Basketball NBA season promises spectacle
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is considered the biggest NBA prospect since LeBron James. photo
© Sarah Phipps/AP/dpa
Victor Wembanyama is considered the basketball talent of the century. Starting this week he is taking on the NBA challenge. Much is expected of one of the four German world champions.
The basketball world is waiting for the arrival of the “Alien”. When Victor Wembanyama steps onto the floor of the glossy NBA league for the first time this week, the entire focus will be on him.
The 19-year-old Frenchman offers an unprecedented combination of size (2.24 meters), wingspan (2.43 meters) and fascinating agility. Accordingly, Wembanyama is considered the greatest promise since LeBron James, who is entering his 21st season and has had one main goal since his NBA start in fall 2003: to replace Michael Jordan as the best basketball player in history.
Even James is amazed at the package Wembanyama is already launching before his USA debut. “I’ve never seen anyone so tall and move so fluidly and elegantly on the field. He’s a player like you see every year. Hopefully he stays healthy, that’s the most important thing,” said “King James “. Wembanyama starts with his San Antonio Spurs against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night (3.30 a.m./CEST). The super talent will face James (38) for the first time on December 14th.
Four German world champions play in the NBA
The arrival of Wembanyama will outshine many other topics such as the excitingly anticipated title race at the start of the 78th season. The four German world champions Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner and Daniel Theis are also expected to start the season in supporting roles. Although Schröder’s new start with the Toronto Raptors is not only eagerly awaited in Canada: the 30-year-old has forced himself into the public consciousness with the historic gold coup in Manila.
This also applies to Franz Wagner, who in a survey of journalists and experts was considered the hottest candidate for the greatest leap in performance. The 22-year-old is entering his third season with the Orlando Magic and is on the verge of becoming a star player because of his offensive versatility. “I feel good, it’s fun to play with the boys again. But it’s also completely different Game than what I played in the summer, so I’m just getting used to it again,” said Wagner, who was one of Germany’s key players in the World Cup title.
Greater media presence in Germany
Just in time after the gold coup, basketball fans in Germany can look forward to greater media presence again. ProSieben and ProSieben Maxx will show more than 50 NBA games on TV and via online stream, starting with the opening game of champions Denver Nuggets against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday (1.30 a.m./CEST). The rights package also includes games from the playoffs and the final series. The paid streaming service DAZN shows over 200 games. Both providers will offer some games in German prime time on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
After the Golden State Warriors’ dominant years, the outcome is as open as it has ever been. Most recently there were five different champions in five years between 2019 and 2023. This year, defending champion Denver is one of the favorites, along with the Lakers with veteran James and the Phoenix Suns with Kevin Durant. The interaction between star player Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who are entering their first season together with the Milwaukee Bucks, is eagerly awaited.
There will also be a cup competition in the NBA for the first time this season. The so-called “In-Season Tournament” starts on November 3rd, and almost all matches also count towards the regular season. NBA boss Adam Silver also based his innovation on European football. “The origin of the idea was global soccer and the realization that there is currently a tradition, especially outside the United States, where in addition to winning the championship, there are other cups and competitions during a season,” Silver said at ran. The final will take place on December 9th in Las Vegas.
dpa
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