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Expectations for Victor Wembanyama in Season 2? Use your imagination

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Expectations for Victor Wembanyama in Season 2? Use your imagination

P.J. Carlesimo can’t remember the exact play, but he can’t forget how helpless it made him feel. It took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day last season, in the second half of an Atlanta Hawks home game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama reached back, using his 7-foot-4 frame and massive wingspan to grab a pass, hanging in the air as if in slow motion, completing a remarkable catch with an improbable finish.

Carlesimo, a former NBA head coach and current ESPN radio analyst, turned to broadcast partner Marc Kestecher and said: “Kesty, I feel terrible. I can’t describe this. What he just did was absurd, and he made it look so easy.”

The No. 1 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama arrived last season billed as a generational player who could one day join the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić as faces of the league. After a strong first season, in which he won NBA Rookie of the Year and was first-team All-Defense, that day might come sooner than expected.

At the recent 12th annual Jerry Colangelo Basketball Hall of Fame Golf Classic in Phoenix, The Athletic asked former players and head coaches about where expectations should start for Wembanyama entering Year 2. No one preached patience. After just one season, they see a player positioned for a significant jump.

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Former Los Angeles Lakers guard and NBA head coach Byron Scott said he expects Wembanyama, who turns 21 in January, to be an All-Star this season, maybe first- or second-team All-NBA, and for the Spurs, who went 22-60 last season, to sniff, if not make the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

“If he’s everything that I keep hearing about as far as his work ethic — and I’ve heard the kid is extremely humble and works extremely hard — he’ll be the best player in the NBA in three years,’’ Scott said of the French product.

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As a rookie, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Although he shot 32.5 percent on 394 3-point attempts, his shooting touch suggested he’s capable of better accuracy. Wembanyama hit five 3s three times, including twice in the season’s final three contests. He also blocked a league-best 3.6 blocked shots, most since Miami’s Hassan Whiteside rejected 3.7 per game in the 2015-16 season.

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The MLK game Carlesimo referenced offered a strong reflection of the big man’s first season. The rebuilding Spurs fell behind early, sleepwalking on both ends. At halftime, Atlanta led 69-34. To start the second half, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich benched Wembanyama, who was scoreless with four rebounds, as well as two other starters. He wanted better effort.

Wembanyama watched as the Spurs tried to cut into Atlanta’s lead. TNT broadcasters wondered if he’d sit the rest of the game. Finally, Popovich inserted Wembanyama with 6:03 left in the third quarter. Over the game’s final 18 minutes, Wembanyama put on a show.

He grabbed an offensive rebound and dunked. He grabbed a defensive rebound and started a break that led to a transition 3. He blocked a shot. Swished a 3. Caught the ball on the wing, dribbled behind his back and soared for a strong one-handed dunk. In a 109-99 defeat, Wembanyama finished with 26 points (on nine dunks), which included the play that Carlesimo struggled to describe.

“And he does something like that — I don’t want to say every game, he doesn’t do it 82 times — but if you watch three games, you’re going to see something you’re not going to see in any other game in the league,’’ Carlesimo said.

Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood had a heads-up on this. His brother, Floyd, who played and coached in France, told him a good one was coming. Haywood watched Wembanyama closely this summer during the Olympics, and what he saw was a player growing “by leaps and bounds.” Not just from the end of his rookie season to the Olympics, but from his first game in Paris to his last, the championship game in which France lost to a loaded Team USA.

Wembanyama reminds Haywood of Ralph Sampson, a natural comparison because of size. Sampson also stood 7 foot 4. And like Wembanyama, he was the No. 1 pick of the NBA Draft, nearly 40 years to the day San Antonio selected Wembanyama.

“Ralph had that stuff,” Haywood said of the big man’s skills. “He could handle (the ball) that way, but we had a cap on our handle so we couldn’t take shots. We couldn’t do certain things.”

In a side room at the Arizona Biltmore, where former players and coaches registered for the Colangelo event, Haywood spotted Sampson walking outside in the lobby. He pulled him in and brought him into the conversation.

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“Tell him,” Haywood instructed, pointing to a reporter.

Sampson wasn’t having it. He didn’t want to talk about himself in such a way.

“I let others say it,” he said.

In 1983, Sampson, a three-time national player of the year at Virginia, was considered the best big man to enter the draft since Bill Walton in 1974. Leading up to his first season with the Houston Rockets, one NBA writer called him the “most graceful 7-4 man alive.” The great Pete Newell said Sampson would be a different type of center, one who didn’t have to be anchored in the post.

After a rocky start, Sampson blossomed, earning 1984 NBA Rookie of the Year honors and making the All-Star team his first four years in the league. Teamed with Hakeem Olajuwon to form the famed “Twin Towers,” Sampson memorably hit a catch-and-shoot jumper at the buzzer to eliminate the Showtime Lakers in the 1986 Western Conference finals. From there, however, Sampson struggled to stay on the court because of knee and back issues. He lasted nine seasons and was out of the league before his 32nd birthday.

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At the Colangelo event, Sampson joked about Wembanyama ending up with the Spurs. “He couldn’t be in Detroit,” he said sarcastically. But Sampson said it’s fun to see the evolution of the 7-footer, as well as all the things Wembanyama can do — things he tried 40 years ago, things big men were not supposed to do.

“He’s going to be spectacular if he can stay healthy,’’ said Sampson, enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. “And he can’t do it by himself. They have to put some people around him that he can play with.”

Per NBA.com, San Antonio had the NBA’s youngest team last season with an average age of 23.52 years. The Spurs selected versatile guard Stephon Castle with the No. 4 pick of the 2024 draft. Perhaps more importantly, they also signed veteran point guard Chris Paul to a one-year deal. Among the best point guards in NBA history, Paul has worked with players of all types, running pick-and-rolls with Tyson Chandler, throwing lobs to Blake Griffin and finding Devin Booker for open jumpers. He should work well with Wembanyama.

“Chris Paul is going to make him a lot better,’’ Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton said. “He’s going to get him in the right places and get him the ball at the right time, and then once (Wembanyama) gets stronger and a little bit more seasoning, it’s going to be hard to stop him.”

Not long ago, The Athletic asked Colangelo about Wilt Chamberlain and if the four-time MVP gets overlooked in the “Greatest of All-Time” debate. Colangelo understood the question. He realizes he’s one of the few who have been around the game long enough to talk intelligently about Chamberlain and Jerry West as well as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Plus, as the former managing director of USA Basketball, he’s seen the best that basketball offers.

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But Colangelo has learned this is an impossible exercise. There’s always a next wave, he said. Chamberlain, West and Oscar Robertson. Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. Bryant and James. And now here comes Wembanyama.

“I mean, how good is he going to be?” Colangelo said. “That’s a little eerie. The skill level. What he’s already accomplished. If he stays healthy, he could be one of the most dominant players, obviously, of all time.”

Praising a young player like this makes Carlesimo a little uncomfortable. He knows how the NBA hype machine works. The chase for greatness never stops. If Wembanyama wins a first championship, everyone will wonder when he will win a second. But Carlesimo also knows this is a unique situation. The off-the-charts expectations aren’t hype; they’re deserved. And Wembanyama seems capable of handling the pressure.

“You’re happy for him, but …” Carlesimo said, stopping as he began to laugh. “The expectations are, I mean, my God. Because there hasn’t been anybody like him.”

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(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images)

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Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests

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Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests

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For the second year in a row, the Navy Midshipmen have won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.

The Midshipmen earned a gutsy 17-16 victory over Army in one of the greatest rivalries in sports.

Navy got out to a scorching-hot start, as they scored a touchdown on their first drive, with Blake Horvath rushing for 45 of the 75 yards on the drive and running in for the score. He also had an 11-yard pass.

 

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President Donald Trump greets players after the coin toss and before the start of the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium, Saturday, in Baltimore, Md. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Army, though, answered right back with an identical drive, going 13 plays for 75 yards — this one ended with Cale Hellums punching one in.

Navy’s offense was stalled for a long while after, as their next three drives ended in a punt, fumble, and interception. In the meantime, the Black Knights were able to tack on three more field goals to go up, 16-7. Late in the third, the Midshipmen finally added more points on the scoreboard with a field goal that cut their deficit to three.

Early in the fourth, Navy forced an Army interception. Navy had the ball at the goal line but fumbled on a quarterback sneak, losing seven yards. Horvath hit Eli Heidenrich in the end zone, though, and the ensuing kick gave the Midshipmen their first lead since the first drive of the game. 

Navy promptly forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with less than five minutes to go. Navy lost a fumble when trying for a first down that would have iced the game, but the play was reviewed, and the call was reversed. Thus, Navy had a fourth-and-1 and kept the offense on the field. They got the first down that iced the game.

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US President Donald Trump tosses a coin before the college football game between the US Army and Navy in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 13, 2025.  (Photo by Alex Wroblewski / AFP via Getty Images)

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With the win, Navy earned the Commander-in-Chief trophy by also defeating Air Force earlier in the year.

The game was its usual old-school ground-and-pound style of football, as there were only 24 pass attempts compared to 86 runs.

President Donald Trump attended the game for the seventh time, and his second in as many years since being elected again. Trump participated in the coin flip, but not before protesters wielded lewd signs opposing Trump on the street leading up to the stadium. 

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Protests were expected for the game in the blue city, as Trump has suggested sending the National Guard to Baltimore to help address the city’s rampant crime. Baltimore consistently ranks among U.S. cities with high crime rates, often appearing in the top 5 for violent crimes, especially homicides and robberies. 

U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. The teams are competing for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, with President Trump attending the rivalry for the second consecutive year.  (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The protests against Trump also come on the same day that officials said two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed in an ambush attack in Syria. 

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Jarred Vanderbilt hoping for an opportunity to help Lakers on defense

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Jarred Vanderbilt hoping for an opportunity to help Lakers on defense

Perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt and his ability to defend can help the Lakers and their reeling defense.

Perhaps Vanderbilt can return to the rotation to help the Lakers’ defensive woes while guard Austin Reaves is out for approximately a week because of a mild left calf strain.

And perhaps Vanderbilt and the Lakers can get some immediate results for shoring up their defensive shortcomings when they face the Suns in Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.

The 6-foot-8 Vanderbilt is hopeful that his opportunity will come against the Suns and he turns that into a positive for the Lakers.

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“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after practice Saturday. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”

In the last 10 games, Vanderbilt had only a three-minute stint against the Philadelphia 76ers because Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.

The return of LeBron James and Vanderbilt’s offensive deficiencies left him out of the rotation. During much of that time the Lakers were winning, which meant Vanderbilt spent time on the bench.

In 15 games, Vanderbilt is three for 10 (26.6%) from three-point range. He was asked how he has been handling things.

“Good,” Vanderbilt said. “Controlling what I can control. Keep showing up to work, doing my part, supporting the team.”

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Vanderbilt was asked if coach JJ Redick or any assistants have spoken to him about his role.

“Kind of here and there, I guess,” Vanderbilt said.

Vanderbilt was seen after practice Saturday working with an assistant coach on his shooting, just like he did after practice Friday and like he has done while not playing.

Redick said Reaves, who played against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, wasn’t sure when the calf became an issue, and “we’re obviously gonna be cautious with it.”

“It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said, adding, “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnosis with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”

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The Lakers have looked at the last 10 games during the film sessions as a barometer for their defensive problems. But in reality, the Lakers have not been very good on defense all season while producing a 17-7 record because of their stellar offense.

“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt said. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”

The Lakers are 18th in the NBA in points given up (116.8), 22nd in opponents’ field-goal percentage (48.1%) and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting (38.2%).

They will face a Suns team that defeated them Dec. 1 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers were unable to stop Collin Gillesipie, who had 28 points and was eight for 14 from three-point range, and Dillon Brooks, who had 33 points.

It hasn’t gotten better in the ensuing days. The Spurs loss was the Lakers’ third in the last five games.

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“Nobody likes to go watch film after you get your ass kicked,” guard Marcus Smart said. “It’s tough because the film never lies. And it exposed us a lot, which we already knew. We were just winning a lot of games. So it was mitigated that way, but it was straight to it: We have to be able to guard.

“The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard, especially in the West. These guys are no joke, and they’re coming. And especially [if] you got the Lakers across your jersey. They’re definitely coming with everything they have. So you can’t be expecting any surprises. And that’s what it was. It wasn’t no sugarcoating anything. It was, ‘This is what we got to do.’ We’ve been asked. Let’s fix it.”

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Michigan football staffer who had alleged affair with Sherrone Moore still employed by university

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Michigan football staffer who had alleged affair with Sherrone Moore still employed by university

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The football staffer who allegedly had a romantic relationship with fired head coach Sherrone Moore is still employed by the University of Michigan.

The woman has served as Moore’s executive assistant. 

“There is no change in her employment status,” a Michigan spokesperson told Fox News. 

The woman received a massive pay bump between 2024 and 2025.

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Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears via video in court in Ann Arbor, Mich., Dec. 12, 2025. (Ryan Sun/AP Photo)

The individual allegedly linked to Moore, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an executive assistant to the head football coach at the University of Michigan, made just over $58,000 in 2023 and 2024, according to public payroll information. In the 2025 fiscal year, though, her salary jumped to $99,000, according to a salary disclosure report from the University of Michigan.

During Moore’s arraignment Friday, prosecutors alleged he and the staffer had been in an “intimate relationship for a number of years,” which they say the woman ended on Monday. Prosecutors further claim Moore sent multiple text messages and made phone calls that prompted the woman to report the situation to the university and cooperate with its investigation.

Moore was released from jail Friday on $25,000 bond, according to police records obtained by Fox News Digital. 

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However, it’s unclear whether Moore will be returning home to his family. 

Moore’s attorney, Joseph Simon, declined to say whether the coach will be going home to his wife and three children while speaking to reporters at an Ann Arbor courthouse Friday. 

FIRED MICHIGAN COACH SHERRONE MOORE ACCUSED OF STALKING VICTIM ‘FOR MONTHS’ IN POLICE DISPATCH AUDIO

“I’m just going to not answer that question,” Simon said when asked if Moore was “going to be able to go home.”

Moore has been married to wife Kelli since 2015, and they have three daughters together — Shiloh, Solei and Sadie. Simon also declined to comment on the “mood” of his client after Moore was charged. 

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The conditions of Moore’s release require him to wear a GPS tether and continue mental health treatment and forbid him from communicating with the victim.

Moore was fired Wednesday, and the University of Michigan quickly announced it found credible evidence he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was then detained by police Wednesday after news of his dismissal broke. 

Moore was arraigned in court Friday on stalking and home invasion charges. According to prosecutors, he faces a felony charge of home invasion in the third degree and two misdemeanor charges of stalking and breaking and entering without the owner’s permission.

Both misdemeanor charges are related to a “domestic relationship.”

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Michigan Wolverines head football coach Sherrone Moore during warmups before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago Nov. 15, 2025. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

When Moore was fired from his position as head coach, prosecutors said, it prompted him to visit the woman’s home. 

Moore then allegedly “barged” his way into the residence, grabbed a butter knife and a pair of kitchen scissors and began threatening his own life. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly told the staffer, “My blood is on your hands” and “You ruined my life.” 

Prosecutors claimed Moore “terrorized” the staffer and that they believed him to be a “risk to public safety.” 

Fox News’ Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.

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