Sports
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.
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.
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.
Wemby flashes the handle and rises up for the monstrous finish 😱
📺 Hawks-Spurs is LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/I5zKTNIT5V
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2024
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.
“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.
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.
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)
Sports
Knicks miraculously overcome 29-point deficit to take commanding 3-1 lead in NBA Finals over Spurs
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NEW YORK – The New York Knicks do not die.
After trailing by as many as 29, the Knicks had yet another comeback — this one perhaps the greatest of all-time, to steal a 107-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs and take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
The winning moment came at the fingertip of OG Anunoby, whose tip-in off a missed Jalen Brunson three-pointer put Madison Square Garden in an absolute frenzy.
But it sure was a grind to get to that point.
New York Knicks PG Jalen Brunson shoots over San Antonio Spurs PG De’aaron Fox in Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Karl-Anthony Towns was hit with two fouls in just the first 62 seconds of the game, one which the Knicks faithful were not happy with. And while there was plenty of ball left after that, the game changed from that moment.
The refs certainly did not help the case, but the Spurs opened the game on a 41-20 run, mostly while Towns was off the floor. Combine that with the team knocking down 54% of its three-pointers in the first half, and you have a 76-49 Spurs lead at halftime, and they got up to a 29-point lead.
But we’ve learned to never count out New York. As they cut the deficit to 15 to close out the third quarter, the crowd that was dying to pounce was finally alive. A slow start to the fourth put San Antonio up 20, but the Knicks went on a 13-2 run to cut it to just nine with a little less than seven minutes to go. And then it was seven with 5:15 to go.
Members of the New York Knicks celebrate their 107-106 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
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And then it was four with 4:32 to go.
Then one with two minutes.
And then the lead with just 90 seconds left.
Pandemonium.
The Spurs hit two free throws to regain the lead with 30.3 seconds left. Yet again — it’s the Knicks.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after making a three-point basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of Game Four in the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 10, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Then came what head coach Mike Brown dubbed the greatest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
San Antonio was unable to get a shot off the inbound, and Madison Square Garden was the loudest it may have ever been, as the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history was complete.
After the game, head coach Mike Brown dubbed Anunoby’s tip-in the biggest play in the history of Knicks basketball.
The Knicks outscored the Spurs 58-30.
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MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national team will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer fans around the globe.
The match at the venue known as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at noon PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo.
Once the ball starts rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 feet above sea level — will be one of the biggest assets for the Mexican lineup led by coach Javier Aguirre.
It will be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historical burden. It has never won a tournament opener, with a record of 0-5-2, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre directs his players during a friendly against Australia on May 30 at the Rose Bowl.
(Kyusung Gong / Ap Photo/kyusung Gong)
Aguirre will likely deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s final warm-up match against Serbia.
“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national team on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that year’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage.
Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the team to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup. Mexico enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though several of those results came against lower tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak were the draws against Belgium and Portugal.
“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me.”
The starting goalkeeper position remains a topic of debate, but it appears Aguirre has already made his decision. Guillermo Ochoa, who will be playing in his sixth World Cup with Mexico, is considered by many to be the ideal experienced goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high. However, Raúl Rangel has been the starting goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, playing the full 90 minutes each time.
Rangel, who was 10 years old when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that tournament, is confident between the posts.
Mexico could turn to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to calm nerves during the World Cup opener on Thursday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who noted that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the team.
“I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.”
The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem. El Tri has few players in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano were left off the final roster. Offensive output is a cause for concern. In tight matches, goals have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the primary threats on set pieces.
The commitment to youth appears to be a key factor in Aguirre’s approach to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s energy. As an option off the bench, Aguirre could turn to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, who is sure to draw cheers from the crowd.
For his part, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, knows the Azteca Stadium well, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his players to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 feet.
“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said.
South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s players during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.
(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)
He expects to be challenged by Mexico.
“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions.”
South Africa will pose a real threat with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the speed of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The team’s main weakness lies in finishing, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t perform well, the South African side will suffer.
“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his team, which is ranked 60th in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14.
Pregame entertainment will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial feature, all 26 players from each team — starters and substitutes — will participate in the ceremony by lining up around the tournament’s central emblem on the field, rather than in the traditional pregame formation.
The match is expected to be played in the rain. Protests are expected around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the teachers’ union and groups representing the families of missing persons.
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here, and fans stateside are starting to feel the excitement.
For the next month, some of the best soccer players and teams the world has to offer will duke it out on North American soil for the right to hoist the World Cup.
The U.S. Men’s National Team in particular is an exciting young soccer squad that is looking to make some noise on their home turf, and their road to the knockout stage couldn’t have been much easier (with all due respect to their fellow group members).
Folarin Balogun #20 of United States celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second half of the international friendly match between United States and Senegal at Bank of America Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Cory Knowlton/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The Stars and Stripes will begin their quest for a World Cup on Friday, June 12, at 9 p.m. Eastern against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
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The Paraguayans will be making their return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2010, and have been giant killers throughout their qualifying rounds, taking down the likes of South American heavyweights Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
Next on the docket, the U.S. will face off against Australia on Friday, June 19, at 3 p.m. Eastern in Seattle.
The Socceroos will try their best to muck it up and play a very defensive brand of soccer against America, while also boasting a great goalkeeper in Matthew Ryan.
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Tyler Adams of the United States looks on before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between the Netherlands and the United States at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Dec. 3, 2022. (Maddie Meyer/FIFA/Getty Images)
Goals will be at a premium for anyone who plays Australia in this tournament.
To conclude group play, the United States will play Turkey on Thursday, June 25, at 10 p.m. Eastern back in Los Angeles.
Fresh off a quarterfinals appearance in Euro 2024, this is a very talented Turkey who may not have the star power of a France or Brazil, but will be a very dangerous out for anyone in the World Cup.
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Team USA fans celebrate with a flag during the soccer game between the United States and Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on June 27, 2024. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
Though the subject of who moves on may already be decided when Türkiye and the United States square off, these are the two heavyweights of Group D and should make for an exciting conclusion to group play.
All three games will be streaming on Fox Sports and Fox One, with both the Australia and Paraguay matchups available on Fox (blackout restrictions may apply).
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Additionally, the U.S.-Paraguay matchup will be available for free on Tubi.
Happy World Cup, everyone, and go, go USA!
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