Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Victor Wembanyama is having a seismic second season. Averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and a league-leading 4.0 blocks per game, he is peerless in that regard and being treated as the king upon returning to his native Paris, having come agonisingly close to Olympic gold in July. Acting as tour guide for the San Antonio Spurs during their two-game overseas trip, he’s a fitting ambassador. Continue reading “All eyes on you, Wemby”
DeMar DeRozan constantly exceeding expectations among valuable but volatile situations from San Antonio to Chicago, has put him in a position where his long-term future was an oft-discussed wrinkle whenever trade season was in play and now he’s part of a handy trio in Sacramento alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Why wouldn’t the latter, or his teammates, be excited? Continue reading “Domantas Sabonis excited about DeMar DeRozan trade, and why wouldn’t he be?”
12-year veteran guard Ricky Rubio has today retired from NBA basketball after announcing a break last August for mental health reasons. Golden State were dealt another untimely blow as a key rotational piece is sidelined for a few weeks, while top draft pick Victor Wembanyama is unhappy with his minutes restriction in San Antonio as the struggling Spurs chug along. Read more below. Continue reading “NBA news: Rubio retires, Payton II injury, Wemby’s minutes restriction plus more”
Often in recent years, there has been a sense of intrigue surrounding the no. 1 draft pick and who will be selected, with conceivably as many as four teenagers touted to go #1. Not this year: French teenage phenom Victor Wembanyama appears San Antonio-bound after the Spurs won the draft lottery overnight.
Continue reading “Spurs win draft lottery, as Wembanyama lauds Texas in celebratory interview”
Jakob Poeltl. The 27-year-old Austrian big man is averaging 11.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game on 62.4 FG% for a rebuilding San Antonio Spurs ball club primed to battle other strugglers in hopes they get the number one draft pick this coming summer. Should they sell high while they have a chance before the deadline, or hold off with bigger plans in mind?
Continue reading “The Wembanyama tank race: What does the Jakob Poeltl contract situation say about San Antonio?”
After a promising season ended with a forgettable postseason collapse on May 16, the cloud hanging over Deandre Ayton’s long-term future in Phoenix appears to be clearing this summer: multiple teams are readying themselves with lucrative max contract offers for 2018’s no. 1 pick. Continue reading “Atlanta, Detroit and Portland all early suitors in Deandre Ayton sweepstakes”
Mere moments after the Lakers’ season-ending overtime win vs. the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, news leaked surrounding Frank Vogel’s impending sacking – just 18 months after leading LA to a title following another injury-hit campaign. Alvin Gentry won’t remain Sacramento’s head coach, while there are updates on Luka Doncic (calf) and Gregg Popovich among others. Continue reading “NBA news digest: Head coach movement, injury updates and more as playoffs inbound”
Entering her eighth season as an NBA assistant coach with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, already interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs, the 44-year-old – who played 15 years in the WNBA – still awaits a first opportunity to be the first woman to lead a NBA team after being a finalist for the Portland Trail Blazers job, which went to Chauncey Billups this past offseason. Continue reading “Spurs coach Becky Hammon hopes it’ll be normal for women to get NBA jobs”
A young playmaking point guard continuing to quietly improve his three-point shot, an under-appreciated spark plug from the bench in Los Angeles and a four-time All-Star shooting guard who is routinely disrespected despite his leaguewide pedigree. How much have these three acquisitions raised Chicago’s ceiling in an Eastern Conference with two clear frontrunners? Continue reading “Necessary or excessive? Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan join Chicago”
He capped another historic season with 46 points against the Memphis Grizzlies in a must-win matchup overnight, thus securing his status as the NBA’s oldest scoring champion since Michael Jordan (age 35 in 1998). Now, MVP frontrunner Stephen Curry has sealed the Golden State Warriors’ play-in fate vs. LeBron James and the defending champion Lakers later this week. Continue reading “Play-in awaits: Stephen Curry continues to make the Warriors believe”
After agreeing to a buyout on Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond has joined the Los Angeles Lakers for their postseason push – despite a competitive race for his services with the Boston Celtics and LA Clippers among four other teams to meet with the 27-year-old this past weekend before his final decision was made.
Continue reading “Back to work: Lakers win Andre Drummond race after he agrees buyout”
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