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Ramblers

The Memphis Grizzlies have seen significant contributions this season from two unexpected sources in guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and center Jay Huff. Once teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; bench and in the G League, Huff and Pippen Jr. have now found a place to thrive in Memphis, proving to be reliable pieces for the Grizzlies off the bench.&nbsp;
Jay Huff, a 7-foot center, first made his mark at the University of Virginia. Known for his shot-blocking abilities and efficient shooting from the outside, Huff helped anchor Virginia&rsquo;s defense, contributing to their reputation as one of the toughest defensive teams in the NCAA. Despite these strengths, he went undrafted in 2021, eventually signing a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Huff spent much of his time with the Lakers&rsquo; G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he continued to develop his rim protection and shooting touch. He also spent some time with the summer league team of the Orlando Magic, where he had a solid outing that led Memphis to pick him up in the offseason.
Scotty Pippen Jr., son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, also found his path through the G League after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. At Vanderbilt, he displayed his playmaking skills, leading his team in scoring and assists. However, like Huff, he wasn&rsquo;t initially picked in the NBA draft and signed with the Lakers on a two-way contract, also playing for the South Bay Lakers.&nbsp;
Both players took full advantage of their time in the G League, honing their skills and awaiting a chance to make a larger impact in the NBA. However, both sides did not pan out and LA chose to release both guys.
Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, both Huff and Pippen Jr. are seizing their opportunities. Huff&rsquo;s defensive presence has been particularly impactful, providing Memphis with a much-needed shot-blocker off the bench. His ability to protect the paint has been a welcome addition, especially with injuries affecting some of Memphis&rsquo;s key frontcourt players. Huff&rsquo;s height and defensive instincts make him a tough matchup in the paint, where he averages close to 2 blocks per game (1.9). 
He&rsquo;s also shown an impressive shooting efficiency, both from the field and beyond the arc, allowing Memphis to space the floor even with a big man on the court. Huff is a scorching hot 48 percent on his threes, as he became one of the best shooting big men in the league this early into the season. One of his standout performances included an 18-point game, underscoring his scoring potential when given the opportunity.
Pippen Jr., meanwhile, is thriving in his role as a playmaker and secondary ball-handler. His passing has helped stabilize Memphis&rsquo;s second unit, and he has displayed the ability to score in bursts when needed. Recently, he logged a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 assists&mdash;a testament to his growth as a floor general. Pippen Jr. is averaging career highs across the board with 12.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. His court vision, combined with his knack for finding open teammates, has made him an essential part of Memphis&rsquo;s bench rotation, providing valuable relief minutes and keeping the offense fluid while the starters rest.
Both Huff and Pippen Jr. have found in Memphis what they couldn&rsquo;t quite establish in Los Angeles&mdash;a defined role that plays to their strengths. Huff&rsquo;s defensive skill set and shooting from the 5 position complements Memphis&rsquo;s hard-nosed, physical style on defense and a driving, paint-oriented style on offense as he spaces the floor well, while Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s playmaking and scoring ability off the bench provide depth to the Grizzlies&rsquo; backcourt. This fit speaks to the patience and persistence both players exhibited in the G League and in limited NBA minutes until their breakthrough moments arrived.
Their success also highlights the value of the G League as a development pipeline. Both Huff and Pippen Jr. used their time in the G League to fine-tune their skills and stay prepared for NBA call-ups. Now that they have regular minutes, they are proving that their time in the development league wasn&rsquo;t wasted; it prepared them to thrive when the moment finally came. Huff&rsquo;s ability to anchor the paint and contribute scoring when needed, along with Pippen Jr.&rsquo;s floor leadership, are assets Memphis has needed this season.
Their journeys reflect the resilience and adaptability required to break through in the NBA, going from college standouts to the G League, and now to productive roles in the league. They found themselves fighting for recognition, and have now established themselves as reliable and effective pieces in Memphis&rsquo;s rotation. This is a reminder of how hard work can translate to real NBA success. For the Grizzlies, Huff and Pippen Jr. are proving that sometimes, the best additions come from players who just needed a chance to shine.

Former Lakers Jay Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr. are making an impact off the bench for the Grizzlies, excelling in defined roles.

Former Lakers Huff, Pippen Jr. thriving in roles at Memphis

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

Super rookie Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever got a rude welcome in her first-ever playoff game.
After a historic rookie season, Clark came into Sunday excited for her first taste of high-stakes basketball. However, Alyssa Thomas and the Connecticut Sun came ready to play.
The third-seeded Sun blew out the sixth-seeded Fever, 93-69, to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series. Thomas had a triple-double for Connecticut, dropping 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists while veteran DeWanna Bonner scored 22 points while playing outstanding defense on the aforementioned Clark.
Clark struggled from the field, going only 4-17 including 2-13 from three as she saw the entire Connecticut defense turned on against her. Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 while Aliyah Boston added 17 but it was not enough as the Fever got blown out by 24 points.
In the other games of the day, the New York Liberty began their quest for a back-to-back Finals appearance with a comfortable 83-69 win over the Atlanta Dream. Leonie Fiebich led all scorers with 21 points while former WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart added 20.
The defending champions Las Vegas Aces started their title defense after winning wire-to-wire against the Seattle Storm, 78-67. Recently crowned unanimous WNBA MVP A&rsquo;Ja Wilson had 21 points in the win.
Finally, MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier starred for the Minnesota Lynx in their Game 1 win over the Phoenix Mercury. Collier had the best game of the day with 38 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists as they won by seven, 102-95.

Super rookie Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever got a rude welcome in her first-ever playoff game.

WNBA Playoffs 2024 Day 1 recap: Caitlin Clark, Fever get reality check from Sun

The USA Men&rsquo;s National Basketball Team did not break a sweat as it dominated Brazil by 35 points, 122-87, to book a semifinals ticket at the 2024 Paris Olympics.&nbsp;
Team USA led from start to finish as they played their first game in Paris at the Bercy Arena after playing their first 3 group stage games 150 miles north of the French capital in Lille at the Pierre de Mauroy stadium. The Americans were welcomed by a sold-out crowd in Paris this time and did not disappoint.&nbsp;
Team USA unleashed a barrage of threes led by Devin Booker, who had 18 points with 5 threes made. Team USA also went up and ran the floor, causing havoc on the open floor with their vaunted defense to get some easy buckets on the other end.&nbsp;
Joel Embiid, a crowd favorite in Paris, played perhaps the best game in a Team USA jersey with 14 points including 3/3 from downtown. He scored on an and-one in the 2nd quarter and had fun time hyping up fans that were booing him, celebrating on a dx chop gesture made famous in the WWE.
LeBron James was his usual captain self as he manned the team with 12 points and a team high 9 assists. James went to the locker room in the 3rd quarter after getting hit inadvertently at the side of the head, and according to head coach Steve Kerr, needed four stitches. James ended up back on the bench in the 4th quarter as he watched his fellow Americans cruise to the victory.&nbsp;
Kevin Durant, Team USA&rsquo;s Captain America, made history by becoming the federation&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer in history both in men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s by scoring 11 points. He also had his 26th straight game of scoring 10 or more which is 2 more games off the mark of Pau Gasol, who has the record at 28 games straight.&nbsp;
Birthday boy Anthony Edwards who just turned 23 had himself a fun game, scoring 17 points and getting up the shots he wanted to take off the bench.&nbsp;
Everybody else played their role and this Team USA still looks invincible 4 games in, with possibly 2 more games to go before winning that coveted 5th straight Olympic gold medal.
Bruno Caboclo showed up for Brazil with 30 points on 13/20 shooting, which marked his 2nd straight game scoring 30 or more. Caboclo scored 33 points in their win vs Japan.
Up next for Team USA is a rematch with Serbia in the semifinals. Team USA notably beat the Serbians by 26 in group stage play, and Serbia should have something on their shoulders ahead of that colossal semis matchup for a chance to play for gold.

The USA Men’s National Basketball Team did not break a sweat as it dominated Brazil by 35 points, 122-87, to book a semifinals ticket.

Team USA dominates Brazil to book Olympics semis ticket

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese continue to set standards and achieve historic records as rookies in the WNBA.&nbsp;
Clark, the 2023 no.1 overall selection, got the first-ever rookie triple-double in the WNBA by scoring 19 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 13 assists. The Indiana Fever rookie led her team to the win over last year&rsquo;s finalists New York Liberty. This was also the franchise&rsquo;s first-ever triple-double, and Clark did this against triple-double queen herself Sabrina Ionescu.&nbsp;
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CAITLIN CLARK MADE HISTORY TODAY 🗓️ 📊 19 PTS | 13 AST | 12 REB ✅ 1st rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double ✅ 1st player in Indiana Fever history to record a triple-double<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcometotheW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcometotheW</a> <a href="https://t.co/9VVtlU4dLy">pic.twitter.com/9VVtlU4dLy</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1809743574071931331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2024</a>
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Reese on the other hand, the 7th overall pick, surpassed WNBA legend Candace Parker&rsquo;s record of 12 straight double-doubles when she had yet another double-double, putting her at 13 straight. What&rsquo;s more impressive is doing this as a rookie and with the WNBA as big as ever, with all the influx of talent internationally and from this star-studded rookie class.
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In a league of her own 👏 With her 13th consecutive double-double, Angel Reese breaks Candace Parker's record for most consecutive double-doubles over multiple seasons!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcometotheW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcometotheW</a> <a href="https://t.co/gdUGaDM9e5">pic.twitter.com/gdUGaDM9e5</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1810089834066616682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2024</a>
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Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese continue to set standards and achieve historic records as rookies in the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese make all-time WNBA records as rookies

This article is part of a two-part series preview for the upcoming 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs.
With the 2023-2024 NBA Playoffs starting, all eyes will be on all teams competing for the championship as fans and players look on for a taste of postseason action. As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges. In this article, we take a closer look at the biggest question facing each Eastern Conference team heading into the playoffs, from injuries and roster changes to key matchups and strategic decisions.
<h3>Boston Celtics - Who&rsquo;s stopping them?</h3>
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the regular season as evidenced by their 64-18 record. They have also been one of the most dominant regular season teams of all time, having the third-highest net rating in NBA history (11.8) which would rank just behind the 1996 and 1997 Chicago Bulls. If it were of any significance, those Bulls teams had 72-10 and 69-13 records and won it all in both years.
It&rsquo;s all written on the wall &ndash; the Celtics are in title or bust mode, which even just a conference finals appearance would probably be marked as a disappointment. Considering how dominant they have been throughout the season, a Finals appearance would be the minimum achievement.
This team is built almost as completely as they could ever be &mdash; offense, defense, bench, two stars that lift each other&rsquo;s game up, roster construction of players that complement them, and even the fans that are some of the most passionate in the league. These are things that are all you could ask for in a championship team, and with that being said &ndash; the pressure is on for Boston.
A big possible answer to that question is whether the Celtics would be the only ones who&rsquo;ll stop themselves from achieving and realizing their full potential &ndash; and there&rsquo;s only one way to find out.&nbsp;
The playoffs are a different story and looking at what we&rsquo;ve seen over the years, the Celtics have tendencies to underperform in the playoffs. With a new supporting cast featuring 2021 champ Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, a question lingers on the team: will it be different this time around?
They have had a history of flaming out in the past, and whether or not that continues this season remains to be seen. Time is the ultimate truth teller, and these Celtics hope to exercise their playoff demons when the time comes and their opportunities present themselves.
Will they be able to capitalize on a dominant regular season and take on the task at hand once and for all? They certainly hope with all the pieces they have now, they have enough to close it out and take it all the way and finish the job this time around to end the allegations against them once and for all.
<h3>New York Knicks - How far will they go without Julius Randle?</h3>
As we all know by now, health is the biggest factor in the playoffs. You always want to be complete and your best players to be healthy and ready to go when it matters most.
Unfortunately, this will not be the case for the New York Knicks this season, after losing all-star Julius Randle to a season-ending surgery to his injury.
Randle has been the Knicks&rsquo; best player for the past 3 seasons (before Brunson&rsquo;s ascension to King Knick this year). He brings that size and physicality along with that sneaky speed at the 4. On offense, Randle is a secondary creator and playmaker who can make plays for himself and his teammates. His improving three-point shot is now a weapon for teams not to sag off of him as much which could only help the Knicks in the playoffs.
Simply put, Randle is a matchup problem against traditional power forwards. Without him, the Knicks would not be able to tap on another gear that would only be possible with Randle out there on the floor.
Now, all eyes will be on Jalen Brunson as he tries to carry New York all by himself. It will be expected to see all possible defensive schemes thrown against him to try and contain the all-NBA caliber player in this season that he is.
<h3>Milwaukee Bucks - Can they hold the fort without Giannis?&nbsp;</h3>
The hits just keep on coming for the Bucks. After starting the season 30-13, they fired their head coach Adrian Griffin, and replaced him with Doc Rivers. They&rsquo;ve had their fair share of struggles with Rivers, losing to lottery teams like the Wizards, Grizzlies, and Raptors in one stretch, and they&rsquo;ve finished only a disappointing 19-20 the rest of the way to end the season.&nbsp;
Just recently, they received brutal news that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss the beginning of their series against the Indiana Pacers after injuring his left calf with three games left in the regular season. The upstart and young Pacers have been 4-1 against them during the year and it will be a tough battle without one of the five best players in the world playing. Will Damian Lillard and Co. step up to the plate?
<h3>Cleveland Cavaliers - Is this the &lsquo;last hurrah&rsquo; for Donovan Mitchell as a Cavalier?</h3>
All eyes are on the Cavaliers&rsquo; playoff run this season to gain ground after a disappointing finish last year. Can they keep soon-to-be free agent Donovan Mitchell happy enough? Or will another disappointing playoff exit lead him to bolt out of town to find another opportunity to win elsewhere?&nbsp;
Much of this will be attributed to the growth of their current core to gauge their improvements from last season. Will Darius Garland have enough juice to handle the scoring load outside of Mitchell as well as holding his own defensively? Will Evan Mobley display or unlock another offensive level in his game to be able to contribute on the offensive end to complement his defensive capabilities? Will Jarett Allen beat the allegations of lights were too bright in the playoffs in his second time around and bounce back from what has been a bad series against the Knicks last year? And is Max Strus the answer for the Cavs to advance into the second round with his spacing and shooting at the wing to give space for Mitchell to attack?
With his impending free agency, Donovan Mitchell has a big decision to make during the offseason. Will he stay and extend with this Cavaliers team who gave up assets for him? The Cavaliers have made some strides from being a young team with potential to a top 4-5 team in the East when they acquired Donovan Mitchell two years ago from the Utah Jazz. Since then, Mitchell has elevated their play and in turn, they got back to their first playoffs without LeBron James on the team.
However, rumors have been swirling that Mitchell wants to achieve postseason success, whether in this team or not. Some of these reportedly said that if the Cavs do not make the Finals this season, he might find another home elsewhere to chase that goal. Throughout his career, Mitchell has been to the first round multiple times but has been in the second round just twice. He has yet to make a conference finals appearance, and this postseason with the Cavs will determine if he falls short of that goal again.
Helping Mitchell this time around are shooters that the Cavs lacked a year ago, with Max Strus, Sam Merill, and Georges Niang now in the fold for the team. Cleveland got exposed by New York in just five games last year and it was basically because of their inability to space the floor around Mitchell and point guard Darius Garland. Now with an improved Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen all having a year to work on their games for this stretch, the Cavs aim to make the conference finals &mdash; before Mitchell&rsquo;s impending big decision in free agency.
<h3>Orlando Magic - How far can their youth and inexperience take them in the playoffs?</h3>
Being the youngest playoff team in the East's playoff field, the Magic come in with no expectations at hand. This young group has overachieved for the season having the fourth-best defense despite them being the 4th youngest team in the league. Making the playoffs has already been a huge accomplishment, but winning a series would not be so bad and would be a welcome sight for the team.&nbsp;
Nobody expected them to be in the hunt for the top seeds in the East, but here they are in their first playoff experience as a group as the fifth seed. This is only year 2 and 3 for young stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and they could only get better as years progress. This is only the beginning for Orlando and they could be a difficult fixture in the East for years to come.
<h3>Indiana Pacers - How big of an impact will Pascal Siakam be in the postseason?</h3>
Right after the trade to bring Siakam to Indiana, fans and basketball analysts alike mentioned how the trade was a win for Indiana and that Siakam&rsquo;s value would be seen through in the playoffs. When the game slows down and teams are more equipped and prepared for their defenses, teams would need solid execution on their half-court offense.
This was where Siakam was supposed to come in, and now that it&rsquo;s here, will he be able to step up and lead the Pacers to a series win? The 2019 champion with the Raptors has played 41 games with Indiana this season after the trade, and he has averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 55/39/70 shooting splits and he has given the Pacers a new dimension on offense. The Pacers who will go up against the Bucks for their first-round playoff series, have gone 4-1 against them &ndash; but it was all without Siakam. The question for them now is, how will they maintain the level of success they had vs the Bucks now that Siakam is in the rotation? Will Siakam end up being the ceiling-raiser for the postseason for them? Or could he end up disrupting the rhythm that the team had in the regular season vs the Bucks?
<h3>Philadelphia - Is this finally the year they advance with Nick Nurse at the helm?</h3>
The Sixers have had a lot of heartbreak over the years, from not being able to make the Conference Finals in Joel Embiid&rsquo;s career to choking multiple times in the playoffs, it's just disaster after disaster when it matters the most in the City of Brotherly Love.
However, they hope the outcome is going to come out differently this year due to one factor: Nick Nurse.
The 2019 champion coach has given the Sixers a lot to hope for with a breath of fresh air surrounding the team on offensive and defensive execution. This year, with Embiid being better than ever (being even better than last year&rsquo;s MVP campaign) and with the help of Nurse&rsquo;s diverse offensive sets, the Sixers&rsquo; title chances have increased significantly. Coach Nurse having the ability to make adjustments on the fly and push the right buttons will be a major weapon for the Sixers for their upcoming playoff run.
When healthy this year, Embiid has had one of the most dominant regular seasons in NBA history, averaging 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. The Sixers have a 31-8 record when he plays, which would equal the best win-pace mark in the league. He now has a dynamic sidekick in Tyrese Maxey who has been named an all-star this year, and general manager Daryl Morey has surrounded them with capable role players to complement their skill sets. Will Nurse be the final piece that puts all of the Sixers together?
<h3>Miami Heat - Can they rediscover their old magic against the Celtics, but this time without Jimmy Butler?</h3>
At this point, people got to understand and realize that playoff Jimmy is a real thing. The dude just turns it up when it matters the most and the lights are at their brightest, and has carried Miami every time in the postseason.
However, this year figures out to be an entirely different scenario with Butler being out with an injury. According to reports, Butler could be sidelined for multiple weeks due to an MCL sprain &mdash; devastating news for Miami ahead of their upcoming playoff matchup vs Boston.&nbsp;
The Heat have faced the Celtics three times over the past four seasons, and they have beaten them twice. All those games and series featured a lot of Butler carrying them to wins.
Without Butler though, things have changed dramatically fast. Now, the question stands: will they have enough to defeat their old nemesis (who&rsquo;s become the most dominant team in the league) sans their best player?

As eight playoff teams in each conference gear up for what promises to be an intense battle for the title, each team faces its own set of unique challenges.

2024 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question heading into the playoffs

LeBron James Jr., better known as Bronny James, is weighing his options and considering whether to enter the 2024 NBA draft, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39642311/bronny-james-decide-2024-draft-based-team-interest">Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.</a>
Paul said James&rsquo; decision will be based on specific team interest and not on his draft position. 
&ldquo;I don't value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation," Paul told ESPN.
ESPN&rsquo;s draft experts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo recently pulled the younger James from their 2024 NBA Mock Draft and moved him to their 2025 NBA Mock Draft.
Bronny, a freshman at USC, is averaging 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists on the season after being sidelined for five months due to a cardiac arrest in July. His recent play has been encouraging, especially on defense, but he has not looked like a one-and-done prospect. He has often lacked assertiveness on offense and he's missed opportunities when he&rsquo;s been on the floor, shooting just under 40% from the field.
His father LeBron James has discussed the possibility of playing with Bronny, but Paul insists that LeBron wants his son "to be his own man." Paul added that landing James Jr. would not immediately equate to landing the elder James in free agency, but that it would be a welcome development especially if it happens "organically."

Bronny James is weighing his options and considering whether to enter the 2024 NBA draft.

Bronny James weighing whether to enter 2024 NBA Draft, says Rich Paul

It isn't easy to get a stamp of approval from an NBA legend, but Phoenix Suns forward Bol Bol just secured one after helping Phoenix as they fight for positioning in a tough Western Conference playoff race. Kevin Durant raved about his teammate after the Suns' important win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
"He's been more than I expected,&rdquo; Durant said of Bol, who scored 11 points against the Lakers and just had a 25-point, 14-rebound performance against the Houston Rockets. &ldquo;His intangibles, his work ethic, his IQ, all the stuff that I didn't really think about when it comes to [Bol], that's the foundation of his game."&nbsp;
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"He's been more than I expected. His intangibles, his work ethic, his IQ, all the stuff that I didn't really think about when it comes to Bol, that's the foundation of his game." Kevin Durant on Bol Bol, who followed 25 and 14 at Houston with 11 points in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Suns?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Suns</a> win vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakers</a>. <a href="https://t.co/xoFZvfmZDD">pic.twitter.com/xoFZvfmZDD</a>
&mdash; Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) <a href="https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin/status/1761927253586559436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Against the Lakers, Bol showcased several skills including putting the ball on the floor and attacking closeouts with ease. With a respectable jumper, Bol forces opposing teams to close out on him since he can hit the occasional three-ball.&nbsp;
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MAKE WAY FOR BOL BOL 😤 7 PTS (3-3 FG) in 6 MIN 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/2Zjha9f4MJ">pic.twitter.com/2Zjha9f4MJ</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1761862410913071303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2024</a></blockquote>

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The lanky forward, who previously had stints with the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic, appears to have finally cracked head coach Frank Vogel&rsquo;s rotation. Despite just playing sparingly throughout the season, he seems ready to play meaningful minutes moving forward. 
An interesting signing this past offseason, Bol is now averaging 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game on a 70.6% True Shooting percentage while playing 21.5 minutes over his last three games as the Suns welcomed his length at the forward position.
As previously mentioned, Bol played his best game of the season against Houston, tallying 25 points and 14 rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench -- serving as an integral part of Phoenix&rsquo;s closing lineup.
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Tonight Bol Bol showed why he should be getting minutes, especially playing with Kevin Durant who can help mentor him too. <a href="https://t.co/zH1n9WXDkC">pic.twitter.com/zH1n9WXDkC</a>
&mdash; CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) <a href="https://twitter.com/CGBBURNER/status/1761256812962083197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2024</a></blockquote>

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After scouring the league for wings in an attempt to get bigger at the forward spots prior to the trade deadline, the Suns might have found an answer to their season-long problem with a player who has been on the roster all along.
At 7-foot-3, Bol is a mismatch on offense with skills that include fluidity on dribbles as well as a soft touch around the rim. On defense, his frame allows him to alter shots despite being skinny for his size. Bol has the potential to be a good shot blocker once he improves his feel for the game and bulks up a bit to help with strength-and-conditioning issues.&nbsp;
Furthermore, Bol offers positional versatility on both offense and defense, which Durant appreciates and finds intriguing, especially come playoff time. This allows Coach Vogel to play bigger, trotting out a big lineup of Durant, Bol and center Jusuf Nurkic to counter the Lakers' big frontline.
&ldquo;When you look at the top teams in the league, they all have size,&rdquo; Durant <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1761928301654995404?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &ldquo;[Bol] gives us another dimension.&rdquo;
With Bol getting more and more comfortable, the Suns can be more versatile on both sides of the court and have an intriguing eight-man playoff rotation.

Kevin Durant raved about his Phoenix Suns teammate after the team's important win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kevin Durant impressed with Bol Bol: 'He’s been more than I expected'

The Oklahoma City Thunder are acquiring veteran Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans and draft compensation, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Hayward, 33 and in his 13th NBA season, is averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in 25 games this season. The 6-foot-7 forward has been dealing with injuries and now his four-year stint with Charlotte ends having not played more than 50 games in a single season.
Hayward moves to a Thunder team that&rsquo;s currently No. 1 in the Western Conference despite being the second-youngest team in the league, and his veteran presence will be a welcome addition to the team.
In return, Oklahoma City sends over 2021 first-round pick Mann, journeyman Bertans, rookie Micic and some draft compensation.
Mann, who has not seen much playing time this season in favor of other rising young players, is only averaging 3.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in just 13 games played. 
Bertans was in the same boat, and he's included in the deal to match salaries. The 6-foot-10 Latvian sharpshooter has only appeared in 15 games for the Thunder, averaging just 2.9 points.&nbsp;
Micic, a EuroLeague MVP and champion, gets moved despite having some good moments as a reserve point guard with the Thunder this season. He recently scored an NBA career-high 12 points in 17 minutes in a win against the defending-champion Denver Nuggets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are acquiring veteran Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans and draft compensation

Thunder acquire Gordon Hayward from Hornets

All of the great one-name classical artists that share names with the Ninja Turtles had apprentices they held in high regard. Willie Green, now going into his third season as one of the NBA&rsquo;s youngest head coaches, has been shaping a vision with the New Orleans Pelicans but there was an obvious need for a reshaping of the assistant coaching staff this summer. The franchise&rsquo;s scaffolding was in place, but the young coach was working with old hands from previous artists; he needed to bring in a trusted apprentice.
New assistant James Borrego is no apprentice outside of this analogy. He is a well-traveled former head coach with a proven track record of building top-10 offenses, which Green admitted during media day will alleviate some burdens on the offensive end. The new assistant will also have plenty of freedom to have some experiments fail.&nbsp;
&nbsp;One of Bob Ross' most famous sayings is, "We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents." He encouraged artists to embrace unexpected turns and use them to their advantage. Like Ross cashing in on &ldquo;happy accidents,&rdquo; the Pelicans are betting on Borrego's schemes to raise their long-term offensive ceiling this season, and the missteps along the way are just learned experiences to be blended into the mosaic.
Green&rsquo;s focus on defense and deep personal connections took priority over offensive nuances the last few seasons, but there was an obvious need for some changes to the playbook and how the lessons learned are implemented. So, Green brought in Borrego.
Ross, with his trademark permed hair, paint brushes and soothing voice, often emphasized the importance of mastering the basics. Build creations from simple brushstrokes, with sound structures. Likewise, Borrego's offense is built on a foundation of fundamentals. He emphasizes ball movement, spacing and player movement to create scoring opportunities. Just as Ross began his paintings with a few basic elements, Borrego starts his offense with simple, well-executed plays.
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Last season&rsquo;s formula was too simple. And basics? The Pelicans had problems just inbounding the ball in critical situations and often would not begin an action until there were under 10 seconds left on the shot clock. Then, it was predictable: Brandon Ingram methodical in the midrange. Zion Williamson rumbles to the rim off of actions with very little space or off-ball movement. CJ McCollum was mostly stationary and waiting on the perimeter when not having to bail out a short-handed team late in the shot clock. Jonas Valanciunas was frustrated with his role, while Herb Jones was still growing into his on offense.
Trey Murphy III continued developing but everything was a reset of the same few actions, and it all fell apart once the injury report started filling up. Still, the sketches of a championship contender are already on the canvas in New Orleans. Borrego just has to bring out the best features. It should be a welcomed change for a not-so-young-anymore roster looking to show they are serious about winning a championship. With structure, the team will have a better ability to adapt on the fly. This hallmark of Borrego's coaching style is also reminiscent of Ross turning mistakes into opportunities on his canvas.
While Ross often started his paintings with a simple sky and landscape, he gradually added layers of detail and complexity to create stunning compositions. Similarly, Borrego's offense is designed to be layered. It begins with basic actions but can evolve into intricate plays with multiple options. Just as Ross patiently added trees, mountains, and rivers to his paintings, Borrego's teams gradually added complexity to their offense as the players became more comfortable with the system.
Alvin Gentry was an abstract artist with not a lot of museum showcase pieces, constructing a portfolio that was an interesting smorgasbord of ill-fitting talents and philosophies. Sure, it sometimes produced good-looking, free-flowing hoops but not often was the end product something worthy of the NBA Playoff platform. Stan Van Gundy tried to implement structure but just wound up erasing almost all of the goodwill between the locker room and front office.
Willie Green has mended those fences, taped together the tapestry if you will, and has a team on the verge of a breakout season. They just need an offense that is a bit more unpredictably efficient and some injury luck. Just get repetitions and a spot in the playoffs, then see what happens. An accidental, out-of-nowhere championship is still a banner raised. Some teams have to take smaller steps to a title, but why not dream of a historical breakout season? Even eighth seeds have made runs to the NBA Finals.
It all starts with Ingram. He needs to step into a bigger No. 2 role more than CJ McCollum, who would be perhaps the best fourth option in the NBA should Murphy III make a jump. Borrego should be able to get Ingram into easier-to-read actions and the former All-Star's assists numbers should take a jump. The team said Ingram is expected to be more of a ball-in-hand offensive initiator this season. This draws attention away from Williamson, instead of the Point Zion experiment that sometimes induces ball-watching.
That&rsquo;s not to say Point Zion does not have artistic merits. Williamson is a great passer, draws the attention of all 20,000 in attendance, and can be a one-man wrecking ball when the rest of the offense is just not working. It&rsquo;s just that Williamson cannot be the only attraction, dominating the canvas at the detriment of the rest of the bigger picture. It puts too much pressure on internal relationships and makes the team too predictable.
No worries. The Charlotte Hornets finished in the top-10 in three-point attempts in three of four seasons under Borrego. Charlotte was a top-10 team in points (fourth), three-pointers made (fifth), three-pointers attempted (sixth) and three-point percentage (sixth) that season. They were 11th in field goal percentage and snatched the ninth-most offensive rebounds. Charlotte led the NBA with 28.1 team assists per game and had the 10th-fewest turnovers.
Work hard, keep moving to provide options, don&rsquo;t get caught looking and fight for extra opportunities. Build greatness on the back of the basics, just like Bob Ross taught. Borrego&rsquo;s clear directions during training camp should have everyone on the same page to start the regular season in a few weeks. They also understand a few messy mistakes early will not have much of an effect on how this season is eventually framed. It&rsquo;s how they adapt to those moments that matter most.
New Orleans was near the bottom in offensive rating, assist-to-turnover ratio and true shooting percentage last season. Borrego had a rebuilding franchise&rsquo;s mismatched roster eighth in offensive rating, third in assist percentage, second in assist-to-turnover ratio, second in assist ratio and ninth-best in turnover percentage. Those Hornets played with the sixth-quickest pace, were third in shots at the rim, and second in corner three-pointers.
&ldquo;For the first three-quarters of the game, I&rsquo;m drawing stuff up based on concepts that we already know. I&rsquo;m just adding a little tweak here to maybe a few sets to disguise it," <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2020/3/5/21166585/conversation-with-hornets-head-coach-james-borrego" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theringer.com/2020/3/5/21166585/conversation-with-hornets-head-coach-james-borrego&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1696693000595000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2zQ3C-l7Klu8y6hMOUbdD6">Borrego has explained</a>. "I think that&rsquo;s one of the things that we do as coaches. You&rsquo;re just trying to disguise a concept. You&rsquo;re running your sets, your flow, throughout a game. Your ATOs, you&rsquo;ve got to try to come up with something a little bit trickier. But the concepts are the same, you&rsquo;re just trying to disguise it. The tough ones, and they&rsquo;re getting tougher now, are the fourth quarter/end-of-game situations because these timeouts are so quick. I don&rsquo;t even have time to think. I&rsquo;ve already got to know what play I have in mind.&rdquo;
When things start shaping up where everyone can see the bigger picture, the tougher moments start to become easier. That philosophy and Borrego&rsquo;s style will help hide the flaws and accentuate the strengths of role players like Jose Alvarado, Larry Nance Jr., Jones, Valanciunas, Dyson Daniels and Kira Lewis Jr.
Borrego was Green&rsquo;s NBA coach just over a decade ago. Now, the roles are reversed but cultural expectations and goals are the same. The Pelicans hope everything comes together in a way that looks like the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Can James Borrego's new offense bring out the best of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram for the Pelicans?

How James Borrego's offense could take Pelicans to next level

Paying customers and plenty of media members have loudly expressed their frustrations with how the New Orleans Pelicans have handled the injuries and updates regarding Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, to the point of calling the organization outright liars.
Sure, there were frustrations with injuries derailing the season, but the messaging did not come from a place of dishonesty. It came from the type of misunderstandings and miscommunications that can ravage any type of relationship.
The obvious friction within the team the last few seasons were publicly expressed through curt answers and solemn body language on gamedays. Executive vice president David Griffin even admitted last July that the Pelicans &ldquo;did a really bad job organizationally" in handling some situations, especially after Williamson&rsquo;s viral pregame dunk and vague comments to the media. It took a summer of reconciliation, but the most pressing relationship issues have been resolved. Everyone understands how to speak each other&rsquo;s basketball love language and approach expectations for the coming season.
It all started with listening sessions this summer, which were a reason Williamson stuck around town for the offseason. But go back and listen to how Williamson and Ingram talk about basketball in press conferences over the years. Examining how they speak about the game explains a lot in how they&rsquo;ve approached their careers thus far.
Ingram has been using the term "professional" and "basketball" while talking like a hardwood scientist since his rookie season. It would not be surprising for B.I. to break down film at 4 a.m., making calls to wake sleepy-eyed teammates. Specifically, Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Josh Hart have shared on record how Ingram&rsquo;s film studies helped their game. Even when Ingram was out with an injury, the deep film sessions to help his teammates improve remained part of his routine. His methodical game reflects his intense devotion to his craft, though Ingram&rsquo;s personality comes off as a bit more laid back.
Williamson &ldquo;just loves hooping&rdquo; by his admission this Monday and in past interviews. Both are highly talented and naturally gifted and, as one source put it, &ldquo;They both love the game, but show it in different ways. The game has loved them back in different ways.&rdquo; Organizationally, there have been some growing pains as perhaps some things got taken for granted along the way for a franchise shaping a new identity.
That&rsquo;s starting to change and it is a two-way street. This team knows it was in first place last December and Williamson&rsquo;s renewed commitment has been the theme of the offseason with those I&rsquo;ve spoken with.
"This was the first summer where we&rsquo;ve seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that, I think, is meaningful," Griffin revealed during media day.
This is a reassuring development considering the past four years. Now, Zion still loves to hoop. There is no doubt. No one shows up on an outdoor court in New Orleans to work up a mid-summer sweat with some high-school kids without loving to hoop. Roll a ball out on a court and a smiling Williamson is like an overeager puppy. At least Alvin Gentry got that right in Zion&rsquo;s rookie season.
However, Williamson has not had a healthy relationship with NBA basketball the last few years. The NBA Draft is a crap shoot and New Orleans was not exactly a prime location. The new front office had a few growing pains earlier than expect as a result. NBA HQ added some bumps and bruises to the process as well. The national-TV-heavy schedule as a rookie and through the COVID bubble was unwarranted, unnecessary attention; it was just premature pressure on someone who couldn't legally buy a drink.
Attention before production paired with injury setbacks put pressure on every strained relationship, which partly factored into the Pelicans parting ways with coaches Gentry and Stan Van Gundy after just a year each with Williamson on the roster. Zion even went to rehab in Oregon away from the team, returning to the bench just weeks before the team&rsquo;s playoff run.
Publicly and privately, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;all water under the bridge&rdquo; between the locker room and front office. Aaron Nelson is still with the team, but in an advisory role that&rsquo;s far more hands-off on the day-to-day. Newly-hired Amy Atmore, the team's physical/performance therapist and director of rehabilitation, has already made the players comfortable with the revamped staff and new "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" process. There are a few more full-time staffers to welcome into the group but by all accounts, head coach Willie Green has righted the ship culturally in the locker room. The leadership hierarchies and trust circle bonds are very strong and have been unanimously agreed upon.
In contrast to Williamson&rsquo;s on-court hooper mentality paired with a dozen endorsement deals, Ingram loves professional basketball and has been able to operate as an under-the-radar, one-time All-Star. This approach leads to multi-generational wealth that secures family futures. Ingram did not sign a contract extension this summer because "they handing a lot of people big money, [and] I&rsquo;m trying to get some big money&rdquo; next summer.
Ingram smiled while delivering that media-day-gold statement, but Zion was refusing to flash a grin for anyone to start training camp. This isn&rsquo;t just hooping anymore. This is serious, professional basketball and it would be a disservice to his talents and teammates to not approach this season as the opportunity of a lifetime. It&rsquo;s also a chance to win back all the fans and provide a return on the team&rsquo;s investment. Williamson loves to be loved. Ingram, especially after the FIBA experience, is after All-NBA respect before negotiating a contract extension.
The revamped player performance and medical staff changes were a direct result of the front office listening to player feedback. Williamson, who just signed a max-level extension, can see that.
"The Pelicans have put in a lot of things this offseason&hellip;" Williamson said. "I think what the Pelicans have done is add good structure and we'll see as the season goes&hellip; being on the same page with the personal trainers, really locking into every aspect of my body.''
Williamson also listened to feedback from the front office and the team&rsquo;s veterans. He got the message from CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr., who played through injuries last season, to set an example.
"I think [the changes] should help us," McCollum said. &ldquo;A lot of it is on us and how we prepare. Your staff can only do so much."
Off the court, Williamson&rsquo;s larger-than-life, crowd-pleasing ways mesh well with Ingram&rsquo;s reserved, low-key-funny, musically-inclined chill. Now, the Pelicans need them to make it work on the court when the stakes are highest. Like any relationship seemingly stuck running in place, huge consequences are resting on the next decision.
&ldquo;If this team can&rsquo;t take that next step, we need to know that as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Griffin stated straightforwardly at media day.
It&rsquo;s tough to hear for a young team, but at least the tough love is understood as coming from a place of caring about what&rsquo;s best for everyone.
Former NBA vet and Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon said he felt players have returned with a bitter taste in their mouths after the way last season ended and expects them to come into camp highly motivated to show their true potential. Griffin, who is passing off some of the medical-team-oversight responsibilities to Langdon, feels this group is &ldquo;really optimistic."
"We have pieces that can be really dynamic and win together," Griffin said. "They haven&rsquo;t done a lot of it and they know they have something to prove."
Williamson definitely has something to prove and has new motivations in life to live up to his potential. The expecting father with no more viable professional excuses or blame to be placed on youth ''wanted change."
"If I want change, I have to do something different so I sat down with the Pelicans and came up with a great plan," Zion said.
All public signs from the front office, All-Stars and those speaking behind the scenes point to a mended, healthy relationship between all parties as reason for future optimism. Reports of mutiny or group dissension are downright wrong according to what I&rsquo;ve been hearing. Hot takes to insinuate the franchise operates from behind a smoke screen miss the mark at best and at times show the worst of biases from people who wouldn&rsquo;t know which coach or player had a family sitting next to them in the arena.
There were no ultimatums. It was a remodel, not a revolt. The front office took feedback from their players and ran with it. That&rsquo;s a positive relationship. It&rsquo;s boring for offseason news but has long-term benefits for the team and it&rsquo;s fans.
"If we would have controlled the narrative, it would have made (the media&rsquo;s) jobs a lot more boring, but it would have put [Williamson[ in a better position to succeed," Griffin said last summer. "I feel like to a huge degree, I failed him in that sense."
The Pelicans and Williamson are now in a position to succeed with a clear narrative: Win and show the world their true capabilities. Williamson, who trained to be &ldquo;un-guardable&rdquo; this offseason, switched vocabulary halfway through the press conference with an admission that he is &ldquo;a basketball player."
"I simply want to win and impact the game. I train to impact the game from all areas&hellip; Griff, Trajan and Swin [Cash], those three have been really helpful," Williamson added. "They've supported me, they've had my back and we all got the same goal in mind, which I think is what family is about &ndash; people having your back no matter what and wanting the best for each other.&rdquo;
Williamson went further, going out of the way to declare his loyalty to New Orleans.
&ldquo;This is home for me. This is where I want to be&hellip;" he said. "If something were to happen to me where basketball wasn&rsquo;t there or my life is changed, who would be there for me? Realistically, who would be there for me? I had to come to that realization that when it comes to them, the family, and the city, it&rsquo;s always good so I focus on that.&rdquo;
Frankly, if that doesn&rsquo;t hit you right in the feels as a fan of the Pelicans, it might be time to re-examine your engagement with basketball and this team. Either way the franchise is moving forward with stronger relationships just as their championship window is truly opening. A great start to the season might even feel like a second honeymoon for fans with an open mind and little bit of hope for the future.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

The New Orleans Pelicans are all on the same page and could be poised for a big season, writes Christopher Dodson.

Pelicans better understand love languages of All-Star relationships

Today, the NBA G League and Hyatt announced a new multi-year sponsorship that makes Hyatt the official integrated resort partner of the NBA G League. The league will also bring on the Greater Orlando Sports Commission as a sponsor of NBA G League Winter Showcase to support the event at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, for the next four years.
As a cornerstone of Hyatt&rsquo;s sponsorship, the 2023 Winter Showcase will take place Dec. 19-22 at Hyatt Regency Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center, bringing the NBA G League&rsquo;s premier in-season scouting opportunity to the Southeast for the first time.
To connect NBA G League fans and World of Hyatt members, the league and Hyatt will also be activating on the sponsorship through a variety of assets, including digital and social media, signage and hospitality.
&ldquo;The NBA G League is thrilled to work with Hyatt and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission to bring the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase to Orlando,&rdquo; said Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the NBA G League President. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking forward to working with Hyatt on enhancing the experience for players and team personnel at one of the NBA G League&rsquo;s marquee events.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Hyatt is pleased to welcome the NBA G League Winter Showcase with an effortless and unforgettable resort experience at Hyatt Regency Orlando,&rdquo; said Laurie Blair, the Vice President of Global Marketing at Hyatt. &ldquo;Our passion for offering World of Hyatt members and guests world-class service and unique stay experiences naturally extends to players and personnel. We look forward to introducing them to Hyatt&rsquo;s global portfolio of desirable destinations and rooting for them across all our markets.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We are so proud to partner with the NBA, in collaboration with our partners here in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center, Visit Orlando, Orange County and our hotel partners, as we prepare to host the NBA G League Winter Showcase for the next four years,&rdquo; said Jason Siegel, the President and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. &ldquo;We are confident that the players, administrators, coaches and NBA executives will have an incredibly positive experience while they are visiting our community.&rdquo;
The NBA G League Winter Showcase will be the culmination of the Showcase Cup. During the Showcase Cup, teams are placed into&nbsp;<a href="https://gleague.nba.com/showcase-cup-pods-2023-24" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gleague.nba.com/showcase-cup-pods-2023-24&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1694806643773000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17D9LZBrYBLjHDAKLRLCji">four regions</a> and play 14 games exclusively against one another in NBA G League markets. The teams with the best winning percentage in each region, along with the next four teams with the best winning percentages regardless of region, will advance to compete for the Showcase Cup Championship in a single-elimination tournament during Winter Showcase. The remaining teams will each play two games outside of the Showcase Cup Tournament at the Winter Showcase.
The complete game and broadcast schedule for the Winter Showcase will be released at a later date. The schedule for the Showcase Cup portion of the 2023-24 season is available&nbsp;<a href="https://gleague.nba.com/schedule?month=9" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gleague.nba.com/schedule?month%3D9&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1694806643773000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0gQeLN18JIzNBzuSJ-LYLA">here</a>.

Today, the NBA G League and Hyatt announced a new multi-year sponsorship that will bring the NBA G League Showcase to Orlando.

NBA G League Winter Showcase will move to Orlando for next 4 years

Today, the NBA and Zignia announced that the NBA Mexico City Game 2023 will feature the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic playing a regular-season game at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Thursday, Nov. 9.&nbsp; The matchup will mark the league&rsquo;s 32nd&nbsp;game in Mexico since 1992, more than any country outside the U.S. and Canada.&nbsp;
The Magic will be playing its fourth game in Mexico since 2012 and currently features 2022 No. 1 overall pick and 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Franz Wagner, and 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz.&nbsp; 
The Hawks, who will be playing their first game in Mexico, are coming off their third consecutive playoff appearance behind two-time NBA All-Star Trae Young and 2022 NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray.
&ldquo;With the Magic having been to London twice, Japan, China, Brazil and Mexico City previously, we love representing the NBA and the City of Orlando when we have the opportunity to play in these Global Games," said Magic CEO Alex Martins. "We&rsquo;ve had the opportunity to be in Mexico City before, and we know the passion of the fans and are really looking forward to bringing our team back to Mexico City to play.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It is always a privilege to showcase our team, the city of Atlanta and the NBA in the Global Games," said Hawks CEO Steve Koonin. "We had an incredible time last year starting the season in the first NBA Abu Dhabi Games and we are excited to connect with the fans in Mexico City and experience the wonderful culture there.&rdquo;
The NBA Mexico City Game 2023 will air live in Mexico on ESPN, Star+, TUDN and NBA League Pass, the league&rsquo;s premium live game subscription service available on the NBA App, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories&nbsp;on television, digital media and social media. In addition to the NBA Mexico City Game 2023,&nbsp;the league and its partners will conduct NBA Cares community outreach initiatives, Jr. NBA youth basketball development programming and interactive activities that will bring the NBA experience to fans in Mexico City.&nbsp;
To conclude the week-long celebration of basketball in the country, the Mexico City Capitanes will host the Osceola Magic on Friday, Nov. 10 as part of the NBA G League&rsquo;s Showcase Cup schedule.&nbsp; Additional details about the 2023-24 NBA G League season will be available at a later date.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited to welcome the Hawks and Magic to Mexico City next season and give our passionate fans the opportunity to see some of the brightest young stars in the game," said NBA Mexico Vice President and Managing Director Raul Zarraga. "There is so much momentum around basketball in Mexico, and this game and the surrounding events will serve as the ultimate celebration of the NBA for fans across the country and throughout Latin America.&rdquo;
The game and surrounding events will be supported by a roster of NBA marketing partners, including AT&amp;T, Gatorade, Hisense, Michelob ULTRA, Nike, Tissot and Wonder as well as Zignia&rsquo;s associate partners Banco Azteca and TotalPlay. Additional partners will be announced in the coming months.
Beginning today, NBA ID members interested in attending the NBA Mexico City Game 2023 can register their interest in tickets and receive access to an exclusive ticket pre-sale that will take place Aug. 14-15 by visiting <a href="http://www.nbaenmexico.nbaid.mx/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.nbaenmexico.nbaid.mx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3iFCuhxfH0EJnuN_HZ5qrp">this site</a>. Tickets for the game will go on sale to Banco Azteca card holders from Aug. 16-18 and to the public on Aug. 19. Special ticket packages offering premium access, VIP experiences, hospitality and local hotel accommodations are available for purchase at <a href="https://nbaexperiences.com/nba-mexico-city-game-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nbaexperiences.com/nba-mexico-city-game-2023&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0FHra0Wvi4LYlOnDrJWkB_">here</a>.
Fans in Mexico can find more information&nbsp;about the NBA at&nbsp;<a href="http://nba.com/Mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://NBA.com/Mexico&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3RDeoUuYjsl81AvmiLZ2rK">NBA.com/Mexico</a>,&nbsp;by downloading the&nbsp;<a href="https://global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id=811567537499273278&amp;_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://global.nba.com/nba-apps/index.html?_branch_match_id%3D811567537499273278%26_branch_referrer%3DH4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MvJzMvWy0tK1EvOz9UH0kAxAF91y5sfAAAA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Lkj6NKq6NfRyPJNCju-QY">NBA App</a>, and on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NBAMexico/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/NBAMexico/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3eDMVn5p5OHnPAfbI3uxxf">@nbamexico</a>), Tiktok (<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@nbamex" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tiktok.com/@nbamex&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VI8mtyeHRh5nJmRe6D-9T">@nbamex</a>), Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/NBAMEX" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/NBAMEX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Hjjd6eX8OFrcgbwCgk-Cv">@nbamex</a>), YouTube (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NBAMexico/featured" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/user/NBAMexico/featured&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0aqa1qSUkw385nECaz2B2B">NBA M&eacute;xico</a>) and Instagram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/nbamex/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/nbamex/?hl%3Den&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw15R7OZhTHc26bKeQ6olM9s">(@nbamex</a>). Fans can also purchase official NBA merchandise online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbatienda.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nbatienda.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690465572681000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3DwZWTfnYo9g9umEsTAacU">NBATienda.com</a>&nbsp;and at the Arena CDMX on game night.

The NBA Mexico City Game 2023 will feature the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic playing a regular-season game at the Arena CDMX.

Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic to play regular-season game in Mexico City

Today, the NBA announced that the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers will face off in the league&rsquo;s third regular-season game in Paris at the Accor Arena on Jan. 11, 2024.
The NBA Paris Game 2024 will mark the Nets&rsquo; second game in Paris, having played a preseason game in the French capital in 2008. Brooklyn currently features 2021-22 NBA All-Defensive First Team and 2023 Team USA member Mikal Bridges, 2023 Team USA member Cam Johnson and three-time NBA All-Star Ben Simmons. The Nets have made five consecutive playoff appearances.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re extremely excited to have the opportunity to compete in The NBA Paris Game 2024 and bring Nets basketball to an international stage," Nets general manager Sean Marks said. "Our players and coaches will benefit greatly from the experience of immersing themselves in Paris&rsquo;s rich culture off the court.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers will be playing their first game in Europe. Cleveland currently features four-time NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell, 2022 NBA All-Stars Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland, and 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive First Team member Evan Mobley. The Cavaliers won their first NBA championship in 2016 and made four consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2015 to 2018.
&ldquo;We are extremely honored as an organization to showcase the Cleveland Cavaliers in Paris," Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said. "This unique opportunity will provide our players, coaches, staff and families an experience into a different culture, all while creating memories both on and off the court that will last a lifetime. We also recognize the universal appeal basketball inspires and we take great pride in our stewardship of the game. As proud representatives of the city of Cleveland and all of Northeast Ohio, we look forward to establishing a personal level of engagement with our fans overseas, as well as partnering with the NBA in our collective effort to elevate basketball on the international stage.&rdquo;
The NBA Paris Game 2024 will air live on beIN SPORTS and NBA League Pass, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. The league and its partners will conduct interactive fan activities, NBA Cares community outreach initiatives and Jr. NBA youth basketball development programming to bring the NBA experience to fans in the French capital. The game and surrounding events will be supported by a roster of marketing partners, including Foot Locker, La Fran&ccedil;aise des Jeux, Nike and Tissot.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re thrilled to be bringing the live NBA experience back to Paris with two exciting teams in the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers," said Mark Tatum, the NBA's deputy commissioner and chief operating officer. "This game has become a destination for our passionate fans across Europe and will build on the incredible momentum around basketball and the NBA in France and throughout the region.&rdquo;
Tickets for The NBA Paris Game 2024 will go on sale at a later date, but fans can <a href="NBAEvents.com/ParisGame" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> to receive presale information. NBA ID members will get priority access to the pre-sale.&nbsp;
There have been more NBA players from France than from any other country outside North America, including 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs). Live NBA games and related programming air in France on beIN SPORTS and NBA League Pass, including 45 weekend games in primetime last season as part of the league&rsquo;s &ldquo;NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays&rdquo; European primetime initiative.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The City of Paris is delighted to host another thrilling NBA regular-season game and extend a warm welcome to two remarkable teams, the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers," said Pierre Rabadan, the deputy mayor of Paris who's in charge of sports. "Our love and passion for the sport of basketball drive us to provide an unforgettable experience for players and fans alike. Paris has always been a special place for basketball and continues to be, as its rich culture steadily thrives and spreads within the city.&rdquo;

The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers will face off in the league’s third regular-season game in Paris on Jan. 11, 2024.

Nets, Cavaliers to play regular-season game in Paris in January 2024

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; The first dinner that Victor Wembanyama had in his new home city was filled with San Antonio royalty. Gregg Popovich was there, of course. So were Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Manu Ginobili and Sean Elliott.
NBA champions, all of them.
Wembanyama now starts his quest to join their club.
Even as the welcomes for Wemby continued Saturday &mdash; one at San Antonio&rsquo;s iconic downtown River Walk, another at the arena &mdash; the French teen who has been labeled a generational basketball talent already was thinking about what comes next. He&rsquo;s got a visit to Nike headquarters in Oregon in the next few days, appointments to see some houses in San Antonio that he might be calling home for the next few years and then practices for the NBA Summer League.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got a lot to do,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s all right. It&rsquo;s OK. It&rsquo;s all going to fit in.&rdquo;
He&rsquo;s excited, and rightly so. He put on a Spurs uniform on Saturday for the first time and will play in one for the first time sometime in early July in either Sacramento or Las Vegas; San Antonio plays in both of those summer leagues. He offered high-fives to hundreds of Spurs employees who showed up at the arena on Saturday to welcome him, smiling the whole way.
&ldquo;These are exciting times,&rdquo; Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said.
They come with the biggest expectations. The morning party on the River Walk took place at the spot where the Spurs&rsquo; championship celebrations usually are centered. And the news conference that followed at the arena came with Wembanyama seated on a stage that just happened to be at the same end of the court as San Antonio&rsquo;s five NBA championship banners.
&ldquo;To Victor, I wanted to say to you directly, we&rsquo;re excited to grow with you, support you, challenge you, especially Coach Pop &mdash; there&rsquo;ll be a lot of challenging days &mdash; on your journey through life and basketball,&rdquo; Spurs general manager Brian Wright said as he sat to Wembanyama&rsquo;s left. &ldquo;Your talent is obvious, but as we got to know you, the maturity, the approach, the character really showed us how special of a young man you are.&rdquo;
It was part of a whirlwind first 20 hours or so in San Antonio for Wembanyama,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/spurs-wembanyama-draft-nba-11b2b43bc27076ab5036769bf5d4160b">who flew in from the NBA draft on Friday</a>&nbsp;and had dinner with Popovich and some former players that night. Wembanyama said he learned more about the NBA in those two hours than he had learned in the last few years.
&ldquo;Honestly, that was one of the best dinners of my life,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;And not because of the food. The food was good. But the people was crazy.&rdquo;
Saturday started with Wembanyama enjoying a bag of the city&rsquo;s famed breakfast tacos &mdash; bacon and egg, and bean and cheese, he said &mdash; before heading to the Arneson River Theater for the day&rsquo;s first introductory event. Robinson was there, sitting in the front row. So was San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, wearing a Wembanyama jersey.
There&rsquo;s someone driving around San Antonio with a Wemby license plate. There&rsquo;s a burger with foie gras on the menu at a local sports bar, as a tribute to Wembanyama. There&rsquo;s a mural of him on the outside of a business directly across the street of another mural featuring Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker. There&rsquo;s even a mariachi band that already has a song about Wembanyama.
&ldquo;The fans have been the best at their job,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;I can only hope to be at their level.&rdquo;
The Spurs also introduced&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-report-card-2b66d099d445bf3f1f8e3c697dcc9efb">second-round pick Sidy Cissoko</a>&nbsp;on Saturday &mdash; another player from France who has known Wembanyama for about a decade. Cissoko played in Spain before ending up with the G League Ignite, and he already has endeared himself to San Antonio, a city with a strong Latin influence, by taking questions in English, French and Spanish.
&ldquo;The hoop gods have been incredibly generous to San Antonio for a long time, and they blessed us again with Victor and Sidy,&rdquo; Buford said.
Wembanyama said he hasn&rsquo;t had much time for sleep, and he&rsquo;s looking forward to things calming down a bit so he can get back into his basketball routine &mdash; one that has been understandably disrupted in recent days. But first, there was luggage to unpack, more people to meet, more jerseys to sign.
It was hectic. It&rsquo;s going to be hectic for a while. And Wembanyama says he&rsquo;s enjoying it all.
&ldquo;This is the life I wanted,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;This is what I worked for and it&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;ve been wanting for a long time. So, it feels normal to me.&rdquo;

The 48 hours after Victor Wembanyama was drafted No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs have been a whirlwind.

Spurs, fans welcome No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama to San Antonio

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; There was plenty of debate in the weeks leading up&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-draft-2023-wembanyama-updates-00f52206057df4b872898010243d3bd8">to the NBA draft</a>&nbsp;over whether the Charlotte Hornets preferred Alabama&rsquo;s Brandon Miller or the G League Ignite&rsquo;s Scoot Henderson with the No 2 pick.
In general manager Mitch Kupchak&rsquo;s mind there was never a debate.
&ldquo;Brandon was our favorite all along,&rdquo; Kupchak said. &ldquo;There was a lot of spirited discussion in the last three days, which I welcome. ... But I think he&rsquo;s the player that is the best player.&rdquo;
Miller gives the Hornets&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F7obl-vfp4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">an athletic 6-foot-9 wing</a>&nbsp;with a smooth shooting stroke who can knock down shots from the perimeter. He averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season for the Crimson Tide, who entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed before making an early exit.
But the Southeastern Conference&rsquo;s player of the year as a freshman comes with some baggage.
Miller is tied to a case that led to former Tide player Darius Miles and another man&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-darius-miles-fatal-shooting-indictment-jamea-harris-887b6419c4b576da778b710a58b8acf7">being indicted</a>&nbsp;on capital murder charges.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/Nate-Oats-Brandon-Miller-Alabama-Basketball-4efc92362b106b01ab0d0a2ee9a4ea6c">A police investigator testified in February</a>&nbsp;that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun that night. Miller hasn&rsquo;t been charged with wrongdoing, though&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-darius-miles-murder-charge-533386c46d0822a56878b3d3d07717c9">the ongoing case</a>&nbsp;brought&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-alabama-crimson-tide-top-25-college-basketball-today-darius-miles-a32a922ed4e9a483dde15bd24445ce83">intense scrutiny</a>&nbsp;during the second half of the season for&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brandon-miller-alabama-ncaa-tournament-security-guard-7104ab515dfaf81ae09abf94f0bd3165">Miller and the Alabama program</a>.
Kupchak said the Hornets conducted an extensive background check on Miller, including a trip to Alabama about two weeks ago.
&ldquo;We are comfortable with Brandon on and off the court,&rdquo; Kupchak said.
Miller has said he can&rsquo;t discuss the case.
On much a lighter note, Miller made news last week when he said he considered Paul George his personal GOAT, or the greatest of all-time.
He didn&rsquo;t back off that Thursday night even after being drafted by&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-sale-michael-jordan-527087d134136ef38cae1da8d1c95b01">outgoing Hornets majority owner and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan</a>, considered by many the best player ever.
&ldquo;I think I made it clear that Paul George is still my GOAT, but Mike is definitely up there when in his prime,&rdquo; Miller said with a laugh. &ldquo;Mike does everything. We wear his shoes and he jumps from the free throw line. But Paul George is my GOAT.&rdquo;
Miller appears to be a better positional fit for the Hornets than Henderson, who would have joined a crowded backcourt that includes LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, last year&rsquo;s leading scorer.
As a wing, Miller has a good chance to see significant playing time.
Gordon Hayward, who has struggled with injury issues, is in the final year of his contract and it&rsquo;s unclear if the team will try to re-sign restricted free agent Miles Bridges, who missed all last season while dealing with a domestic violence case. Bridges will&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/miles-bridges-suspension-charlotte-hornets-ca37e404209b6298ced4c1a46d5d59d6">serve a 10-game suspension to start the season</a>&nbsp;after&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-los-angeles-miles-bridges-cfb86b443b52ad43038886363feeedc4">pleading no contest last November</a>&nbsp;and being sentenced to serve three years of probation.
Miller feels he should benefit from playing with Ball, who is an above-average ball distributor.
&ldquo;Melo is my guy,&rdquo; Miller said. &ldquo;I think with Melo, as good of a point guard as he is, I just kind of fill in the place (on the court). And I know he is going to be the big brother for me away from home.&rdquo;
The 20-year-old Miller is also considered a much better shooter than Henderson, addressing an area of concern for Charlotte.
The Hornets finished 29th in the league last season on 3-pointers at 33%. Miller shot 38.4% from beyond the arc at Alabama. Henderson shot just 27.5% from deep last season for the Ignite, although the 3-point line is deeper in the G League.
At the Spectrum Center in downtown Charlotte, the Hornets&rsquo; decision to take Miller over Henderson was greeted with a mixed reaction by about 5,000 fans gathered for a draft party.
Before the pick, fans cheered loudly when Henderson was shown on the big screen.
Miller joins a Hornets team that hasn&rsquo;t reached the postseason in an NBA-worst seven straight seasons and finished with the fourth-worst record in the league last season at 27-55. Charlotte managed to move up two spots in the lottery, barely missing out on the No. 1 pick and Victor Wembanyama.
Kupchak said a handful of teams showed significant interest in trading up to the No. 2 spot, but added &ldquo;we never got to the point where we seriously considered moving the pick.&rdquo;
The Hornets selected 19-year-old guard Nick Smith Jr. from Arkansas with the 27th overall pick. Smith had been projected as a potential top-five pick before a knee injury caused him to miss 19 games last season.
Charlotte also added James Nnaji, a 6-foot-11 center from FC Barcelona, and UCLA guard Amari Bailey in the second round.

The Charlotte Hornets preferred Alabama’s Brandon Miller over the G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson with the No 2 pick.

Hornets select Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick in NBA Draft

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Victor Wembanyama walked into his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-nba-draft-arrival-de71c2d77d3776e548ee8bae44054a87">first NBA news conference</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning, took his seat and looked out at a maze of cameras and microphones that have been awaiting him for years.
And then he smiled.
&ldquo;What&rsquo;s up, everyone?&rdquo; the French teen said.
Seeming poised and completely ready for what awaits him, Wembanyama&rsquo;s NBA chapter is now underway. The NBA draft &mdash; one that&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-finals-roland-garros-nba-spurs-e0f36616523d9fb601cfaaad7217967c">Wembanyama&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;towering shadow has hung over for months, blocking much of what is usually part of the process &mdash; is Thursday night, and he&rsquo;ll be selected No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs.
&ldquo;Ever since I knew about the draft, exactly how it worked, I wanted to be first,&rdquo; Wembanyama said Wednesday. &ldquo;I think I started to realize I could be a professional basketball player at the age of 12. Tomorrow, something&rsquo;s going to happen, something that I&rsquo;ve been thinking (about) for years and years, I can&rsquo;t really describe how I feel right now. I just know I&rsquo;m going to have trouble sleeping tonight, for sure.&rdquo;
There has been no debate about&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-wembanyama-nba-draft-da32970a5781abdb0a65daa46203de7a">who the Spurs should take</a>&nbsp;with the No. 1 pick, no discussion of which player might be a better fit, no real attempts to raise any red flags about the presumed selection.
When a player like Wembanyama comes along &mdash; and maybe none ever has &mdash; there&rsquo;s no real reason to drum up any drama. The Spurs are not going to pass up someone who is listed at 7-foot-4 but has the skills of a player much smaller.
The decision is certain, but not official until Commissioner Adam Silver says Wembanyama&rsquo;s name Thursday night. And Wembanyama playfully corrected a reporter in New York on Wednesday who welcomed him to San Antonio.
&ldquo;Not there yet,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;But thank you.&rdquo;
The 19-year-old from France has been called the best prospect since LeBron James came out of high school 20 years ago, perhaps with some physical gifts that even the NBA&rsquo;s career scoring leader didn&rsquo;t possess.
Expectations from the outside world are sky-high. Wembanyama insists that won&rsquo;t bother him.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t let all this stuff get into my head,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got such high expectations for myself that I&rsquo;m immune to all this stuff. I really don&rsquo;t care.&rdquo;
He arrived Monday in the New York area, surprised that some fans were waiting for him when he landed at Newark Liberty International Airport.&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1671294515506733056?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">On Tuesday, there was his first subway ride</a> &mdash; even hopping a turnstile as he exited, though the police who were flanking him didn&rsquo;t complain &mdash; and a trip to Yankee Stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch; it was well out of the strike zone. And on Wednesday morning, before his NBA duties began, he had a weightlifting workout with a coach.
He has been a big kid in a grown-up world. He signs autographs with a smile, pokes fun at himself, doesn&rsquo;t mind that everyone tends to stare at someone of his height.
&ldquo;Crazy,&rdquo; he said of that first subway ride, with New Yorkers all around him.
Let the craziness begin. Silver will call his name Thursday night, shake his hand, and before too long Wembanyama will be on a plane for San Antonio to start the first chapter of his NBA life. Wembanyama said he will play in Summer League that starts in early July, though it remains unclear if he&rsquo;ll be participating with the Spurs in the Sacramento summer league, the primary NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, or both.
&ldquo;Wembanyama is built for the modern game,&rdquo; said analyst Jay Bilas, who has been part of ESPN&rsquo;s coverage for every draft since James topped the 2003 one. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve never seen anything quite like him on a basketball floor.&rdquo;
The modern NBA game requires big men to be comfortable playing away from the basket, able to handle the ball and defend opponents on the perimeter. It&rsquo;s a league where 7-footer Nikola Jokic&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-heat-nba-finals-jokic-99c0f25e6e468a97f8c86330f988933d">just guided the Denver Nuggets</a>&nbsp;to their first championship by becoming the first player to lead the postseason in total points, rebounds and assists, where first-team All-Defense centers Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brook Lopez block shots on one end and shoot 3-pointers on the other.
Wembanyama can seemingly do all that. He was the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the French league, leading the league in scoring, rebounding and blocks. The almost-unbelievable highlights of some of those plays, a slam or a swat when he seemed too far away to pull it off even with his enormous wingspan, had basketball fans and even future opponents on both sides of the Atlantic buzzing throughout the season.
He will go to a San Antonio team that won five titles after selecting Tim Duncan the last time it had the No. 1 pick in 1997. Duncan is a Hall of Famer and one of the best power forwards in NBA history, and maybe it&rsquo;s too much to ask Wembanyama to become quite like that.
But he&rsquo;s the best of the bunch this year, and maybe of the last 20 years.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m trying to be the best,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;Being the best, it&rsquo;s not only on the court. There&rsquo;s whole dimensions in the job of basketball player, an NBA player. I want to be the best also at the media, the press conference, all this stuff. I don&rsquo;t like to do things halfway.&rdquo;
Charlotte is expected to decide between Alabama forward Brandon Miller and G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson with No. 2, with Portland perhaps taking the other at No. 3. The Rockets and Pistons round out the top five.
Those teams have been recent regulars near the top of the draft and should add another good young player for new coaches Ime Udoka in Houston and Monty Williams in Detroit. But those clubs shared the best odds with the Spurs of winning the No. 1 pick in last month&rsquo;s draft lottery, so there was disappointment to wipe away before thinking ahead.
That&rsquo;s because, while every draft has good players, very few will ever offer the chance to draft one like Wembanyama.
Just ask someone who would know.
&ldquo;Everybody&rsquo;s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he&rsquo;s more like an alien,&rdquo; James said last fall. &ldquo;No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor.&rdquo;
James will get an up-close view this coming season when he plays against the Spurs. So will the rest of the league. Wembanyama&rsquo;s time starts now, and he sounds as ready as can be.
&ldquo;I just feel really, really lucky to be able just to live this life,&rdquo; Wembanyama said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just so lucky.&rdquo;

The 19-year-old from France is widely regarded as the best prospect since LeBron James, and we've never seen a player quite like him.

Victor Wembanyama's upside leaves no debate over top pick in NBA Draft

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Denver Nuggets guard&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1661814879521771520" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bruce Brown</a>&nbsp;has been using the long layoff before the start of the NBA Finals to work on his game &mdash; his golf game.
&ldquo;First day of golf I played pretty well,&rdquo; Brown recounted. &ldquo;The second day was terrible.&rdquo;
On Friday, it was back to the business of Brown hitting the shots he hits the best &mdash; jumpers &mdash; as the Nuggets returned to the court for a light practice. Game 1 of the&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1661892845526188032" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">franchise&rsquo;s first appearance in an NBA Finals</a>&nbsp;is still nearly a week away and their opponent has yet to be determined, with Boston and Miami heading into Game 6 of its Eastern Conference finals series.
The rest has certainly been welcome. The rust, though, does become a concern.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s impossible to keep your rhythm if you&rsquo;re not playing games,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;You can do whatever you want in practice, but there&rsquo;s no way you can replicate playing in an NBA playoff game.&rdquo;
The Nuggets celebrated sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers on the plane ride home. It bought them a day off Tuesday and an optional day Wednesday (although, quite a few players showed up). On Thursday, there were conditioning drills and individual drills before reassembling on the practice floor Friday. The intensity will pick up closer to the start of the series Thursday &mdash; and once they know who they&rsquo;re facing (the Heat lead 3-2 with the series shifting to Miami on Saturday).
&ldquo;Right now, as I told our players, this is about us,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;We have to shore up who we are and address the areas that we have not been maybe good enough or areas that we can clean up.&rdquo;
Before the break, Nikola Jokic, guard Jamal Murray and the Nuggets were cruising along, too, turning in a 12-3 mark in the postseason. Murray&rsquo;s biggest piece of advice &mdash; keep practicing like they expect to play.
&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t pick up bad habits throughout this week,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;Just being able to stay locked in. You don&rsquo;t want to get relaxed. I think that&rsquo;s the biggest &mdash; we don&rsquo;t want to relax and just wait. We want to stay sharp.&rdquo;
Murray took the opportunity Thursday night to tune into the Stanley Cup playoffs. He watched the green team (his description of the Dallas Stars) knock off the white team (his description of the Vegas Golden Knights) in overtime during Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. He said the contest drove home an important lesson &mdash; to play with an intensity all game especially on defense.
&ldquo;Our defense is being played with intent,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve all been on a string. When we need a stop, we all lock in, even if we don&rsquo;t get it, we lock in and try and get it possession-by-possession. I think that&rsquo;s crucial at this stage.&rdquo;
Same with maintaining a balance between hoops and home life. Malone said his family has helped keep him grounded.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t go home and be in like Game 7 mindset, because my wife and kids would leave me,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;I have to force myself to take a deep breath and remind myself that I am a husband, I am a father and to be a part of my family.&rdquo;
This weekend, Malone may even play some pickleball &mdash; just to take his mind off a grinding series that lies ahead. It could be Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. Or Jimmy Butler and the Heat, the eight seed that made it into the playoffs through the play-in tournament.
For Brown, no matter who it is, the game will be a reunion of sorts. He&rsquo;s from Boston and went to college at the University of Miami.
&ldquo;But if we did go to Boston, it would be a lot of tickets,&rdquo; Brown joked. &ldquo;So it would be really expensive.&rdquo;

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is still nearly a week away, but the Nuggets returned to the court for a light practice.

Idle Nuggets hold light practice as they wait for NBA Finals foe

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Brittney Griner won the opening tip and ran to her familiar spot in the low post.
There was nowhere else the ball was going to go on the Phoenix Mercury&rsquo;s opening possession of the season &mdash; not after what Griner had gone through to get here.
Her back to the basket, Griner faked as though she would shoot a turnaround, spun the other way and put up another up-fake. Chicago&rsquo;s Elizabeth Williams fell for the deke, Griner absorbed the contact and hit the shot to begin a three-point play.
After all the emotional buildup, Griner got off to the perfect start in her first regular-season home game since being released after more than&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-mercury-russia-aeec9996a12eff831db54039a5e20545">10 months in a Russian prison</a>.
It didn&rsquo;t end quite the way she wanted.
Griner finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, but the Chicago Sky held on for a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/497be3792e2cf7f689f0bdb1d488a0cb">75-69 win on Sunday</a>.
Griner received a warm reception in her lone preseason game and again in&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brittney-griner-wnba-mercury-russia-e3fe291486d48676e512ca6352f3a974">the Mercury&rsquo;s season opener</a>&nbsp;at the Los Angeles Sparks.
Her home debut had an entirely different vibe.
Many fans wore Griner&rsquo;s 42 jersey and some waved small black towels with &ldquo;BG&rdquo; on the front. One young fan held a sign that said &ldquo;We (heart) BG. Welcome home!&rdquo;
During warmups, Griner shared hugs with her teammates, Sky players and Chicago coach James Wade, who had coached her overseas. Just as warmups were winding down, Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham grabbed a microphone near midcourt and addressed the crowd.
&ldquo;Last year, all we wanted was to get BG home. We did that and we&rsquo;re all together now,&rdquo; Cunningham said, drawing roars from the crowd.
Just before player introductions, a poet paid tribute to Griner while being surrounded by the Mercury&rsquo;s dancers. Once introductions started, the fans gave each of the Mercury players loud cheers before Griner came out last.
The 6-foot-9 forward walked out from behind a wall and, surrounded by flashing lights, stepped into the bowel of the arena, drawing a massive ovation.
Griner had an immediate impact against the Sparks Friday night, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots in the 94-71 loss.
She opened with the three-point play against Chicago, blocked a shot on the Sky&rsquo;s second possession and dropped a nifty bounce pass to Diana Taurasi for a backdoor layup.
Griner swatted another shot and sprinkled in some trash talk as she turned up the floor. She added another three-point play late in the second half to pull the Mercury within seven points.
Griner drew a laugh from the crowd early in the third quarter when, after fouling Courtney Williams, forcefully helped up Williams, who flew through the air to accentuate it.
The support turned into a roar when Griner hit a 3-pointer, the fans rising from their seats and to match the two-handed, three-fingered gesture she flashed while screaming on the court.
Griner scored on a three-point play to pull Phoenix within 69-67 with just under two minutes left, but it was hers and the Mercury&rsquo;s last gasp.
Phoenix had a couple of sloppy turnovers, Chicago&rsquo;s Dana Evans scored on a running bank shot and the Sky held on for the win.
Griner ended her home debut by hugging Sky players and Wade again before heading to the baseline to hug her wife Cherelle.

In her home debut, Griner finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, but the Chicago Sky held on for a 75-69 win on Sunday.