Wembanyama’s Rugby Offseason
At Spurs media day (Sept. 28), Victor Wembanyama said offseason rugby training in Aix‑en‑Provence helped his strength, vestibular system and movement patterns. He reported being in better condition than expected, reiterated the team goal of repeating as Western Conference leaders this season.
Source: Sports Illustrated
LeBron’s Philly Mindset
At Sixers media day (Sept. 28) LeBron James set a championship tone, saying the team must “be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Anfernee Simons identified “sacrifice” as the word of the year; the club showed several core players together in media photos as expectations climb.
Source: Sports Illustrated
DeRozan’s Nugget Role
At Nuggets media day (Sept. 28) newly signed veteran DeMar DeRozan emphasized his winning mindset after joining Denver on a minimum deal. Team observers expect DeRozan to bring scoring, leadership and ball‑handling off the bench as the Nuggets look to reassert championship contention.
Source: Sports Illustrated
Haliburton: No Restrictions
At Pacers media day (Sept. 28) Tyrese Haliburton declared he is “100%” healthy with no restrictions after last season’s rehab. Coach Rick Carlisle said workload will be managed but doesn’t anticipate major limits; Pacers open preseason Oct. 7 in Ames, Iowa against Minnesota.
Source: Sports Illustrated
Clippers’ Early Injury List
Clippers media day (Sept. 28) revealed multiple setbacks: Yanic Konan Niederhauser faces a season‑ending Lisfranc injury, Jordan Miller has a rotator‑cuff tear, Brandon Ingram is still recovering from a partially torn Achilles and Bradley Beal is managing knee inflammation, potentially delaying their availability.
Source: Sports Illustrated
Giannis Praises Heat Teammates
At Heat media day (Sept. 28) new Miami star Giannis Antetokounmpo singled out Davion Mitchell, Bobby Portis and Pelle Larsson as surprising standouts from ‘pain camp.’ He noted Portis dropped 20–25 pounds and that the team passed recent conditioning testing as they build chemistry ahead of camp.
Source: Sports Illustrated