This is before I realized others sit in on the actual drawing
Many years ago only that 3rd party company allowed
If this were years ago I'd be more concerned about his health based on his size and banging with others
But not these days
Just some ideas for fun....and who knows
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA lottery Tuesday in Chicago, giving them the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. That likely means the Spurs will take Victor Wembanyama, the 7-5 star from France who is being hailed as the best NBA prospect since LeBron James. San Antonio has been rebuilding for a few seasons now in the hopes of landing a franchise player, and Wembanyama fits the bill.
However, several other teams are likely to be looking at Wembanyama as the missing piece for them. Would they be able to trade up for the No. 1 pick in the draft? The Spurs are almost certainly not going to entertain any offers. The fear of missing out on what could be the greatest player of all time is enough to give San Antonio pause on even the biggest of trade hauls. So while this realistically is not a possibility, let’s take a look at some teams who could potentially have the juice to at least keep San Antonio on the phone for longer than a few seconds.
How many first-round picks would it take for even the most optimistic Wembanyama fans to give him up? The Spurs might find out, courtesy of Oklahoma City. The Thunder have two picks in this draft, three potential picks in 2024, three potential picks in 2025 and three potential picks in 2026. They’ll be able to deal those picks since they have control, but the final position and transfer years of some selections will be unknown.
The Thunder can also offer any combination of young players, although they’re going to draw a clear line at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort are all on the block. Of course there’s some risk in putting all your eggs in the Wembanyama basket, but that risk goes both ways. In terms of pure asset to asset comparisons, the Thunder have the most juice to make an offer. That doesn’t mean they’ll blow up everything they’ve built so far, even if Wembanyama appears to be the real deal.
The Magic would likely be willing to part with Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. in any Wembanyama deal, which is a better tandem than anyone Oklahoma City or Charlotte would give up. Orlando has two first-round picks in the lottery this year, as well as a full set of future first-round picks. The Magic would be a contender from an asset to asset standpoint and likely would be willing to give up anything short of Paolo Banchero to do a deal.
The Spurs in turn would definitely ask for Banchero back, and that would leave Orlando questioning whether they retool the entire franchise around Wembanyama instead. That’s a tough evaluation to make, especially since Banchero won Rookie of the Year. It’s not easy to cut bait from your No. 1 overall pick after one season, especially if he played well.
The Hornets have the No. 2 pick, so they’re automatically in the mix even if they don’t offer much else for San Antonio. The Spurs also own Charlotte’s 2024 first-round pick which is currently lottery-protected, but that could be amended in a deal. So San Antonio does have some incentive for Charlotte to be decent. That doesn’t mean they need to sacrifice Wembanyama for that much.
Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller aren’t bad consolation prizes if the Spurs like either of them. They aren’t Wembanyama but he is only one guy, and the Spurs need more than one guy. The No. 2 pick, a series of future first-round picks and LaMelo Ball would at least get San Antonio to have a dialogue.
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA lottery Tuesday in Chicago, giving them the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. That likely means the Spurs will take Victor Wembanyama, the 7-5 star from France who is being hailed as the best NBA prospect since LeBron James. San Antonio has been rebuilding for a few seasons now in the hopes of landing a franchise player, and Wembanyama fits the bill.
However, several other teams are likely to be looking at Wembanyama as the missing piece for them. Would they be able to trade up for the No. 1 pick in the draft? The Spurs are almost certainly not going to entertain any offers. The fear of missing out on what could be the greatest player of all time is enough to give San Antonio pause on even the biggest of trade hauls. So while this realistically is not a possibility, let’s take a look at some teams who could potentially have the juice to at least keep San Antonio on the phone for longer than a few seconds.
Oklahoma City Thunder
How many first-round picks would it take for even the most optimistic Wembanyama fans to give him up? The Spurs might find out, courtesy of Oklahoma City. The Thunder have two picks in this draft, three potential picks in 2024, three potential picks in 2025 and three potential picks in 2026. They’ll be able to deal those picks since they have control, but the final position and transfer years of some selections will be unknown.
The Thunder can also offer any combination of young players, although they’re going to draw a clear line at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort are all on the block. Of course there’s some risk in putting all your eggs in the Wembanyama basket, but that risk goes both ways. In terms of pure asset to asset comparisons, the Thunder have the most juice to make an offer. That doesn’t mean they’ll blow up everything they’ve built so far, even if Wembanyama appears to be the real deal.
Orlando Magic
The Magic would likely be willing to part with Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. in any Wembanyama deal, which is a better tandem than anyone Oklahoma City or Charlotte would give up. Orlando has two first-round picks in the lottery this year, as well as a full set of future first-round picks. The Magic would be a contender from an asset to asset standpoint and likely would be willing to give up anything short of Paolo Banchero to do a deal.
The Spurs in turn would definitely ask for Banchero back, and that would leave Orlando questioning whether they retool the entire franchise around Wembanyama instead. That’s a tough evaluation to make, especially since Banchero won Rookie of the Year. It’s not easy to cut bait from your No. 1 overall pick after one season, especially if he played well.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have the No. 2 pick, so they’re automatically in the mix even if they don’t offer much else for San Antonio. The Spurs also own Charlotte’s 2024 first-round pick which is currently lottery-protected, but that could be amended in a deal. So San Antonio does have some incentive for Charlotte to be decent. That doesn’t mean they need to sacrifice Wembanyama for that much.
Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller aren’t bad consolation prizes if the Spurs like either of them. They aren’t Wembanyama but he is only one guy, and the Spurs need more than one guy. The No. 2 pick, a series of future first-round picks and LaMelo Ball would at least get San Antonio to have a dialogue.
If Bucks offered Giannis?
Actually in 1997 Bucks called Spurs about the #1 pick and the spurs asked for Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Vin Baker. Bucks turned them down. Bucks should have taken it......Whats funny is the spurs counter was a joke because they thought it was basically saying we will never trade the pick.
Actually in 1997 Bucks called Spurs about the #1 pick and the spurs asked for Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Vin Baker. Bucks turned them down. Bucks should have taken it......Whats funny is the spurs counter was a joke because they thought it was basically saying we will never trade the pick.
Exactly.
No guarantees.
He is no longer available
The Kansas Jayhawks are expected to be one of the best teams in college basketball looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, and they received some great news on Wednesday morning. The program announced guard Kevin McCullar Jr. will return for his fifth college hoops season instead of entering his name into the NBA Draft.
McCullar spent three seasons with the Texas Tech Red Raiders before transferring to the Jayhawks prior to last year. In Year 1 with Kansas, McCullar scored 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals.
The Jayhawks finished 28-8 in the 2022-23 season and entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. They were bounced in the Round of 32 by the Arkansas Razorbacks as Kansas was without head coach Bill Self, who was dealing with a medical issue.
Kevin McCullar withdraws from NBA Draft, will return to Kansas Jayhawks
The Kansas Jayhawks are expected to be one of the best teams in college basketball looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, and they received some great news on Wednesday morning. The program announced guard Kevin McCullar Jr. will return for his fifth college hoops season instead of entering his name into the NBA Draft.
McCullar spent three seasons with the Texas Tech Red Raiders before transferring to the Jayhawks prior to last year. In Year 1 with Kansas, McCullar scored 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals.
The Jayhawks finished 28-8 in the 2022-23 season and entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. They were bounced in the Round of 32 by the Arkansas Razorbacks as Kansas was without head coach Bill Self, who was dealing with a medical issue.
A couple notes :
The 2023 NBA Draft will take place Thursday, June 22 but there are several important dates prior to the main event. Two of those dates involve the player pool, as they allow prospects to withdraw from the draft.
The first key date is May 31, and it is specifically for players who were early entrants from college basketball. These players declared for the draft while maintaining their college eligibility and were likely testing the draft waters before making a final decision. By 11:59 p.m. ET on May 31, NCAA early entrants will have to either stay in the draft pool or withdraw. This deadline has been moved up from previous years, which is likely due to the increased player movement in college basketball via the transfer portal and the introduction of NIL money.
The second key date is June 12, which allows prospects who entered early to withdraw from the draft. These players are not going to be eligible to play college basketball, but are likely either G League or international players who will opt to continue their career elsewhere for the time being. These players can always re-enter the draft pool in subsequent years, but they’ll be taking themselves out of consideration for the 2023 event.
The 2023 NBA Draft will take place Thursday, June 22 but there are several important dates prior to the main event. Two of those dates involve the player pool, as they allow prospects to withdraw from the draft.
The first key date is May 31, and it is specifically for players who were early entrants from college basketball. These players declared for the draft while maintaining their college eligibility and were likely testing the draft waters before making a final decision. By 11:59 p.m. ET on May 31, NCAA early entrants will have to either stay in the draft pool or withdraw. This deadline has been moved up from previous years, which is likely due to the increased player movement in college basketball via the transfer portal and the introduction of NIL money.
The second key date is June 12, which allows prospects who entered early to withdraw from the draft. These players are not going to be eligible to play college basketball, but are likely either G League or international players who will opt to continue their career elsewhere for the time being. These players can always re-enter the draft pool in subsequent years, but they’ll be taking themselves out of consideration for the 2023 event.
Florida Atlantic men’s basketball is still basking in he glow of its surprise run to the Final Four this past March and got some really good news on Wednesday. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin have withdrawn their names from the 2023 NBA Draft and will return to the Owls for the 2023-24 season.
As sophomores this past season, Davis and Martin were the two leading scorers for FAU and were the focal points of an offense that was ranked in the top 25 in both KenPom and NET rankings through the regular season. Both subsequently played huge roles in the Owls’ run through the NCAA Tournament, with Davis dropping 29 points in their 78-70 second-round victory over Fairleigh Dickinson and Martin putting up 17 in their 79-76 Elite Eight victory over Kansas State. Martin would provide 26 points in the national semifinals against San Diego State and had the team on the brink of a berth in the title game before Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beater ended their season.
With the two dynamic guards re-joining impact center Vladislav Goldin and head coach Dusty May, FAU will enter the 2023-24 season highly ranked with a shot at being the top mid-major team in the country once again. The Owls are moving from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference this winter and should contend with Memphis as the league favorite.
As sophomores this past season, Davis and Martin were the two leading scorers for FAU and were the focal points of an offense that was ranked in the top 25 in both KenPom and NET rankings through the regular season. Both subsequently played huge roles in the Owls’ run through the NCAA Tournament, with Davis dropping 29 points in their 78-70 second-round victory over Fairleigh Dickinson and Martin putting up 17 in their 79-76 Elite Eight victory over Kansas State. Martin would provide 26 points in the national semifinals against San Diego State and had the team on the brink of a berth in the title game before Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beater ended their season.
With the two dynamic guards re-joining impact center Vladislav Goldin and head coach Dusty May, FAU will enter the 2023-24 season highly ranked with a shot at being the top mid-major team in the country once again. The Owls are moving from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference this winter and should contend with Memphis as the league favorite.
Oscar is gonna give the NBA a look…
Kentucky Basetball's Oscar Tshiebwe has decided to bet on himself, and remain in the 2023 NBA Draft pool.
At the time of taping, it is reported that Antonio Reeves will withdraw his name from the Draft pool, but has yet to say where he is going. Chris Livingston has yet to announce his decision either way. We'll take a look at the state of the men's basketball program as we know it now
Kentucky Basetball's Oscar Tshiebwe has decided to bet on himself, and remain in the 2023 NBA Draft pool.
At the time of taping, it is reported that Antonio Reeves will withdraw his name from the Draft pool, but has yet to say where he is going. Chris Livingston has yet to announce his decision either way. We'll take a look at the state of the men's basketball program as we know it now
Victor Wembanyama's NBA summer debut might come in Sacramento.
DENVER -- Victor Wembanyama's NBA summer debut might come in Sacramento.The San Antonio Spurs, who hold the No. 1 pick in the June 22 draft and are widely expected to choose Wembanyama, are among six teams that will play in Sacramento at the California Classic, one of the smaller summer leagues that precede the one in which all NBA teams participate in Las Vegas.
Also in the California Classic: the Charlotte Hornets, who hold the No. 2 draft pick. The Spurs and Hornets will open their schedules in Sacramento against each other, meaning the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft could face off in their summer league opener -- just not in Las Vegas.
"This event is the perfect kick-off to the NBA Summer League, giving fans the opportunity to watch the next generation of basketball talent and enjoy a world-class entertainment experience," Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said.
The event in Sacramento starts July 3, or four days before the one in Las Vegas. San Antonio plays Charlotte in Sacramento on July 3, with the other matchups that day being Miami against the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State taking on the Kings.
On July 5, Golden State plays Charlotte, San Antonio plays the Lakers and Miami faces Sacramento.
The NBA summer league in Las Vegas starts July 7.
international names to keep an eye on
The NBA has always been a destination for top international players, but the spotlight on those making the jump from overseas leagues has never been brighter. Recent Finals MVP winners Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, from Greece and Serbia respectively, have made teams look at the European market in a different way. And the international talent isn’t limited to Antetokounmpo and Jokic. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic headlines a secondary group of players including Bojan Bogdanovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Giddey.
Of course, everyone knows about French prospect Victor Wembanyama at the top of the 2023 NBA Draft. However, there are other international talents who will have their name called in this draft you should familiarize yourself with.
Bilal Coulibaly, Wembanyama’s teammate at Metropolitans 92, is likely going to be the next international prospect drafted after Wembanyama goes first overall. Coulibaly doesn’t have the best stats, but he’s got good size and knows how to play in a secondary role. His potential is intriguing, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Rayan Rupert is coming over from the NBL, but he’s another French forward known for defense who should be taken in the early second round or late first round. Sidy Cissoko rounds out the notable French players in this draft class. Cissoko was part of the G League last season and is of a similar mold as Coulibaly and Rupert. He’s a bit more physical than Rupert defensively, mostly due to having a bigger frame.
Outside of the French trio, the important names to know are James Nnaji and Tristan Vukcevic. Nnaji is a Nigerian big man who spent last season with Barcelona. He’s a raw prospect offensively but has good defensive instincts and can dominate on the glass with time. He’s expected to be selected in the back half of the first round. Vukcevic is a stretch forward from Serbia who could make an immediate impact as a perimeter scorer. He’s more like Lauri Markkanen than Nikola Jokic, and is expected to be taken either at the end of the first round or early in the second round.
The NBA has always been a destination for top international players, but the spotlight on those making the jump from overseas leagues has never been brighter. Recent Finals MVP winners Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, from Greece and Serbia respectively, have made teams look at the European market in a different way. And the international talent isn’t limited to Antetokounmpo and Jokic. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic headlines a secondary group of players including Bojan Bogdanovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Giddey.
Of course, everyone knows about French prospect Victor Wembanyama at the top of the 2023 NBA Draft. However, there are other international talents who will have their name called in this draft you should familiarize yourself with.
Bilal Coulibaly, Wembanyama’s teammate at Metropolitans 92, is likely going to be the next international prospect drafted after Wembanyama goes first overall. Coulibaly doesn’t have the best stats, but he’s got good size and knows how to play in a secondary role. His potential is intriguing, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Rayan Rupert is coming over from the NBL, but he’s another French forward known for defense who should be taken in the early second round or late first round. Sidy Cissoko rounds out the notable French players in this draft class. Cissoko was part of the G League last season and is of a similar mold as Coulibaly and Rupert. He’s a bit more physical than Rupert defensively, mostly due to having a bigger frame.
Outside of the French trio, the important names to know are James Nnaji and Tristan Vukcevic. Nnaji is a Nigerian big man who spent last season with Barcelona. He’s a raw prospect offensively but has good defensive instincts and can dominate on the glass with time. He’s expected to be selected in the back half of the first round. Vukcevic is a stretch forward from Serbia who could make an immediate impact as a perimeter scorer. He’s more like Lauri Markkanen than Nikola Jokic, and is expected to be taken either at the end of the first round or early in the second round.
