Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’m glad I don’t have to hand-deliver this newsletter as I said I would yesterday if Victor Wembanyama wasn’t the first pick in the draft.
In today’s SI:AM:
🏀 Winners and losers from the NBA draft
☘️ The Celtics lose their heart and soul
⚾ MLB buyers and sellers
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Welcome to the NBA, Victor Wembanyama.
Author: Michael
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Wemby finds his happy place, and the Rockets get away with robbery.
The 2023 NBA Draft is in the books, and while we didn’t get the league-shattering drama the night potentially promised, we did see a lot of teams get much, much better.
A lack of major draft movement is a major theme of what we saw on Thursday night. There was no mammoth Damian Lillard trade, the Pelicans didn’t find a way to move up to get Scoot Henderson, and Zion Williamson is still in New Orleans.
The Celtics traded longtime point guard Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies on Wednesday night in a three-team trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston and Tyus Jones to the Wizards.
Draft capital was also exchanged between the three sides, but the most impactful part of the deal was Boston’s ability to land Porzingis, which meant parting with Smart, who has been the heart and soul of the franchise for the past nine years.
Smart spent his entire career with Boston to this point, and the team reached the postseason each of his nine years.
The Knicks are always a possible star destination, seemingly connected to any player who may be on the move. However, there appears to be one player who actually prefers to be traded anywhere else, if he’s traded at all.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Bulls guard Zach LaVine and his representation are against a trade to New York, should Chicago choose to move on from him. The report states that LaVine’s camp is concerned that Knicks president Leon Rose, who is a former CAA agent, appears to favor CAA clients.
Transcendent prospect Victor Wembanyama was officially selected with the No. 1 pick by the Spurs in Thursday night’s NBA draft, and he’s already saying all the right things as the next face of the franchise.
Wembanyama reportedly told coach Gregg Popovich during the pre-draft process that he wanted to work with Tim Duncan and learn from him as he develops his NBA game.
“Tim Duncan, if I get the opportunity to work with him, I can’t really think of a better role model,” Wembanyama told reporters on Thursday night.
The Body Coach took to the The Gateway stage on Friday midday to guide thousands in a warm-up and 25 minute workout.
Wembanyama knows what to eat in San Antonio.
“This is a whole alternative market operating because there are no financial or banking solutions.
Many critics are stunned that Titanic enthusiasts assume such risks to visit the wreck. To them, the jaw-dropping costs only highlight the gap between wealthy and poor people. But for others, the grip of the Titanic’s story is simply impossible to ignore.
Quarterback will always be the most important player in an NFL offense, but these five units are so talented, any passer would thrive among them.