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Sports

Victor Wembanyama’s ‘greatest of all time’ trajectory is officially ahead of schedule

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As Victor Wembanyama waited to learn the identity of his eventual NBA team ahead of the 2023 Draft, Adrian Wojnarowski shared a somewhat startling sentiment bubbling among teams hoping to secure the greatest prospect in basketball history during ESPN’s broadcast of the lottery

“A number of executives who are in the room tonight, who are waiting on those bouncing balls in the lottery, they tell me that they believe Wembanyama could be the best player in the NBA on both the offensive and defensive ends by his third season in the league,” Wojnarowski said. 

That simply does not happen, at least not under modern circumstances. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the MVP and a champion by his second NBA season, but he played a full collegiate career. Magic Johnson won Finals MVP as a rookie, but Abdul-Jabbar was by his side for all but the clinching game of the Finals and would remain the superior player for several years. LeBron James reached the NBA Finals in his fourth season, but got swatted away by a more experienced San Antonio Spurs team and wouldn’t return until his eighth season.

These words were spoken about Wembanyama mere months after his 19th birthday. He had no NBA experience. He didn’t come up through the traditional American collegiate system. He was more accomplished in Europe, winning the French MVP award in 2023, but he barely played in the EuroLeague. Luka Dončić won the EuroLeague MVP award at 19. Wembanyama averaged 6.5 points in 17.5 minutes against Europe’s best competition. It didn’t matter. His future was obvious to anyone who’d ever bounced a ball. He was going to be the best basketball player in the world. Health permitting, he might genuinely be the best basketball player who’s ever lived.

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We usually don’t start with those conversations. Michael Jordan didn’t truly throw his name into the “GOAT” ring until his first three-peat. James was compared to him from the moment he arrived in the NBA, but he’s said himself that his 2016 championship over the 73-win Golden State Warriors was the moment, in his mind, when it really happened. That came in his 13th season.

But Wojnarowski’s prophecy came true. It’s Wembanyama’s third season, and he’s already claimed “best in the league” status. He and the Spurs just knocked off two-time reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals on the road in Game 7 on Saturday night. Gilgeous-Alexander was burdened with injuries to his secondary shot-creators, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams, but Wembanyama was playing with two of his best teammates, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, also hobbled. 

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In the regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 5.4 shot attempts in the restricted area per game. In the first six games of the Western Conference Finals, that number was nearly cut in half, down to three. Without the rim, the MVP was mortal. He shot 32.1% in the non-restricted portion of the paint, 38.3% in mid-range and 26.1% on 3s. When he didn’t draw fouls, he just didn’t have an efficient means of attacking San Antonio’s Wembanyama-led defense. This is Wembanyama’s competition, and he erased him.

It usually takes a few tries to reach this point. Jordan lost to the Bad Boy Pistons three times. James lost to the Boston Celtics twice and got pushed to the brink against them in 2012. There’s a certain rhythm to these things. A young star ascends, loses a few times to the incumbent heavyweights and then finally gets over the top. There wasn’t even really a climb here. The Spurs faced the Thunder in five regular-season games and won four. They beat them in their first postseason matchup. Maybe Wembanyama is just so big that he could pull himself up the mountaintop from a standing start.

The Thunder aren’t going anywhere. They’ll presumably be among Wembanyama’s biggest threats moving forward. They’ll probably be healthier if there’s a rematch next season, and both sides are loaded with enough assets to improve on the trade market if they decide it’s necessary. The rivalry isn’t over.

But this is probably the worst Wembanyama’s ever going to be. He’s not close to his peak yet. One of the stories of the season was how effectively Oklahoma City’s defense kept Wembanyama away from the rim. He had 23 paint touches in Game 1, according to NBA.com tracking data. Then he had 33 in Games 2-6 combined. He still can’t quite assert his position near the rim as well as he’ll be able to in a few years, and his young guards will get better at entering the ball into him. He’s not going to completely bulk up, but he’ll probably add some muscle to better handle Oklahoma City’s physicality. His post-game is still developing. He worked with Hakeem Olajuwon last offseason. Odds are, he’ll check in with other legends in the summers to come. He’s still getting better.

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He has a ways to go before he reaches those loftier ambitions. He’s not even a champion yet, and the New York Knicks pose a very real threat to his coronation. They beat the Spurs twice during the regular season, including the NBA Cup final, and that was before New York’s magical run through the Eastern Conference. He might still lose. He might face the same stumbles that Jordan and James did during their respective rises to power.

But the basketball world looked at Wembanyama before he’d even arrived in the NBA and reasoned that he would probably be the best player in the league by his third season. That theory, outlandish as it probably seemed to some in the moment, came to pass. And with that being the case, we probably can’t dismiss any other outlandish beliefs surrounding his future. 

Who cares that he’s only played three years? We’re all watching him and thinking the same thing. There’s never been anyone like him before. Nobody has ever had his combination of size, skill and demeanor. He’s capable of things on a basketball court that no other human being ever has been. 

It will take years for his resume to compare to Jordan’s or James’, but he’s ahead of where they were at this stage of their careers. If this goes the way we think it’s going to go, he’s going to be the greatest player in NBA history.

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Sports

Baseball: OHSAA state tournament day 2 results

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Jun. 13—PREP RESULTS — Baseball

STATE TOURNAMENT

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron and Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton

Division I

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Thursday’s Semifinals

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Moeller 8, Perrysburg 6

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St. Xavier 5, Olentangy Orange 0

Friday’s Championship

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

St. Xavier 4, Moeller 2

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Division II

Friday’s Semifinals

At Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton

New Albany 4, Harrison 1

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Walsh Jesuit 3, North Canton Hoover 2

Saturday’s Championship

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Walsh Jesuit vs. New Albany, 7 p.m.

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Division III

Thursday’s Semifinals

At Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton

Badin 5, Parma Padua Franciscan 2: B: Driessen W CG 9 K, Cummins 2-2 RS 3 RBI, Taylor 1-3 2 RBI, Vangen 1-1 2 RS, Cooper 1-3 RS, Wolpert 1-3 RS.

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Bishop Watterson 5, Cuyahoga Valley Christian 1

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Friday’s Championship

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

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Badin 7, Bishop Watterson 2: B: Treadway W, Emerson 2-4 2B 2 RS RBI, Vangen 1-3 2 RBI, Laugle 1-2 RS RBI, Sawyer 1-2 RS RBI, Taylor 1-3 2B RS RBI, Ogden 1-2 2 RS.

Badin captures first state championship since 1996 with win over Bishop Watterson

*

Division IV

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Saturday’s Semifinals

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Sandusky Perkins vs. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, 10 a.m.

Fenwick vs. Fairfield Union, 1 p.m.

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June baseball becomes reality for Fenwick, which seeks D-IV state championship

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Sunday’s Championship

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

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Semifinal winners, 10 a.m.

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Division V

Thursday’s Semifinals

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At Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton

Col. Academy 5, Findlay Liberty-Benton 2

Waynedale 7, Lucasville Valley 2

Friday’s Championship

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At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Waynedale 9, Col. Academy 5

Division VI

Thursday’s Semifinals

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At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Lake Center Christian 5, Galion Northmor 3

Berlin Hiland 7, St. Henry 2: SH: Boeckman 1-3 RS, J. Schwieterman 1-4 2B RBI, H. Schwieterman RS.

Friday’s Championship

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At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Lake Center Christian 2, Berlin Hiland 1

Division VII

Friday’s Semifinals

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at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton

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Delphos St. John’s 5, Tiffin Calvert 3: DSJ: C. Elwer W CG 6 K, Lindeman 2-2 3B RS RBI, Wiechart 2-3 3B RS RBI, Swick 1-3 RS RBI, McClain RS.

Leipsic 11, South Webster 10

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Saturday’s Championship

At 7 17 Credit Union Park, Akron

Delphos St. John’s vs. Leipsic, 4 p.m.

REPORTING RESULTS

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Contact Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News with scores and results as soon as possible after varsity high school athletic contests by email only at COPSports@coxincn.com. Please include any details from your contest that you would like published along with a contact name and phone number.

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The Vikings Pickup Some New Talent

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Kevin O’Connell runs onto the field before a Vikings game against the Detroit Lions.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell jogs onto the field during pregame introductions, setting the tone as players follow and the crowd builds energy ahead of kickoff Oct 20, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before a divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions with preparation and urgency shaping the moment. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

GM Nolan Teasley keeps making moves. The Vikings pickups involved bringing someone over from Cleveland and someone from Seattle.

Check out what Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network had to say: “The #Vikings plan to name Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner as assistant GMs, adding two highly respected executives to the club’s football operation. Healy, who will serve as the team’s secondary football executive, while Kirchner is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top talent evaluators.”

Alec Lewis sent along some added context: “The Vikings intend to name Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner as assistant general managers in the coming days, per sources. Huge hires. Healey will serve as the team’s secondary football executive, revered for analytics; Kirchner is a premier evaluator.”

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Vikings Pickup Front Office Talent

Recently, the news emerged of moving on from other executives.

In particular, there was the loss of Demetrius Washington, who is a brain. All along, the possibility existed that the Assistant GM would depart since he has a strong history and relationship with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. He has been set free, allowed to chase his next opportunity.

Vikings mascot Viktor in 2025
Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Viktor the Viking entertains the fans during the first half of a game between the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Likewise, the Vikings opted to move on from Jamaal Stephenson, Pat Roberts, and Salli Clavelle.

Prior to the GM decision being made — Nolan Teasley was a wise decisionPurplePTSD offered a piece considering Trent Kirchner. Consider a thought: “Quite possibly, Kirchner isn’t going to be a serious candidate. The general thought, though, of digging into Seattle’s brain trust makes a lot of sense. There has been a pile connections between Seattle and Minnesota; the Seahawks have proven to be far, far better over past couple decades.”

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And another: “Another thought: when the Vikings needed more help to bridge the gap to a full-time GM, a former Seattle executive came over. Keep an eye on the ‘Hawks.”

Fast forward from the original publication of that piece (April 17th, 2026) and there’s no reason for a victory lap. After all, the guess was for Trent Kirchner to be the GM rather than Nolan Teasley. Nevertheless, there’s some merit within the insistence that plundering Seattle’s front office made sense.

NFL: Super Bowl LX-Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Generally speaking, Minnesotans don’t have a great opinion of Adofo-Mensah since the former GM did so terribly in the draft (which is to say nothing of last year’s QB disaster). Does another analytics mind from Cleveland make sense? Some were left wanting more in the last decision maker who did analytics for the Browns.

The easy-to-connect dots are there for the taking, but every person should be allowed to shine or stumble based on his/her own merits (or lack thereof). The Browns, a terrible team, have nevertheless done some fantastic work of finding talent in the draft. Give Healy a fair shot.

Nolan Teasley and the Minnesota Vikings are coming off minicamp. Check out some of VT’s coverage in a piece, another one, and the one here.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay Prediction and Betting Tips

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Saudi Arabia and Uruguay begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in this Group H encounter at Miami Stadium in Florida on Monday. The remaining teams in Group H include European champions Spain and World Cup newbies Cabo Verde.

Saudi Arabia have endured a challenging year in terms of results, with a 4-0 loss to Egypt and 2-1 losses to both Serbia and Ecuador, but they did turn things around in their last two matches. They beat Puerto Rico 3-0 on 6 June and then drew 0-0 with African giants Senegal on Wednesday, 10 June.

The Green Falcons can also look back fondly on a positive campaign in the FIFA Arab Cup in December 2025, when they reached the semifinals of the competition before losing 1-0 to fellow World Cup contenders Jordan.

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Saudi Arabia came third alongside the United Arab Emirates due to bad weather in the third-place playoff, leading to the match being called off.

Meanwhile, Uruguay are the only nation at the World Cup that chose not to play any friendly matches in the immediate lead-up to the tournament, instead opting to let their players get some extra rest before joining the training camp and focusing on the tournament.

As such, La Celeste‘s most recent friendly matches were a pair of draws against England (1-1) and Algeria (0-0) in March.

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa is famous for the relentless physical intensity of his training sessions, which often make his players particularly fit and mentally resilient. The Sky Blues can count on stars such as Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez, and Tottenham‘s Rodrigo Bentancur.

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Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay head-to-head stats and key numbers

  • Uruguay and Saudi Arabia have faced each other three times in their history, with the head-to-head record being exactly even, with a draw and one win apiece.
  • However, Uruguayans would argue that their country won when it mattered, in their most recent match at the 2018 World Cup (2-1), while the other games were friendlies.
  • Uruguay have won the World Cup twice (in 1930 and 1950).
  • This will be Uruguay’s 16th World Cup tournament, while Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times.

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay prediction

Uruguay are expected to control possession and dictate the tempo through a high-intensity pressing structure that is typical of Bielsa’s teams. Saudi Arabia will try to be compact and well-organized at the back, with counterattacking football set to be their main threat up front.

Uruguay have struggled to score in recent games, but they still possess the quality to secure an opening-match victory over Saudi Arabia.

Prediction: Saudi Arabia 0-2 Uruguay


Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay betting tips

Tip 1: Uruguay to win

Tip 2: Uruguay to keep a clean sheet

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Tip 3: Under 2.5 goals