dribble, pass, and shoot can make a huge difference in terms of injecting versatility and unpredictability in a team’s offense, which is why Barlowe says the team shouldn’t hesitate if Brown is available when they’re at the podium.
While Ujiri has a reputation for valuing positional size above all things, due largely to the team he built in Toronto, Barlowe calls that an oversimplification, saying, “He’s a rule changer instead of a rule follower.”
The Mavs also face a decision on Kyrie Irving, who is expected to be healthy after missing this season with an ACL tear. They could value Irving as a scorer and play-maker alongside Flagg, in which case it would behoove them to draft a guard who could play alongside Irving until it’s time to inherit more responsibility. However, Barlowe also believes that a smart front office would at least explore what Irving could return in trade if it helps continue to build a young foundation around Flagg.
Another option for Dallas would be to look into moving down in the draft, either with pick No. 9 or 30, to continue compiling future assets — the Mavs have very limited access to future draft picks after this summer.
Knicks Notes: Towns, Brunson, Bench, Sprays
Karl-Anthony Towns has arguably been the best player on the floor through two Finals games, and it’s not just Knicks fans who are appreciating his stellar play.
Many Timberwolves fans have been following the former No. 1 overall pick from Minnesota, not with bitterness at the success he’s experiencing far removed from the team that drafted him, but with joy for a player and personality they came to love during his nine years with the Wolves, Jon Krawczynski writes for The Athletic.
Towns, the player, has long been criticized, whether for his defensive limitations, his losing years in Minnesota, or even the way he carries himself. Meanwhile, Towns, the person, has built a reputation as one of the genuinely good people in the league.
“Towns has taught me so much about dealing with the loss of my mom two years ago,” one Wolves fan told Krawczynski. “He also donated $5,000 to my mom’s GoFundMe when she was battling pancreatic cancer. He is a great human. Me and my family will forever root for this man. So happy for him.”
Now, the Minnesota fan base has come together to watch Towns, the player, play the best basketball of his life, and be lauded by many of the same people who once criticized him. His composed, disciplined defense on Victor Wembanyama has been possibly the most important aspect of the Knicks’ play through two games, and he has carried the team through stretches when it needs a go-to scorer.
It hasn’t been easy to reach this level. It’s taken a mid-career transformation to address the inconsistencies in his game that came about at the most important stage of his career, Steve Popper writes for Newsday (subscriber link).
“Taking all that experience this year, I’ve had to do it on the fly. It wasn’t like game by game. It’s been quarter by quarter. That comes with experience and just knowledge of the game and just time. Time playing the game, time putting shots up, time reading defenses, seeing defenses, offenses,” Towns said. “One game Jalen [Brunson] got hurt, that’s when I have to be a primary scorer. Other games when he’s cooking, I’ve got to be a facilitator, a hub, assist maker, aggressive in play-making. Then there’s games when I need to do both when he’s in and I’m in and be able to do both when his shot is warming up. There’s also days where I got to be a decoy, I got to be the best screener, I got to be the best spacer for our offense. So I think that right now, whatever it takes to win, especially when you’re in the NBA Finals, I’m willing to do.“
We have more Knicks news and notes:
- Brunson had a simple response when asked by a reporter what teams missed when they allowed him to fall to 33rd overall in the 2018 draft: “Everything,” he said with a laugh (Twitter video link via SNY Knicks). The three-time All-NBA guard has struggled to find his scoring rhythm against the Spurs’ elite backcourt defense, shooting just 33.9% from the field and 23.5% from three with a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. But, true to form, he has found ways to contribute in the biggest moments, hitting clutch shots to seal both games and collecting five steals in Game 2.
- Coming into this season, much of the focus on the hiring of Mike Brown revolved around how he could better empower the Knicks’ bench so that the team didn’t break down in the playoffs. As the Knicks look to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals, the second unit has provided a constant boost for Brown’s team, Vincent Goodwill writes for ESPN. Landry Shamet, the last player signed to the Knicks roster in the offseason, has become a critical part of the rotation. Mitchell Robinson has been a strong defensive presence against Wembanyama, despite playing through a broken bone in his hand. Jose Alvarado, acquired at the trade deadline, provided a huge boost for the team in Game 1 when Brunson went to the locker room with an apparent knee injury. It took all season to find the right balance, but it’s come together at the right time. “One of the many things I learned from [Gregg Popovich] and [Steve Kerr]. Steve was really good at trying to play a lot of different guys,” Brown said. “Not only that, a guy that hadn’t been in the rotation for a while, one game [a coach] might throw him out there as a starter. That kept guys engaged or on their toes.”
- A key bit of vocabulary needed to understand the Knicks’ success against the Spurs is the word “spray,” according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Sprays, or kick-outs from inside the paint to shooters outside the three-point line, are a critical part of Brown’s offensive ideology, whether off a Robinson offensive rebound or a Brunson drive to the paint. No play better embodied the concept than a sequence in the second quarter where four different Knicks penetrated off a pass, sprayed to a shooter, and the team ultimately got an open three to beat the shot clock. This movement is critical in terms of getting Wembanyama in motion and not allowing him to set up in a position to provide easy help, but it requires players ready to make quick decisions: either drive, pass, or shoot. “We have to try to keep touching the paint, trying to spray it if Wemby comes,” Brown said. “If you’re open, let it fly.”