Victor Wembanyama Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Spurs Rumors: Wembanyama, Vassell, Johnson, Draft

June 21st, 2023 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

While a previous report indicated that Victor Wembanyama likely wouldn’t play in Summer League games this July, he told reporters on Wednesday that he plans to do so, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press relays (via Twitter).

The Spurs and Wembanyama will likely sort out the specifics after he’s officially drafted on Thursday, but LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk gets the sense that the team will probably allow the big man to suit up if he wants to.

As Ellis explains, while the Spurs will likely want to be as cautious as possible with a player they expect to build their franchise around for the foreseeable future, Wembanyama takes pride in his availability and has conveyed that he wants to play as much as possible after not missing a single game in France this past season. That means he’ll want to take part in Summer League and this year’s World Cup before aiming to play all 82 games as a rookie.

While the Spurs won’t want to push Wembanyama too hard as he adjusts to the more rigorous NBA schedule next season, it sounds like they won’t stand in the way of him playing for France in the World Cup, Ellis writes.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

San Antonio is open to the idea of hiring some of the personal trainers that have worked with Wembanyama and kept him healthy so far in his professional career, according to Ellis. Those discussions are expected to begin after he’s officially drafted on Thursday.
The Spurs don’t appear inclined to offer Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson as they continue to look into acquiring an additional 2023 first-round pick, according to Ellis. General manager Brian Wright said as much earlier this week. However, the club has made future draft assets available in an effort to land a second lottery selection, Ellis writes, adding that Anthony Black, Kobe Bufkin, and Bilal Coulibaly have been cited most often as possible San Antonio targets.
A scout previously suggested to Ellis that the Spurs may pursue a veteran point guard like Fred VanVleet or Chris Paul this offseason, but a team source essentially shot down that idea. “The plan is to avoid big, costly mistakes and to slowly build this thing out,” the source told Ellis. “See what you have first, see what you need, see what can be grown organically and go from there.”

Draft Notes: Nuggets, Appleby, Wembanyama, Tshiebwe, Dick, Clippers

June 19th, 2023 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets agreed to a draft-pick trade with the Thunder during the Finals, acquiring this year’s No. 37 selection, the least favorable of the Thunder’s 2024 first-round picks, and a 2024 second-rounder in exchange for a 2029 first-round pick. They are continuing to look to add a first-round pick in this year’s draft, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets, using the 2024 first-round pick they received from Oklahoma City as bait.

With salary-cap concerns, Denver is trying to add low-cost options to round out its bench as it pursues a repeat. In another draft-related development, the Nuggets will work out Wake Forest point guard Tyree Appleby on Tuesday, Singer reports in another tweet.

We have more updates with the draft approaching on Thursday:

Victor Wembanyama, a mortal lock to be the first player off the board, has arrived in the United States from France, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reports. He flew into Newark (N.J.) Airport on Monday. Wembanyama has a scheduled pre-draft media session on Wednesday before the Spurs officially secure his services on Thursday night.
Kentucky star forward Oscar Tshiebwe has been one of the busiest prospects over the past month. He’s finishing up his workout schedule by visiting the Cavaliers and Celtics, Adam Zagoria tweets. Tshiebwe’s visit with Boston’s brass will be his second there. He has worked out for approximately half the teams in the league.
Kansas wing Gradey Dick, who is projected to go in the second half in the lottery, told The Athletic’s Shams Charania that he will be a team player wherever he winds up (Twitter link). “I’m going to go into any organization, any city, and really just buy into the team. I’m the type of player where I honestly don’t care what my role is,” Dick said.
The Clippers’ staff had a busy Monday, evaluating 10 prospects in two separate workouts, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The visitors included Tyger Campbell (UCLA), Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State) Seth Lundy (Penn State), Nathan Mensah (San Diego State), Mike Miles (TCU), Omari Moore, (San Jose State), Julian Phillips (Tennessee), Ben Sheppard (Belmont), Grant Sherfield (Oklahoma) and Jordan Walsh (Arkansas).

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Williamson, Ingram, Jones

June 18th, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs are hopeful that Victor Wembanyama will participate to some degree in the Las Vegas Summer League, Marc Stein writes in a Substack post.

A previous report suggested Wembanyama would likely only practice with the Summer League team, as the Spurs want to give him some time off from competitive action following his French league season. It’s unclear if Stein is suggesting that Wembanyama might see some game action after all.

Wembanyama will be the top pick in the draft on Thursday after the Spurs won the lottery. They are scheduled to play in Sacramento’s California Classic summer league July 3-5 before heading to Las Vegas.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

While rumors have been flying that the Pelicans might consider dealing Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram this offseason, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune believes the franchise would be better off holding onto them and hoping for better results next season. While the team reportedly has interest in trading up in the draft to select G League guard Scoot Henderson, the Pelicans with Williamson and Ingram are better than they would be with either the Henderson/Williamson or the Henderson/Ingram combo, Walker opines.
Ja Morant‘s 25-game suspension makes it a tougher decision for the Grizzlies to trade backup point guard Tyus Jones for help on the wing, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal opines. If the Grizzlies trade Jones, they’ll have to find another starting point guard to hold them over until Morant’s suspension ends. However, finding an upgrade at small forward will be more difficult if they hold onto Jones, who has one year left on his contract. Even if they keep Jones, they still need more depth at guard.
In case you missed it, the Rockets might make a strong run at free agent point guard Fred VanVleet.

And-Ones: Terry, Doncic, Tatum, Wembanyama, Selden

June 18th, 2023 at 3:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Former Mavericks point guard Tyrell Terry, who retired from basketball after just two seasons due to mental health reasons, explained his decision more thoroughly during an interview with Chip Scoggins of The Star Tribune.

The 22-year-old, selected with the No. 31 pick out of Stanford, is back in school following his brief pro stint, now majoring in Science, Technology and Society. Terry’s issues trying to gain weight at the next level prevented him from having the kind of on-court success he had enjoyed at the NCAA level.

“On a daily basis I was trying to convince myself that I loved basketball,” Terry said. “Trying to convince myself that people’s opinions didn’t matter. It became a game of trying to convince myself of something that I didn’t believe in. I realized that’s not how I want to live my life. It was like I was damaging myself.”

Terry took a two-month personal leave from the team during his rookie season in an effort to deal with persistent anxiety attacks. He also consulted with Dallas’ team therapist. The following year, he and his team eventually coordinated his release from the roster in training camp.

There’s more from around the basketball universe:

Young All-NBA stars Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have both experienced significant team success during their early years in the league, but have yet to win the ultimate prize. Jared Weiss and Tim Cato of The Athletic examine the very divergent approaches their respective clubs, the Mavericks and Celtics, have taken to their offseasons in years past, and project what it could mean for the two players’ present and future.
Expected No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama has officially concluded his run with Metropolitans 92, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN details. Wembanyama and his French team fell 92-85 in the third game of their league’s title series to Monaco, a club loaded with ex-NBA players like Mike James, Elie Okobo, Jordan Loyd and Donatas Motiejunas. Wembanyama, the French League MVP, recorded 22 points, seven boards and four blocks in the loss.
Former NBA shooting guard Wayne Selden is joining Puerto Rican club Gigantes de Carolina, reports Dario Skerletic of Sportando. After going undrafted out of Kansas in 2016, the 6’4″ swingman enjoyed stints with the Pelicans, Grizzlies, Bulls, and Knicks, as well as several NBAGL clubs. After first dipping a toe into the international game with Israeli club Ironi Ness Ziona in 2020, Selden ditched the league for good in 2022. He has since played in Turkey, Italy, and Philippines.

Draft Notes: Wembanyama, Coulibaly, Lewis, Clowney

June 18th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Although Victor Wembanyama may be the best NBA draft prospect in 20 years, the Spurs understand that his body type carries a certain amount of injury risk, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. McDonald notes that foot injuries have interrupted or even ended the careers of numerous big men, such as Bill Walton, Yao Ming, Arvydas Sabonis and Greg Oden. The latest example is Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, who suffered a foot fracture in an exhibition game last summer that forced him to miss his entire first season.

Wembanyama possesses an agility that has rarely been seen in someone so tall, and he has a team of advisors who have created a specialized training regimen to help him avoid stress injuries. Their prescription includes an all-natural diet with five meals each day, along with 10 hours of sleep.

“When you talk about a generational talent, it often times goes beyond your ability to make a shot or your ability to jump or put the ball on the floor,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “As we’ve studied Victor, he’s very in depth with everything he does. It’s all those little details that go into becoming great.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Wembanyama is advocating for his French teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, to be selected in the lottery, relays NBA reporter Esfandiar Baraheni (Twitter link). “When I see the top 10 prospects announced at the draft, and for example the twins, Amen and Ausar Thompson, whose profile is similar to Bilal’s,” Wembanyama said, “I tell myself, very factually, that if these players are announced in the first five picks while playing in a league, Overtime Elite, whose level is light years away from what we experience here, then Bilal must be at least a top five.”
Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis, who worked out for the Trail Blazers on Thursday, views himself as a definite first-round pick, per Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “In my opinion, after just being in this environment, I feel like I’m a top-20 guy,” Lewis said. “We’ll see. Sky’s the limit.”
Alabama’s Noah Clowney is the 20th player to receive a Green Room invitation for draft night, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).
Washington State guard Justin Powell has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Rockets and Nets, tweets Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.
The Hornets are hosting six players on Sunday for a pre-draft workout (Twitter link). They are Kam’Ron Blue of Coppin State, GG Jackson of South Carolina, Terry Roberts of Georgia, Vincent Valerio-Bodon of Sopron KC, Jalen Wilson of Kansas and Isaiah Wong of Miami.

Spurs Rumors: Popovich, Wembanyama, Draft, Jones, PGs

June 14th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t yet have a contract for the 2023/24 season, but the team is operating as if he’ll return, and there’s a sense that the impending addition of French phenom Victor Wembanyama may inspire him to stick around for longer than just one more year, writes LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com.

According to Ellis, a team source says there’s an expectation that Popovich will sign a three-year contract worth approximately $14MM per year. That would presumably make him the NBA’s highest-paid head coach in terms of annual salary, edging out Monty Williams‘ new deal with Detroit.

Here’s more from Ellis on the Spurs:

Ellis hears from a team source that Wembanyama is unlikely to play for the Spurs during either of July’s Summer Leagues (Sacramento or Las Vegas). Although the No. 1 pick may practice with the team, San Antonio wants to give him some time off from competitive action, since he has played into June in the LNB Pro A playoffs and hopes to suit up for France in the World Cup in August and September.
The Spurs, who control the 33rd and 44th overall picks in addition to No. 1, are active in draft-related trade talks, Ellis reports, adding that the club would like to acquire another first-round pick. Whether or not they land another first-rounder, the Spurs are unlikely to keep and use both of their second-rounders, Ellis says.
Popovich has conveyed a “strong preference” that San Antonio retains restricted free agent guard Tre Jones this offseason, according to Ellis, who says the head coach likes Jones’ competitiveness and what he brings to the locker room.
A scout for a Western Conference team believes the Spurs will be in the market for a veteran point guard this summer, identifying Chris Paul and Fred VanVleet as possible targets, Ellis says. While it would be a bit of a surprise if San Antonio spends big on a free agent, Wembanyama could certainly benefit from teaming up with a reliable play-maker.

Draft Notes: Rockets, Thompsons, Black, Green Room Invites, Osunniyi, Burton

June 13th, 2023 at 5:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets hold the No. 4 pick and they were visited this week by three candidates who could potentially be selected at that spot. The Overtime Elite brother duo of Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson and Arkansas’ Anthony Black met with Houston’s brass. Amen and Ausar are currently ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, on ESPN’s Best Available list with Black slotted at No. 8. The Thompsons reportedly met recently with the Pistons, who hold the No. 5 pick. They’ve also visited the Hornets (No. 2) and Trail Blazers (No. 3). There has been much less intel on Black’s pre-draft visits.

We have more draft-related info:

Green Room invites have been sent out and the first batch includes Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, the Thompson twins, Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Black, Taylor Hendricks and Gradey Dick. The second group to receive invites include Bilal Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Nick Smith, Dereck Lively, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins and Keyonte George, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter links).
Iowa State big man Osun Osunniyi will work out for the Hawks on Wednesday, according to Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). He has also visited the Bulls, Spurs and Celtics, among others. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.
The Hawks are also working out Pittsburgh guard Jamarius Burton on Wednesday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. The All-ACC First Team selection will soon visit the Celtics.

Draft Notes: Wembanyama, Lively, Mocks, Lewis, Warriors, Wizards

June 6th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Las Vegas is a glitzier setting for Victor Wembanyama‘s first game with the Spurs, but the NBA won’t be upset if it happens in Sacramento instead, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. San Antonio is one of six teams involved in the California Classic Summer League, which will take place during the first week of July — shortly before the Las Vegas showcase that includes all 30 teams.

“All summer leagues are NBA Summer Leagues,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “I’m very supportive of the Sacramento summer league. I remember when (Kings owner Vivek Ranadive) first came to the league and said this was something he wanted to do. I said, ‘As long as you have enough other teams who support it and players who want to play in it, it’s a good thing.’”

Reynolds points out that the Hornets will also be playing in Sacramento, so the top two picks in this year’s draft could be on display.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Dereck Lively II may be the second-best shot blocker in the draft outside of Wembanyama, per Christian Clark of NOLA. The Duke center has reportedly been rising up draft boards and could be under consideration for the Pelicans at No. 14. Clark notes that Lively’s skills are still raw and he’s coming off a disappointing season with the Blue Devils, but he points out that New Orleans has a history of gambling on players with size and athleticism.
Lively is mentioned among the risers in the latest mock draft from Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. Joining him are Wembanyama’s teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, and UCLA’s Amari Bailey.
Ausar Thompson might be a better fit than his brother for the Rockets with the No. 4 pick, according to Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link). In their latest mock draft, the authors consider team fit as well as talent in projecting the first round. Among the surprises with fit factored in are Gradey Dick going No. 6 to the Magic and Amen Thompson slipping to the Wizards at No. 8.
Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis will hold a workout with the Pelicans this week after already having sessions with the Mavericks and Thunder, who are also in the lottery, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. In addition, Lewis has worked out for the Hawks at No. 15, the Lakers at No. 17 and the Rockets at No. 20.
The Warriors hosted Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson and Kansas’ Jalen Wilson for a workout on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria.
The Wizards are holding a workout on Tuesday with Arkansas’ Ricky Council, Memphis’ Kendric Davis, Marist’s Patrick Gardner, Overtime Elite’s Jazian Gortman, Alabama-Birmingham’s Trey Jemison and Providence’s Noah Locke, the team announced in an email.

Draft Notes: L. Butler, Jaquez, B. Miller, Kings

May 29th, 2023 at 3:23pm CST by Rory Maher

San Diego State guard Lamont Butler hit one of the most memorable shots of the 2022/23 college basketball season, converting the Final Four game-winner over Florida Atlantic to put the Aztecs into the championship game. He had been testing the draft waters, but the junior announced on Twitter that he’s withdrawing and returning to school.

Butler, who averaged 8.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals on .421/.342/.731 shooting in 39 games (25.9 minutes) last season, is not ranked on ESPN’s top-100 prospects list.

Here are a few more draft notes:

UCLA wing Jaime Jaquez spoke to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com and ESPN about his preparation for the draft (Twitter video link). Jaquez, who is ranked No. 30 on ESPN’s board, believes he has plenty of upside left after playing four college seasons, noting his consistent improvement with the Bruins. He averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals on .481/.317/.770 shooting as a senior.
Alabama wing Brandon Miller, a projected top-three pick, recently had an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link), discussing a number of topics. On Victor Wembanyama and being the No. 1 pick: “I feel like I’m No. 1, but you can’t beat 7-5, 8-foot wingspan,” Miller said.
The Kings are hosting a pre-draft workout Monday headlined by Indiana big man Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kansas forward Jalen Wilson, a league source tells Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL (Twitter link). Jackson-Davis is No. 33 on ESPN’s board, while Wilson is No. 40. The Kings control the Nos. 24, 38 and 54 picks. Jackson-Davis put up huge numbers as a senior for the Hoosiers, averaging 20.9 points, 10.8 boards, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks in 32 games (34.5 minutes).

Draft Notes: Sanogo, Burton, Hall, Okani, Lottery Picks

May 25th, 2023 at 4:15pm CST by Rory Maher

UConn big man Adama Sanogo worked out for the Nets earlier this month and has a workout with the Knicks scheduled in June, a source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link).

Sanogo helped lead the Huskies to the NCAA Championship in 2022/23, winning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. As Zagoria wrote last week for NJ.com, Sanogo helped himself at the NBA draft combine.

“I thought Adama Sanogo was one of the big winners of the NBA combine scrimmages,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said. “He showed there’s a little bit more to his game than you might initially think.

“You look at him, you say, ‘OK, he’s not really the most modern big man, he’s a back-to-the basket big, he’s a pick-and-roll finisher, he’s an offensive rebounder. But he made some great passes these past two days, and played with the type of freedom that I didn’t personally expect to see, so I thought he really helped him actually.”

Sanogo was ranked No. 87 on Givony’s big board for ESPN at the end of April, but he has moved up to No. 74, making him a borderline second-round pick.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

Tyler Burton, who is a draft early entrant, will enter the transfer portal if he goes back to college, sources tell Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). However, Zagoria hears (via Twitter) that Burton is “leaning heavily” toward going pro and is listed as “do not contact” in the transfer portal. Burton averaged 19.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 1.5 SPG as a senior for Richmond, but has one year of eligibility left.
Forward PJ Hall has withdrawn from the draft and will return to Clemson for his senior season, he announced (via Twitter). UIC’s Toby Okani has also withdrawn from the draft, he tells Rothstein (Twitter link). Okani, a guard/forward, will be a senior for the Flames.
What is every projected lottery pick’s biggest weakness? Jonathan Wasserman explores that topic for Bleacher Report, writing that Victor Wembanyama‘s decision-making is his primary demerit. The French phenom is the projected No. 1 overall pick.