Victor Wembanyama Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Texas Notes: Spurs, Luka, VanVleet, Thompson

March 24th, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic appears to be growing as a leader in Dallas, opines Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. After Dallas survived a poor shooting night from its best player to beat the Spurs 113-107 this past Tuesday, Doncic expressed his gratitude to his teammates.

“One of the biggest things after the game is he thanked his teammates in the locker room for picking him up,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “When a leader says that, those are big words. You come into the locker room and you don’t shoot the ball extremely well, but you rely on being the quarterback and other guys picked him up.”

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Standout Spurs rookie center Victor Wembanyama is relishing his tenure under five-time title-winning head coach Gregg Popovich, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “It’s pretty precious and one of the reasons that make this place the best place,” Wembanyama said.
Veteran Spurs point guard Devonte’ Graham has emerged as a locker room leader with the club this season, despite not seeing much time on the hardwood, Orsborn adds. “Obviously, we are not going to be playing much basketball in late April, but Devonte’ Graham on our team has held us together,” Popovich said. “He comes out every day whether at shootaround or practice or whatever we might be doing and is in the middle of everything, upbeat.”
The league has rescinded a technical foul assessed to Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet during the team’s 127-117 victory over the Bulls on Thursday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Rockets rookie forward Amen Thompson has been frequently tasked with covering opposing centers defensively, with starting Houston five Alperen Sengun now out for the season, writes Feigen in another piece. Head coach Ime Udoka has been able to mitigate the 6’7″ Thompson’s lack of a jumper by exploiting his athleticism in matchups against bigger, less mobile centers. “Him in the roll, him in the pocket with his passing ability is an asset to have,” Udoka said. “We’ve mentioned guys like Ben Simmons, guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) who have done similar things at times in their career. He can learn to implement those things.” Across his last five contests, Thompson has averaged 16.4 PPG on 64.2% shooting from the floor, along with 9.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.2 SPG. “You’ve seen him improve just with the playing time alone, let alone the role we’re asking him to do,” Udoka continued. “A guy that’s had the ball in his hands his whole career, you put him out there with Fred and Jalen (Green) in the starting lineup now, you kind of have to divide those opportunities, the ball-handling duties. He does impact it in other ways.”

International Notes: All-Star Game, Embiid, Wembanyama, Canada

March 23rd, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an appearance with Gayle King and Charles Barkley on CNN (video link), Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA will consider a U.S. vs. international format to revamp the All-Star Game. It’s one of several ideas that were brought up after last month’s All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, which concluded with the East defeating the West 211-186 in a contest that was low on competitiveness and defensive effort.

Silver called it “a great weekend, but it was not a basketball game,” and said changes to the format are being studied.

“I think maybe as opposed to trying to create a super competitive basketball game, which I am not sure the teams or the players really want, we should do different things and make it a celebration of basketball,” Silver said. “… “We are going to look at U.S. vs. international. I just think maybe we are past that point where we are going to play a truly competitive game.”

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Joel Embiid opted to join Team USA in the Summer Olympics, assuming he’s healthy enough, but French basketball officials say they had serious discussions with the Sixers center before the decision was made, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Jean-Pierre Siutat, president of French basketball, and former NBA player Boris Diaw, general manager of the French men’s team, contend they had two meetings with Embiid regarding the possibility that he might play for France. “He said, yes, I want to (play), make the (passport),” Siutat said. “So I make the job, with the help of the government, to get a passport for him and for his son. And all the time, he said, ‘I want to play for the national team of France.’” Embiid disputes that version of events through a spokesman, claiming he never asked for a passport, Vardon adds.
Victor Wembanyama is setting the bar high as he tries to win a gold medal while playing at home in Paris, according to a Eurohoops story. “Any other result than the first place would be a failure since we could have done better,” the Spurs rookie said. “You shouldn’t have any regrets, but it’s a very achievable goal”.
Canadian coach Jordi Fernandez is looking to fill out his Olympic roster around a core group consisting of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dwight Powell and Dillon Brooks, notes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Jamal Murray is expected to join them if health permits, and international star Melvin Ejim could get a spot as well. Koreen expects Canada to search around the NBA for the remainder of its 12-man roster.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Ingram, Jackson, Wembanyama

March 23rd, 2024 at 9:35am CST by Tristan Tucker

Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving is strictly adhering to his daily fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News writes. That made it all the more impressive that he hit a buzzer-beating shot to knock off the defending champion Nuggets on Sunday after not intaking food or drink for over nine hours.

Since Ramadan began, the Mavericks are 3-1 and Irving is reaching new heights while averaging 27.8 points, 8.5 assists, and 6.5 per game rebounds despite 12 hours each day without eating or drinking, Townsend writes.

“Ramadan is a special time,” Irving said. “… It’s a difficult journey. To be able to play 48 minutes and do it without having a drink or any food in my stomach is nothing short of a miracle.”

Irving converted to Islam in 2021, meaning this is the fourth spring he’s fasting for. Teammates, coaches and staff members, including assistant God Shammgod, have been actively supporting the star guard during Ramadan.

“Kai’s been with other organizations where things sometimes have been misunderstood,” Shammgod said. “So it’s my job to make sure he has a gateway to the coaches, to the organization. And have an understanding from both sides.”

Ramadan concludes on April 9 and the Mavericks will have played 14 games during that stretch of time.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans star forward Brandon Ingram‘s improved defense and play-making has helped the team achieve one of the best seasons in franchise history. Ingram unfortunately suffered a knee contusion on Thursday and is out for at least two weeks. However, as The Athletic’s William Guillory relays, the Pelicans should be relieved it isn’t worse, considering he may be in position to return ahead of the postseason. Ingram had appeared in 63 games this season, averaging 20.9 points and 5.8 assists. As Guillory observes, if Ingram doesn’t return before the postseason, he’ll still be eligible for any postseason awards despite not reaching 65 games because he was available for 85% of his team’s games at the time of injury.
GG Jackson continues to establish himself as an integral piece of the Grizzlies‘ future after slipping to the No. 45 pick in the 2023 draft and starting the year on a two-way deal, Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes. Jackson is averaging 23.6 points while shooting 37.3% on 9.6 three-point attempts per game in his last seven outings, including a career-high 35-point showing on Wednesday. “We always knew it wasn’t a talent thing for him – it’s about carrying yourself as a pro each and every day,” Desmond Bane said of Jackson’s development. “He’s got a lot of great people to learn from in our locker room, and he’s taking full advantage of it.“
Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama said he’s going to be sharing his input on San Antonio’s future and is thankful the team wants it, according to NBA.com’s Michael C. Wright (Twitter link). The Spurs will be consulting their franchise player on their offseason moves and the direction they go.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Vassell, K. Johnson, Wesley, Paris

March 18th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

As Victor Wembanyama‘s rookie season nears its end, his teammates are still learning how to unlock all the elements to his game, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Wembanyama turned in another remarkable performance Sunday night, posting 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and seven assists while leading a late rally in an overtime win over Brooklyn. He put the Spurs ahead to stay on an alley-oop dunk with 38.5 seconds left to play and then preserved the victory by blocking a shot off the backboard.

Coach Gregg Popovich singled out guard Devin Vassell, who had eight assists, two of which resulted in Wembanyama slams. Because Vassell frequently initiates the offense, developing chemistry with Wembanyama will be vital for the team’s future.

“Every one of them is always aware of where he might be on the court and trying to figure out where he’s got to go, and be more efficient in getting it to him here or there,” Popovich said. “It’s an experience where they’ve got to be in those situations. But Devin’s going to have the ball a lot for us, so him understanding how to play with Victor is really important.”

There’s more on the Spurs:

San Antonio also got a huge performance from Keldon Johnson, who was back at full strength after dealing with a stomach virus earlier in the week, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Johnson came off the bench to score 24 points in 34 minutes and contributed several clutch baskets. “He’s a big energy guy,” Popovich said. “He knocks down some threes here and there, takes big shots. He might not be shooting 40% on the year, but he takes shots that are important because of time and score and that kind of thing. And he’s an aggressive young man. He puts some meat on people.”
After Friday’s game against Denver, Popovich talked about his efforts to develop Blake Wesley into a defensive stopper, Orsborn adds in a separate story. The second-year guard has embraced the role and enjoys challenges like matching up with Jamal Murray. “The more you do it, the more consistent you will be,” Wesley said. “Me getting stops and then running out in transition, that’s my game. When I do that, I play better, I play free. It’s all about being aggressive.”
The NBA hasn’t selected the teams for its international games next season, but it’s expected that the Spurs and Pacers will play in Paris, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Wembanyama is thrilled about the prospect of returning home. “I’m looking forward to it very much,” he said. “Obviously it’s going to be probably the game or the games that are going to be very important for me because of course it’s me coming back from where I come from, especially might be in my city or around the city. So it’s going to be very special. Also, it is going to allow me to see maybe my family in the middle of the season, which doesn’t happen often. So it’s great.”

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Popovich, Sochan, Austin

March 17th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Although Victor Wembanyama is anxious for the Spurs to become a contending team, he knows that building a roster capable of vying for a title is a “tricky” task that requires patience, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

“I’m eager for us to win,” Wembanyama said. “But, at the same time, we have to be patient and trust the process. Of course, it’s our job to make it happen as soon as possible.”

As Orsborn details, Wembanyama also hinted that he might be involved in the Spurs’ roster-building process going forward.

“More and more, I’m part of the strategy for the future,” he said.“… I learned throughout the year more and more about how it actually works. It’s a big, big challenge for the front offices to not screw everything up and to build something for the future.”

Despite a strong rookie season for Wembanyama, the Spurs have a 14-53 record this season and project to be one of the three teams that will have the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick. San Antonio could also hold a second top-10 pick in this year’s draft, since the Raptors’ first-rounder will be sent to the Spurs if it falls outside the top six.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show (YouTube link) on Friday, Bucks star Damian Lillard referred to Wembanyama as “special” and suggested it may just be a matter of time before he’s a prime contender for MVP awards. “I think how competitive he is is what surprised me the most,” Lillard said (hat tip to Cody Taylor of The Rookie Wire). “And that’s what makes me think that very soon I can see him being the best player in the league.”
Asked this week about whether he expects to complete his new five-year contract with the team – or perhaps even stick around beyond that – Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich wasn’t willing to speculate about his own future, according to Orsborn (subscription required). “I don’t think about where I’m going to be in four years,” Popovich said. “I think about what we have to do at practice tomorrow.”
Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan is on track to play for Poland’s national team in this summer’s Olympic qualifying tournament, according to a report from Eurohoops, which relays an announcement from the Polish Basketball Federation. Poland will have to beat out Angola, The Bahamas, Finland, Lebanon, and Spain to claim a spot in the Paris Olympics.
The Spurs hosted the Nuggets in Austin on Friday night and will play another game in the city (vs. the Nets) on Sunday. As Mike Monroe of The Athletic writes, in explaining the thinking behind the “I-35 Series,” Spurs CEO R.C. Buford likened the region to the Bay Area. “We have a market that isn’t in the top 10 in the country,” Buford said. “(But) when we connect our San Antonio and Austin markets we become one of the major players in the professional sports community. … Between Monterrey (Mexico), south Texas, central Texas and Austin, it’s the fastest-growing economic region in North America. So, we want to come meet our fans where they are. We’ve got great fans and have a community in Austin that’s been a part of our team and culture for years. It’s really just being the Bay Area — Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, San Francisco — that’s what this is. It’s 60 miles that separates us. How do we connect that?”

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Kyrie, Ingram, McCollum

March 15th, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is the heavy betting favorite to be named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year. However, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, who is leading the NBA in blocked shots despite averaging just 28.8 minutes per game, is considered a likely finalist for the award in his rookie year.

Responding in French to a reporter from his homeland on Thursday, Wembanyama said that Gobert has earned the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024, but suggested he intends to supplant his fellow Frenchman as the favorite in future seasons, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

“I know that Rudy has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved,” Wembanyama said. “Let him win it now, because after that, it’s no longer his turn.”

Wembanyama is one of the most talented rim protectors to enter the NBA in years. Besides racking up blocked shots, he frequently uses his 7’4″ frame and eight-foot wingspan to force opposing players to alter their shots.

“He makes guys think about shooting layups that are usually just gimmes, easy shots, little bunnies around the rim,” teammate Tre Jones said. “He’s making guys question it, dribble out. And it’s been some of the best players in the league. We all see his dominance on the defensive end and it’s only going to get better.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has a “deep desire” to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics this summer, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back (Twitter video link). Irving has previously won gold medals at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics with Team USA, but wasn’t one of the 11 players identified a couple weeks ago as a virtual lock or a “strong candidate” to be part of this year’s team. Still, that group could change in the coming months.
Brandon Ingram is best known for his abilities as a scorer, but his Pelicans teammates and coaches are impressed with the strides he has made as a defender, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Trey Murphy said that Ingram has made “humongous steps” on defense and is “taking those steps to become a two-way superstar.”
Veteran guard CJ McCollum spent the first eight-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career in Portland, but he has found a new home in New Orleans with the Pelicans, both on and off the court, as William Guillory details for The Athletic. “I’m serious about my commitment to New Orleans. I don’t do this for play-play,” McCollum said. “This place holds a special place in my heart, and my family feels the same way.”

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Rockets, Pippen, Bane, Clarke

March 14th, 2024 at 6:31pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama looked like he was hitting the so-called “rookie wall” early in February when he posted a 5-of-16 performance and a 15-point, one-rebound game within days of each other, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez writes. However, Wembanyama shut down all talk about any potential slump when he put up a triple-double with blocks against the Raptors just before the All-Star break.

Since then, he’s had one of the finest stretches of his young career, averaging 22.5 points, 11.7 boards, 4.9 assists and 4.9 blocks in his last 11 games. Lopez writes that Wembanyama is focused on ending the season on a high note.

“How important is it? It’s the whole point,” Wembanyama said. “Coach said it again tonight in the locker room. It’s our job and this is what we’re here for, to win as soon as possible but also in the long run. So there is no other option.”

In the past month, Wembanyama has posted that aforementioned triple-double, recorded a 5×5, and is on pace to lead the league in blocks. Lopez writes his teammates have become used to his absurd stat lines.

“There’s still moments where we’re like, ‘Oh, what was that? We ain’t never seen that before.’ But I think overall, we’ve seen so much of what he’s done and what he can become and what he is going to become that it’s kind of normal for us now,” teammate Jeremy Sochan said. “We just know he can do way more than he’s doing right now, and what he’s doing right now is unbelievable.”

According to Lopez, there are no plans to shut down Wembanyama for the rest of the season even though the Spurs have nothing to play for after being eliminated from postseason contention.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Rockets bench players Reggie Bullock, Jock Landale and Jae’Sean Tate are embracing a next-man up mentality after recent injuries to Cam Whitmore and Alperen Sengun, writes Houston Chronicle’s Danielle Lerner. “We talk every day. We just talk about opportunity,” Bullock said of discussions between him, Landale and Tate. “We know that we are the guys that need to be able to step up with guys that’ve been out, and we all got that same mindset of going out and take whatever needs to be done to help the team win.” All three players saw a spike in playing time on Tuesday against San Antonio.
After being out since Feb. 12 with an injury, Grizzlies two-way guard Scotty Pippen Jr. returned to the lineup on Wednesday against Charlotte. He scored nine points and 10 assists in his return. As Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole observes (Twitter link), due to the amount of time he missed with injury, the Grizzlies don’t have to worry about Pippen hitting his games played limit per his two-way deal and will likely lean on him moving forward. Pippen was eligible to be active for up to 26 games after signing his two-way on Jan. 16 and the Grizzlies played 27 times since then, so he wouldn’t have been eligible for all of their games anyway.
Key Grizzlies players Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke did some “extensive” work this week with Memphis’ G League affiliate, the Hustle, according to Cole (Twitter link). Clarke is now back to playing five-on-five after suffering an Achilles injury last season. Cole expects Bane to be back within the next couple games and Clarke to be back before the end of the month.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Vassell, Barlow, Graham, Wesley

March 10th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ticket holders for the Spurs’ game against the Warriors on Monday got some good news on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama is not on the injury report, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.

Wembanyama has missed the last two games due to a gimpy ankle. Second-leading scorer Devin Vassell, who is dealing with a left hip contusion, is listed as probable.

We have more on the Spurs:

Dominick Barlow, who had his two-way contract upgraded to a standard deal earlier this month, delivered a big performance at Golden State on Saturday with the star rookie sidelined, supplying 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. “Props to him,” Jeremy Sochan told Jeff McDonald of the Express-News. “He just got an NBA contract so we’re all very proud of him. He helped us a lot, just scoring, playing good defense and just in general playing well.”
Devonte’ Graham got a rare opportunity to play meaningful minutes on Saturday and contributed eight points in 12 minutes to the victory, McDonald notes. “Devonte’ hasn’t played much,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He came in and gave us a real boost.” Graham’s $12.65MM contract for next season is partially guaranteed for $2.85MM, so he appears likely to be traded or waived this summer.
The Spurs used one of the picks they acquired from Boston in the Derrick White trade to draft Blake Wesley. Wesley, who turns 21 on Saturday, has received steady playing time off the bench and San Antonio still has high hopes for him, according to Mike Finger of the Express-News. “He’s definitely got the explosiveness of a (Russell) Westbrook,” big man Zach Collins said.

Injury Notes: Curry, LeBron, Wembanyama, Brunson

March 8th, 2024 at 8:07pm CST by Rory Maher

A league source who spoke to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area said there’s an expectation Stephen Curry will likely miss seven-to-10 days (Twitter link). The Warriors‘ two-time MVP rolled his right ankle late in Thursday’s loss to Chicago and was unable to return to the game, with an MRI reportedly coming back clean.

If that timeline is accurate, Curry would likely miss at least three games, and possibly a fourth next Saturday vs. the Lakers. We won’t know that for sure until we see how the 35-year-old heals over the coming days, but Curry has already been ruled out for Saturday’s contest vs. San Antonio, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Lakers superstar LeBron James will be sidelined for Friday’s home game vs. Milwaukee, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays. The 39-year-old has been dealing with left ankle soreness for several weeks, and will miss his ninth game of the season against the Bucks after previously being listed as questionable. Prior to the game, head coach Darvin Ham said James was experiencing “severe soreness” in the ankle and is considered “day-to-day,” per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter links). The ongoing injury will reportedly have to be managed for the remainder of the season, though there’s an expectation that James won’t need to miss extended time.
After spraining his right ankle against Houston on Tuesday, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama missed Thursday’s loss in Sacramento and has been ruled out for Saturday’s contest in San Francisco, but head coach Gregg Popovich thinks the Rookie of the Year frontrunner will be ready to go for Monday’s home game vs. Golden State, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter links). As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes (subscriber link), Wembanyama rode in a van back to San Antonio to be evaluated — in part due to its proximity to Houston — instead of traveling on the road trip. The Spurs are 0-7 thus far this season without their best player.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson was able to return to action on Friday vs. Orlando after missing Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta with a knee contusion, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The All-Star point guard sustained the injury less than a minute into Sunday’s victory over Cleveland, but it thankfully turned out to be relatively minor. Brunon, 27, has missed five games thus far in 2023/24, putting him in strong contention for a spot on his first All-NBA team.

Southwest Notes: Gafford, Lively, Wembanyama, Adams, Pippen

March 6th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Head coach Jason Kidd may consider changing the starting lineup or tightening his 10-man rotation to help pull the Mavericks out of their current tailspin, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

The Mavs have dropped their last five games by an average of 14.6 points and have the worst defensive rating in the league by a wide margin since the All-Star break. Townsend says Kidd “bristled” when asked if changes were needed before Tuesday’s game, but he was more open to the possibility after watching his team give up 137 points in a home loss to Indiana.

“We can look at different rotations,” he said. “We can look at different starting lineups. … We have options and we’ll explore those.”

Townsend suggests starting Daniel Gafford at center instead of rookie Dereck Lively II as an obvious change. Gafford had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench against the Pacers, while Lively went scoreless and struggled on defense against Myles Turner.

“We’ve got a 20-year-old who’s starting at center and has never seen this before,” Kidd said. “… And there’s a rookie wall. He’s a young man who’s seeing the NBA for the first time. There’s gonna be ups and downs. But that’s why it’s called a team. And that’s why Gafford picked him up tonight. … Lively’s had a heck of a rookie season, and he’s going to only get better, but he could be tired. He’s never played this many games or minutes.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Victor Wembanyama will miss his seventh game of the season Thursday at Sacramento, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs rookie sprained his right ankle at some point during Tuesday’s loss at Houston, and he was listed as questionable coming into that game with soreness in his left shoulder.
Steven Adams visited his new Rockets teammates this week for the first time since being acquired in a trade with Memphis last month, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Adams is out for the rest of the season after having knee surgery in October, but he’s expected to be fully recovered and ready for training camp by fall. Adams said his doctors still have to determine a more definite recovery timeline. “(The next step) has to be cleared by a few different medical professionals because if it was up to me, I’d be behind a long time,” he said. “’Oh yeah, I can do this,’ but then ruin myself. It’s up to the surgeons, the one who did the surgery and also medical people I trust.”
The Grizzlies could have Scotty Pippen Jr. back on the court by next week, tweets Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com. The second-year point guard, who signed a two-way contract with Memphis in January, has been out of action since February 12 with a bulging disc in his lower back.