Lance Stephenson's top five players: 'Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal'

To his recollection, Bryant was persistent and made positive that Devean George re-signed with the purple and gold after his deal expired in 2002. “My contract was up after my third 12 months. He was there combating for my contract. He known as me every single day [telling me], ‘Did they get the numbers proper?’ [I said] ‘Nope, not but.’ [Kobe replied] ‘Okay, I’ll be in there tomorrow understanding,’” the 2-time MIAC Participant of the Yr mentioned on “Forgotten Seasons.” -via Basketball Community / February 24, 2024

Someplace over the Grand Canyon, the Spurs’ coach lastly fired up the iPad and commenced the promised video tutorial, a movie examine that includes the best hits of a few of the league’s all-time greats. There was Michael Jordan and his rocker step. There was Tim Duncan and his drop step. There was Kobe Bryant stubbornly maneuvering house to get off a fadeaway jumper, Hakeem Olajuwon dream shaking, Kevin McHale post-moving opponents into oblivion. To the 20-year-old Wembanyama, all of this may as effectively have been black-and-white footage of the moon touchdown. “It’s not tape I’ve had an opportunity to look at,” he mentioned, “as a result of it’s not from my technology.” -via San Antonio Specific-Information / February 23, 2024

To the 75-year-old Popovich, there was a goal to the in-flight historical past lesson. “To not make him them,” Popovich mentioned, “however for him to see actually strong footwork and motion by actually basically sound gamers. We’re making an attempt to get that into him.” -via San Antonio Specific-Information / February 23, 2024

You’ve been killing it within the G League. What has your mentality been like coming into this season? Lance Stephenson: My mentality coming into the G League was to really assist the younger guys get higher. Present all of them the issues I discovered as being a vet. Attempting to point out them the ropes, telling them what it’s like, displaying them the way to play protection, displaying them the way to get to the opening, studying the sport as shortly as attainable. However, my aim is to get again up there with NBA groups. I’m truly going laborious, making an attempt to win video games, and simply making an attempt to have enjoyable on the market. -via HoopsHype / February 25, 2024

If you happen to might speak to NBA groups proper now, what would you inform them about what you would carry to their NBA staff? Lance Stephenson: Management. Positively, serving to younger guys. Successful mentality, simply that edge on the defensive finish. A variety of groups need assistance with protection, particularly in the course of the playoffs. Robust guys that may play protection and lock down and win video games. I can carry any edge {that a} coach wants. -via HoopsHype / February 25, 2024

Do you’re feeling like each staff ought to have their very own Udonis Haslem on their staff? LS: Sure. At the very least two or three veterans, that may truly nonetheless play, however any veterans that may assist the blokes. Present them the way to play protection, the way to transfer off the court docket. There’s numerous conditions off the court docket that guys don’t even know that be hitting them, and so they don’t bought no one to speak to. You be within the locker room and simply having a lot talks about life conditions, and it’s all the time good to have a veteran over there. Air hustling like, “Nah, don’t do it that approach younger fella, do it this fashion.” -via HoopsHype / February 25, 2024

Jovan Buha: Lakers’ harm report vs. Phoenix: — LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Cam Reddish are questionable. — Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and Christian Wooden are out. — Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis are with the South Bay Lakers. -via Twitter @jovanbuha / February 24, 2024

LeBron James: Love you Pop!! -via Twitter @KingJames / February 24, 2024

Justin Kubatko: The @LAClippers Russell Westbrook grew to become the twenty fourth participant in NBA historical past to succeed in 9,000 area objectives made. Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, and LeBron James are the one gamers to each make and help on 9,000 area objectives. Try at the moment’s free recreation notes: statitudes.com/p/nba-game-not… pic.twitter.com/eLyWqGGW7G -via Twitter @jkubatko / February 24, 2024

Heading into Friday’s recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Area, the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama was averaging 20.5 factors, 10.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and an NBA-best 3.2 blocks per recreation. Finally, Wembanyama will determine what the heck he’s doing, after which the league will actually be in bother. “This complete season has been an schooling within the sense that he’s studying the league,” Popovich mentioned. “He’s understanding the flexibility of gamers, the physicality.” -via San Antonio Specific-Information / February 23, 2024

Whenever you had been rising up, did you play with buying and selling playing cards? Lance Stephenson: Really, I didn’t, however my pals did, in order that they used to all the time give me totally different playing cards. You already know, I’m a basketball participant and a brilliant fan. My first couple of playing cards that I bought had been Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Shaquille O’Neal. I truly bought the craziest card, a holographic Michael Jordan card. I want I nonetheless had it to at the present time as a result of I used to be so hyped. I used to be like ‘Ma, I bought this card, Michael Jordan holographic. She’s like boy, go put them playing cards away.’ So yeah, I had a pair playing cards once I was younger. -via HoopsHype / February 25, 2024

Victor Wembanyama took questions on the podium sitting in entrance of a San Antonio Spurs banner and was instructed in regards to the statistical feat he had simply pulled off Friday evening in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers Wembanyama joined Jamaal Tinsley (2001) as the one NBA rookies to have a 5×5 recreation — posting a minimum of 5 factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks in a recreation — and in addition grew to become simply the second participant to have 5 blocks and 5 steals in consecutive video games, becoming a member of Michael Jordan. Wembanyama paused to think about Jordan’s feat after which requested, “I ponder if he did it in wins.” -via ESPN / February 24, 2024