And-Ones: NBA Europe, Rising Stars, Blakeney, Draft
Speaking to Sportico (Twitter video link), NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said one key component of the NBA Europe project is the league’s desire to address the fact that some of the biggest markets across the Atlantic don’t currently have basketball teams that are permanent members of the EuroLeague.
“There’s no top-tier team in the U.K. at all. The U.K’s the biggest market in Europe. There’s no top-tier basketball team there, in London, in Manchester,” Tatum said. “There’s no permanent top-tier in the top league there in Paris, in Berlin, in Rome. So they’re missing the biggest commercial markets.
“… Our idea is to create this league, call it 12 to 16 teams, with the biggest countries having permanent franchises. Call it the U.K., Spain, Germany, Italy, France. Two teams in each one of those markets that we know with certainty will have franchises there. And then we’ll open it up to the rest of the (European) ecosystem.”
Teams based in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Athens, and Istanbul have become EuroLeague powerhouses, but London doesn’t have a team in the league and has never exactly been a basketball hotbed. As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, the NBA believes there’s untapped potential in the market.
“Just walking the streets here and being in the hotels, I hear from people all the time saying, ‘I’m sleep-deprived following your league,'” NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Vardon before this month’s Grizzlies/Magic game in London. “There are more people approaching us and saying, ‘I’d love to have the London franchise,’ and I think it’s not just because it’s such an attractive market, but because there’s no top-tier basketball team right now. So, there’s lots of groups seeing an opportunity to create a new brand here.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- After announcing this year’s Rising Stars participants earlier in the week, the NBA announced the rosters and the semifinal matchups on Tuesday evening (Twitter links). Among the notable team-ups? Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, 2025’s No. 1 overall pick, will play alongside No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and his Spurs teammate Stephon Castle on Carmelo Anthony‘s team.
- Former NBA guard Antonio Blakeney, who played for the Bulls from 2017-19, was accused earlier this month of being one of the ringleaders in an illegal gambling scheme involving U.S. college players and game-fixing in China. ESPN’s Michael Rothstein has the full story on Blakeney, who faces wire fraud charges and could face a lengthy prison sentence if he’s convicted.
- Federal prosecutors investigating illegal gambling are looking at additional NBA games beyond the seven contests cited in an indictment this past fall, says Mike Vorkunnov of The Athletic. That fall indictment was the one that led to the arrest of Terry Rozier and is connected to the case that resulted in Jontay Porter being banned from the NBA.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his 2026 NBA mock draft, while Sam Vecenie of The Athletic shares some of his draft-related intel. Within his story, Vecenie considers how NIL will impact the 2026 draft class and identifies Arizona’s Brayden Burries and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler as two prospects whose stocks are very much on the rise.
Flagg, Knueppel, Edgecombe Among Rising Stars Participants
The 2026 Rising Stars event will feature 11 sophomores, 10 rookies and seven G League representatives, the NBA announced in a press release. The mini-tournament will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on February 13.
Here’s the full list of participants:
Rookies
- Cedric Coward, Grizzlies
- Dylan Harper, Spurs
- Egor Dёmin, Nets
- Tre Johnson, Wizards
- VJ Edgecombe, Sixers
- Kon Knueppel, Hornets
- Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors
- Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
- Derik Queen, Pelicans
Sophomores
- Matas Buzelis, Bulls
- Alex Sarr, Wizards
- Stephon Castle, Spurs
Reed Sheppard, Rockets- Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers
- Cam Spencer, Grizzlies
- Kyshawn George, Wizards
- Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers
- Ajay Mitchell, Thunder
- Kel’el Ware, Heat
- Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
G League
- Sean East II, Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz‘s affiliate)
- Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
- Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
- Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets‘ affiliate)
- David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
- Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers‘ affiliate)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
All 10 of the rookies — headlined by No. 1 overall pick Flagg, No. 3 Edgecombe, and No. 4 Knuppel — were lottery selections in last year’s draft, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter links). By contrast, only five of the sophomores were lottery picks, with three being first-rounders outside of the lottery and three picked in the second round.
NBA assistant coaches selected the 21 rookies and sophomores, according to the release, and those players will be drafted onto three different seven-player teams on Tuesday at 6:00 pm CT on Peacock. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will draft and be the “honorary coaches” of the three squads, while Austin Rivers will be the honorary coach for the G League representatives.
The four actual head coaches will be assistants from the All-Star game coaching staffs.
Six of the seven players representing the G League are actually on NBA contracts: Yang (No. 16) and Niederhauser (No. 30) were 2025 first-round picks, while Martin, Harper, Newton and Garcia are on two-way deals with their respective clubs. East, who played in Canada and Romania last season, is the lone player on an actual G League contract after Utah waived him in the fall.
Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, is the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr. Both players are the sons of longtime NBA guard Ron Harper, who won five championships with the Bulls and Lakers.
As for the tournament itself, the four teams will face off in a single-elimination semifinal, with the two winners competing in the final. The semifinal is first to 40 points, whereas the final will be first to 25.
Trade Rumors: Castle, Suns, Raptors, Davis, Kings
There’s reportedly a sense that the Spurs won’t seriously pursue a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade even if the Bucks make the two-time MVP available this season. While San Antonio seemingly has the assets necessary to make a compelling offer for a star-level trade candidate like Antetokounmpo, the team is very high on its young core and isn’t eager to break it up to go all-in on an older player, writes Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
Victor Wembanyama is obviously untouchable and reports have indicated that the Spurs have never shown any interest in moving rookie Dylan Harper, dating back to lottery night when they won the No. 2 overall pick and the right to draft him. The team’s unwillingness to discuss trades involving its rising young stars also extends to reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Show (YouTube link).
“I cannot tell you how much the Spurs loved Castle when they got him,” Windhorst said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Like, right out of the gate they were like, ‘Oh my god, do we love this guy.’ They are convinced that he is the perfect guy to have with Victor. … They love everything about his make-up. They love everything about the way he competes. They love everything about his willingness to improve. They love Stephon Castle.”
While Windhorst acknowledged that very few players in the NBA are absolutely untouchable, he stressed that the Spurs are extremely unlikely to move Castle anytime soon.
“I would be stunned if they gave Castle away for almost anything,” he said.
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark confirms that the Suns and Raptors spoke about a possible trade that would send Nick Richards to Toronto in exchange for Ochai Agbaji and a second-round pick, but says Phoenix isn’t looking to make a deal quite yet, doesn’t have a ton of interest in Agbaji, and didn’t love the quality of the second-rounder the Raptors were willing to offer. While it’s unclear which pick Toronto put on the table, neither of the 2026 second-rounders the team controls would be very valuable if the season ended today — the Raptors’ own pick would be No. 52, while the Lakers’ second-rounder Toronto owns would be in the 56-58 range.
- Mavericks big man Anthony Davis sits atop the trade deadline “big board” published today by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who ranks potential trade candidates based on a combination of their potential impact and their likelihood of being moved. If Antetokounmpo doesn’t get traded this season, Davis is considered the one player on the market who could “swing the title race the most if he were dealt to the right situation,” Vecenie writes.
- Earlier this week, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) published the first installment of his comprehensive guide to the 2026 NBA trade deadline, identifying possible trade candidates and potential goals for all 30 teams. For instance, in examining the Kings, Gozlan classifies Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder as likely to be traded, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, and DeMar DeRozan as “very possible” to be moved, and Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis as more likely to stay put due to their sizable contracts.
NBA Announces All-Tournament Team For 2025 Cup
Knicks guard and NBA Cup Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson is among the five standout players named to the All-Tournament team for the 2025 Cup, according to an announcement from the league (Twitter link).
The All-Tournament team, which was voted on by 20 media members and is based on players’ performance in both group play and the knockout round, is as follows:
Jalen Brunson, Knicks (20 total votes)- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (18)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks (12)
- Luka Doncic, Lakers (11)
- De’Aaron Fox, Spurs (11)
Brunson led the Knicks to this year’s NBA Cup title by averaging 33.2 points and 5.8 assists per game with a .531/.462/.658 shooting line in six games, including Tuesday’s final. Towns complemented him by putting up 21.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per night in his seven Cup outings, shooting 48.4% from the floor and 37.1% on three-pointers.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in six Cup games before his Thunder were sent home in Saturday’s semifinal. He also had a scorching hot shooting line of .595/.481/.877 in those games.
Doncic’s Lakers were eliminated in the quarterfinals, but he put up monster numbers in his five Cup contests, including 36.2 PPG, 10.0 APG, and 7.6 RPG per game, plus a 44.2% three-point mark.
Fox helped guide the Spurs to the Cup final by averaging 22.3 PPG and 7.7 APG while converting 39.5% of his three-pointers.
Magic wing Desmond Bane, Knicks forward OG Anunoby, and Spurs teammates Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama were among the players who just missed the cut for the team. The full voting results can be found right here.
Southwest Notes: Zion, McGowens, Morant, Castle, Harper
Zion Williamson came off the bench Sunday as he returned to action after missing the previous five games with a right hip adductor strain, writes Matt Carlson of The Associated Press. It was the first time Williamson hasn’t started in his NBA career, but he was on a minutes limit and Pelicans interim coach James Borrego wanted to make sure he was available for crunch time.
“It was a game plan that allowed me to close the game, with my body being used to playing certain minutes of a quarter,” Williamson said. “So you know he walked me through it. I didn’t have a problem with it because it allowed me to close the game. The rhythm did feel pretty good, but most of all I’m glad we got the win.”
Injuries have been a recurring problem for Williamson, who has missed 16 games already this season with four separate issues. He can still be a difference maker when he’s healthy — he’s averaging 21.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per night — and New Orleans will need to keep him in the lineup to recover from a 5-22 start.
“Injuries suck, there’s no other way to put it,” he said. “Rehabbing’s not fun either. But over the summer, me putting that work in my body, it allows me — if something does happen — it’s nothing that keeps me out a super, long time. I’m able to rehab at a faster but more efficient rate.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Bryce McGowens has been a pleasant surprise after joining the Pelicans on a two-way contract during the summer, observes Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). The fourth-year shooting guard is trying to reestablish himself as an NBA regular after having some success in Charlotte early in his career, and he’s been seeing consistent minutes in New Orleans. “I’m super blessed to be in this position of being in an organization that believes and trusts and puts me in situations,” McGowens said. “It feels good. I work hard. The coaches know me. My job is to get after it and do whatever the team needs me to do so we can win.”
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant had 21 points and 10 assists as he returned to the court Friday night, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. Morant felt a need to take charge of the offense after missing 10 games with a right calf strain, but he shot just 7-of-20 from the field and committed four turnovers in a little more than 25 minutes. “I was forced to get some shots up,” he said. “Some of them, I should have been to the free throw line. Some I missed. Some of them I made. I can’t change it. I just got to live with it.”
- After attending Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal games, Spurs legend Tony Parker came away impressed with young guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, according to Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “They’re so fearless,” Parker said. “That’s how I was. That’s how Manu (Ginobili) was.”
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Guard Trio, Castle
While Victor Wembanyama is technically listed as probable for Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against Oklahoma City, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was certainly talking on Friday as though the star big man would be playing, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
“He’s going to be tired, the excitement, the mental fatigue. He was tired the first time I saw him play live against video guys. … I would expect an early sub and not his normal minutes,” Johnson said of Wembanyama, who has been out since November 14 due to a left calf strain.
Johnson added that Wembanyama was pushing hard behind the scenes to return to action, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Wembanyama admitted he was hoping to return sooner than Saturday, according to Orsborn (Twitter link). “I would have come back earlier, but it is more reasonable to listen to (the team’s medical staff),” Wembanyama said. The French center also discussed San Antonio’s surprising 9-3 record without him, Orsborn adds (via Twitter). “The brand of basketball we were playing … it’s getting closer to the ideal basketball. … And everybody has something to eat,” Wembanyama said. “Everybody can step up at any time. … Everybody trusts the next teammate, so it’s just beautiful to see.”
- They’ve only shared the court together for two games, but the backcourt trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have already developed chemistry both on and off the floor, Orsborn writes for The Express-News. In 78 total minutes during Wednesday’s quarterfinal win over the Lakers, Fox, Castle and Harper combined for 63 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals, Orsborn notes. “It’s been great,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “Each of them are different and their games complement each other. They’re all trying to make the right play, investing in the time off the court for that chemistry. So for us as a group, it’s great as we continue to evolve this thing and continue to get healthy, that those three continue to figure out ways to be effective.”
- Former UConn star Castle has purchased a stake in two professional expansion soccer teams in Connecticut, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It was the right choice just to start at my age and to also give back to the state of Connecticut for what they’ve done for me,” Castle told Andscape in a phone interview Thursday. “I just wanted to put my name out there as well and just have it build up as my career goes on. Just to have this on the back end is another great idea.”
Thunder, Spurs Advance In NBA Cup: League Announces Schedule Changes
The Thunder and Spurs will meet in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday after winning their respective quarterfinal matchups on Wednesday.
The Thunder improved to 24-1 on the season with a blowout home victory over the Suns. The game was never close, as Oklahoma City won each quarter by double-digits and defeated Phoenix by 49 points, making it the most lopsided loss in Suns history.
Oklahoma City made 55% of its three-pointers, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points) and Chet Holmgren (24 points) leading the way and no Thunder player logging more than 27 minutes.
In the late game, the Spurs overcame 35 points from Lakers star Luka Doncic and 26 from Marcus Smart in his return from a back injury to pull off a 132-119 win on the road. Stephon Castle had 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in his second game back from a hip injury, while six other Spurs scored in double digits.
The Thunder and Spurs will face one another on Saturday at 8:00 pm Central time for the right to advance to the NBA Cup final on Tuesday. Players on the losing team in that game will receive bonuses of roughly $106K apiece, while the winning team will face either the Magic or Knicks in the championship game a shot at the top prize ($531K per player).
Notably, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has a shot to return from his calf strain for that game vs. the Thunder, per head coach Mitch Johnson.
“Very much so,” Johnson said after Wednesday’s win when asked if a Saturday return is in play for Wembanyama (Twitter link via Mark Medina). “He had a very good day today. He had a very intense day this morning. We’ll have to see how he responds and reacts tomorrow.”
The Thunder and Spurs will now play each other five times this season, including three times in December. The two clubs are scheduled to square off on December 23 in San Antonio and on Christmas Day in OKC.
The NBA also announced a handful of scheduling updates on Wednesday night, per Medina (Twitter link). The Suns and Lakers, who only had 81 games apiece on their respective regular season schedules, will face one another on Sunday in Phoenix at 7:00 pm CT.
The Thunder and Spurs had both been scheduled to play games on December 17, but those contests have been pushed back one day to Dec. 18 in order to give them an extra day of rest following the NBA Cup. OKC will now host the Clippers next Thursday, while San Antonio hosts the Wizards that night.
Spurs Notes: Harper, Fox, Castle, Wembanyama
No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper helped lead the Spurs to a victory over New Orleans on Monday with a 22-point, six-assist outing, proving that he can be successful in his role even when De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle are both available. Still, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) writes, it was evident with all three of those guards were healthy and active for the first time this season that there are still some kinks to work out in the backcourt.
While Harper thrived, Castle showed some rust in his first game back from a hip injury, making just 5-of-15 shots and turning the ball over three times in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, McDonald suggests that Fox seemed “unsure of when to assert himself” — the former All-Star scored just 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting and committed four turnovers.
Still, the trio of Harper, Castle, and Fox combined for 54 points and 18 assists in a three-point victory over the Pelicans, and Harper is optimistic that it won’t be long before all three players are firing on all cylinders.
“This is just a little sample size of what you’re going to see,” the rookie said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “When (Castle) really gets back into the groove of things, we’re going to be scary.”
“I’m trying to get adjusted to the game,” Castle added. “Having a little three-week break, I’m trying to get back in rhythm.”
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Harper’s teammates were impressed by the way that the 19-year-old bounced back from his worst game of the season – a 1-for-11 dud in Cleveland on Friday – to set a new career high in points on Monday, as Orsborn relays. “He has so much skill and maturity to his game,” Fox said of Harper. “It’s a long season. I’ve talked to him about that as well. You’re not going to play well in every single game. It would be asinine to think that.”
- Although head coach Mitch Johnson said this week that Victor Wembanyama is “getting closer” to returning from the calf strain that has sidelined him since November 14, the big man has been ruled out for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Lakers, as Orsborn writes for The Express-News. The Spurs have taken a cautious approach with Wembanyama’s recovery timeline, and Johnson noted earlier in the week that the NBA Cup game wouldn’t be treated any differently, “medically speaking.”
- While many of the Spurs’ cornerstone players – including Wembanyama, Harper, and Castle – are in their early 20s, the team also has a handful of veterans in their 30s – such as Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, and Bismack Biyombo – providing leadership in the locker room. In a story for The Express-News (subscription required), McDonald explores how those two generations of players have meshed and the mentorship that the vets have provided. “At times, the older ones are barking at the younger ones like older dogs do puppies,” Johnson said. “Other times, the bigger personalities step up and command the room. Sometimes, you have this electric energy from these young guys. It’s a good balance.”
Southwest Notes: Fox, Spurs Injuries, Pelicans Core, Coward
With Victor Wembanyama out, De’Aaron Fox has stepped into a leadership role and brought the Spurs‘ offense together, Jared Weiss writes for The Athletic. Fox has become increasingly comfortable getting into the teeth of the defense and then kicking out to shooters, Weiss writes. He has also helped the team get its turnover issues under control.
Weiss notes that the Spurs’ game plan around Wembanyama can, at times, make their offense more predictable, but Fox’s speed and creativity add wrinkles that will help open things up as he continues to build chemistry with San Antonio’s young star.
Fox has also helped the offense with his improved shooting from deep, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Despite averaging 33.2% from three for his career, he is currently shooting 37.8% on 6.4 attempts per game, a weapon which was deployed on two clutch possessions to seal a victory over the Magic on Wednesday.
“If we’re going to play one-on-one, a lot of defenders in this league give me a step, knowing that I’m trying to get downhill,” Fox said. “If they give me the step, I have the confidence to step back, knowing that I have time and space to knock shots down.”
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- Stephon Castle and Luke Kornet are both questionable for the Spurs’ game against the Pelicans on Monday, McDonald notes (via Twitter), adding that there’s some level of optimism about both being able to make a go of it. Castle missed the last nine games for San Antonio with a hip injury, while Kornet missed the Spurs’ loss against the Cavaliers with an ankle injury. Castle is averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in his second season.
- While rumors have begun to circulate about the future of the Pelicans‘ core veteran trio of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones, some sources around the team say that New Orleans has not held trade talks with other teams about any of the three, reports Rod Walker for NOLA.com. The Pelicans are currently a league-worst 3-21 on the season.
- The Grizzlies‘ prized rookie Cedric Coward is looking to accelerate his development by seeking guidance from one of the league’s great wings, Kawhi Leonard, according to Matt Infield of WMC Action News 5 (Twitter video link). “I asked him, like, in the summer, could we get some work in together?” Coward said after the Grizzlies’ win over the Clippers on Friday. “He’s not on social media, so I gotta figure out a way to talk to him.”
Wembanyama, Castle Return To Spurs Practice
Star center Victor Wembanyama and 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle were full participants in the Spurs‘ practice on Sunday, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, who reports that backup guard Jordan McLaughlin participated as well.
“It’s definitely amazing to see everyone back working,” guard Dylan Harper said. “We did well without those guys. Now when they come back, you’ll see a whole other team.”
Wembanyama has missed the past 10 games with a left calf strain he sustained on November 15. He is not expected to play in Monday’s game vs. New Orleans and is considered “iffy” for Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal at the Lakers, McDonald writes.
Castle, who has been out for the last nine games due to a left hip flexor strain, is likely to return to action tomorrow against the Pelicans, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN (Twitter link).
Veteran point guard McLaughlin will at least be out again Monday, says McDonald. He has been dealing with a right hamstring strain.
Obviously, the injury updates are welcome news for the Spurs, who will soon be getting two of their top players back. San Antonio is currently 15-7, the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.