The 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs were the most-watched championship series since 1998, averaging 20 million viewers across the first five games on ABC and ESPN—a massive 116% increase over the previous year.

The historic series, which culminated in the Knicks securing their first championship since 1973, dominated both television and digital media. Game 4 drew an average of 20.9 million viewers (peaking at 23.2 million), making it the most-watched Game 4 since Michael Jordan’s last dance with the Chicago Bulls in 1998.

The 2026 NBA Finals smashed digital records, generating a whopping 15 billion views across social media platforms. Game 4 alone, which saw the Knicks overcome a 29-point lead, generated over 4 billion views.

The boost in fan interest was driven by three major factors: 1) a new partnership with NBC and Amazon Prime expanded the league’s audience reach; 2) a massive New York market that couldn’t get enough of its beloved Knicks; 3) global intrigue surrounding 22-year-old French superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Because of the 7-foot-5 Wembanyama, the Spurs consistently fueled global engagement, and it kept growing as they advanced in the playoffs. The Western Conference finals between San Antonio and Oklahoma City finished as the most-watched conference finals in 24 years with an average of 10.8 million viewers per game on NBC/Peacock. San Antonio’s victory over OKC in Game 7 averaged 15.9 million viewers, peaking with 17.7 million viewers.

The Wemby era in the NBA is clearly underway. Business is booming thanks to Wemby and four other franchise players.

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Each year, OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. The OMFB Furious Five pays homage to the five styles of Chinese martial arts: snake, crane, monkey, praying mantis, and tiger.

The ranking system is based on one man’s opinion and does not follow or conform to any standard format, with more emphasis placed on how each player and their respective teams performed in the postseason. Stars are born during the regular season, but legends are made in the playoffs.

In 2025, OMFB Furious Five featured Jalen Brunson (5), Giannis Antetokounmpo (4), Tyrese Haliburton (3), Nikola Jokic (2), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (1).

Without further ado, here are the five best basketball players in the world.

5-CADE CUNNINGHAM
Detroit Pistons, guard

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the best part about Cade Cunningham is his team-first mentality. Bickerstaff said Cunningham’s stardom never came at the expense of anyone else on the Detroit roster.

“He’s a guy who can continue to get better and do more, and never have to invade your space as his teammate. He doesn’t have to take the food off of your plate in order for him to get full. As good as he is as a basketball player, he’s an even better person,” Bickerstaff said about his unselfish 24-year-old superstar.

Cunningham is the biggest reason why the Pistons are relevant again. He controls the pace with his remarkable dexterity at 6-6 and maturity. The man they call Motorcade established himself as one of the premier point guards in the league. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick made first-team All-NBA and earned All-Star honors.

Cunningham had a better season offensively in 2025 (26.1 points per game) than in 2026 (23.9 PPG) but he became a much better overall player in his fifth year. He also increased his assists per game from 9.1 to 9.9 (second in the league).

Behind their dynamic playmaker, the Pistons put together a conference-best 60-22 record — the franchise’s first 60-win season since the 2005-06 season. However, the season ended in disappointment as the Pistons were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals, losing in Game 7 at home.

4-NIKOLA JOKIC
Denver Nuggets, center

Nikola Jokic has been so consistently good the past five years that we’ve grown accustomed to his basketball brilliance. The Serbian big man is just one of nine players in NBA history to win at least three MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), LeBron James (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three) and Moses Malone (three).

Jokic pieced together another triple-double season, averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists. He became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists. But the postseason was a completely different story for Jokic and the Nuggets. Denver, which entered the playoffs with championship aspirations, ran into a roadblock in the form of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T-Wolves stunned the Nuggets and eliminated them in six games.

Jokic did all he could to push the Nuggets forward, but he simply ran out of gas and got worn down by Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, who played a brilliant series defensively and made the Joker work for every basket. Jokic shot an abysmal 19.4% from behind the 3-point line and made just 44% of his field goals.

It has been three years since the Joker won an NBA title, and he doesn’t seem to be getting closer on winning a second. Time will tell where Jokic will land on the all-time list of great centers. For Jokic to have a seat at the table with the likes of Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Moses, Hakeem, Shaq, and Duncan, he’ll need to win one more championship.

3-SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
Oklahoma City Thunder, guard

SGA brags that he has all the answers to the test. He just needs the questions. SGA was partially correct. He did have the answers to almost every team in the league. There was one team that befuddled the reigning MVP — the Spurs. Shai and the Thunder played the San Antonio Spurs 12 times. Five times during the regular season and seven times in the playoffs. OKC went 1-4 against San Antonio in the season, and lost to the Spurs in an epic seven-game series in the Western Conference finals.

Despite authoring an amazing MVP campaign, averaging 31.1 points per game, SGA felt the season was a failure because he couldn’t lead his team back to the NBA Finals.

“It was a failure. I failed at my goal,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I didn’t achieve what I wanted to achieve. But through those experiences, I learned the most about myself and made the greatest amount of increases in my career when I fail.”

SGA embodies the qualities of a throwback player who understands the importance of consistency. Behind Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder finished with the best record in the NBA (64-18) and boasted the league’s best defense. If the Spurs didn’t exist the Thunder might be celebrating another championship.

SGA’s reputation took a hit during the 2026 playoffs. Opposing teams and their fans, as well as many basketball fans who follow the NBA on social media, were annoyed by Gilgeous-Alexander’s proclivity for foul baiting. In other words, SGA was flopping around like a fish to sell calls. Journalist Tom Haberstroh, best known for his data-driven analysis, analyzed SGA’s shot attempts and found that he fell to the ground 51% of the time when contacted by a defender, far and away the highest percentage among the top scorers in the league. In addition, SGA fell to the ground 10.7% of his field-goal attempts where no foul was called. He easily outpaced James Harden (8.7%) and Jalen Brunson (7.9%).

Being viewed as a flopper isn’t the moniker a two-time MVP would want to have, and the level of mockery reached a fever pitch on social media. One of the AI-generated videos posted on social media showed Gilgeous-Alexander rolling on the locker room floor practicing his flops.

During the conference finals, fans in San Antonio chanted “Flopper! Flopper!” whenever SGA had the ball.

Gilgeous-Alexander is too good of a player to be foul baiting. It sends a terrible impression that he’s seeking the help of referees to boost his scoring stats. If he doesn’t change his ways, the “flopper” tag might follow SGA for the rest of his career.

2-VICTOR WEMBANYAMA
San Antonio Spurs, Center

If there was one image that captured Victor Wembanyama’s dominance in the 2026 NBA playoffs, it was when he blocked Jalen Williams’ shot to cap off a historic game in his conference finals debut. He stood in front of the San Antonio Spurs bench for a few seconds to soak in the moment. He knew his moment had arrived. It was his world now, and his teammates reacted as if he was some mythical superhero who came to Earth to save us from an alien invasion.

Wemby certainly looked like a superhero in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against defending NBA champion Oklahoma City. On a night when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive regular-season MVP award, Wembanyama dropped 41 points, grabbed 24 rebounds, and had three blocks to lead the Spurs to a thrilling double-overtime road victory. His 40-20 effort at this stage of the postseason with so much on the line put him in elite company, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Shaquille O’Neal.

“I still got a lot to learn, and I feel like I want to get that trophy many times in my career,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game.

Wemby is just barely starting his basketball odyssey, but he has already accomplished a lot in three short years. He won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2024. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2026, making history as both the youngest recipient (at 22 years old) and the first-ever unanimous winner of the award. He made the All-NBA first team for the first time in 2026. He turned the San Antonio Spurs — a team that won 56 games in 2024 and 2025 — into a 60-win juggernaut.

Head coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, sang Wembanyama’s praises. “He has a rare desire to step into every moment that’s in front of him,” Johnson told reporters. “I think he’s showed in his three years in a lot of different situations and a lot of different circumstances that he is going to attack those moments.”

Wemby’s historic Game 1 set the tone for the series. For the rest of the series, he reminded the basketball world who the real MVP is, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and scoring at least 20 points in every game. He did a little bit of everything — dunks, blocks, playing point guard even — to keep control on the way to leading the Spurs to a Game 7 win in OKC to knock out the defending champs and reach his first NBA Finals.

He was the unanimous pick as conference finals MVP. He carried that trophy into the locker room after the game, screaming in joy at supporters and teammates. “You work all these hours; it’s for these types of emotions,” Wembanyama said. “I want to win so bad. It’s like my life depends on it.”

Wembanyama was the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. In just three short years, he turned the Spurs from a lottery team into a championship contender.

Most pundits have already crowned Wembanyama as the best player in the game, and some suggested that he is now the face of the league. OMFB is not ready to crown him just yet.

Wemby and the Spurs learned a painful lesson when they reached the NBA Finals. They found out there is another level to be reached in order to raise a championship banner. The loss in the NBA Finals is the reason why Wemby is ranked No. 2 on the OMFB list. He can’t be the king of basketball if he doesn’t have a crown. He’ll have to wait his turn.

And now, the No. 1 player in the world. Drum roll please . . .

1-JALEN BRUNSON
New York Knicks, guard

If there was any doubt that Jalen Brunson is the best player, check out his trophy collection. He has the NBA Cup trophy. He has the Larry O’Brien trophy. He won NBA Cup MVP. He won the Larry Bird Eastern Conference finals MVP. He won the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP.

When you’re holding every major trophy in the NBA calendar year, you have a very strong case to be No. 1.

“I put a lot of time and effort into trying to be the best player I can,” said the 29-year-old guard, who averaged 32.6 points per game in the Finals. He saved his best for last, dropping 45 points (including 15 in the fourth quarter) in the series-clinching Game 5 on the road. It was the most points scored in a Finals close-out game since Michael Jordan did it in 1998.

Brunson is a winner. He has won at every level of basketball. Along with this season’s trophies and MVP awards, his resume includes two NCAA tournament titles at Villanova, a National College Player of the Year award and a FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal. Now, he’s an NBA champion.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle — considered one of the game’s elite defenders — guarded Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the playoffs. Castle highlighted the differences between the two guards. He noted that while SGA is a threat when he is driving to the basket, Brunson gets to his spots and makes those angles count.

“I’d say they’re very similar in ways,” Castle said. “Obviously, Jalen’s left-handed, Shai’s right-handed. But I think Shai is more of a threat to get all the way downhill, all the way to the basket. I think Jalen likes to use angles a lot more, uses probably a little bit more pump fakes than Shai. But yeah, most of it is angles and trying to get to his spots and not really trying to draw fouls as much, but trying to get to his mid-range and get to spots the way he likes.”

Brunson’s ability to create near-impossible angles makes him an extremely difficult player to cover. He also left-handed, which adds another layer of challenge for defenders. Despite his lack of superior athleticism and ideal size — he’s listed at 6-2 — Brunson is one of the most gifted scorers in the NBA, averaging at least 26 points per game the past three seasons.

Brunson is the most impactful player to wear a Knicks jersey since Patrick Ewing. He has only been a New York Knick for four years, but winning a championship and ending a 53-year championship drought puts him in a pantheon reserved for names like Ruth, Mantle, Jeter, Namath, Taylor, Reed, and Frazier.

The former Villanova standout was named to the 2026 All-NBA second team and earned the moniker Captain Clutch for his ability to deliver big shots in the biggest moments.

“He’s a gamer, man,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said about his point guard.

“In the biggest moments, he shows up,” Brown continued. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do. We put the ball in his hands, and we live and die with him.”

The Knicks rode the back of the Brunson bandwagon throughout their championship run in 2026. Brunson accounted for 31% of the Knicks’ offense, and his teammates didn’t seem to mind that he took nearly all the important shots. That belief in their captain is what gave Brunson all the confidence in the world, and he rewarded his team with masterful performances in the NBA Finals. The Spurs held double-digit leads in each of the five games, but lost four of them. Brunson simply refused to let his team lose. His unflappable demeanor down the stretch is what carried the Knicks across the finish line.

The Knicks had four winning seasons in a 21-year span before Brunson arrived. They’ve had four winning seasons since Brunson’s arrival. They’ve now won eight playoff series with Brunson in the lineup. They won seven total from 1998 through 2022.

It’s time to give the man his flowers. Jalen Brunson is the best player in the world.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., will feature a new wrinkle. Instead of the traditional Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format or the silly All-Star captains choosing teams, the NBA’s annual midseason showcase event will feature two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players, also known as the World team.

The three squads will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games. Each team will have a minimum of eight players, selected by a combination of fan votes (50%), current NBA players (25%), and a media panel (25%).

If NBA All-Star voting does not result in the selection of 16 U.S. players and eight international players (which can include American players with ties to other countries if necessary), then NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select additional All-Stars to join either group to reach that minimum.

There was zero chance the international team wouldn’t be able to field an eight-man squad. In fact, the international talent pool is so deep that there will be snubs. When the 10 starters were announced on Jan. 19, five of them were foreign-born players. When the reserves were announced on Feb. 1, there were at least three qualified to be on Team World. Karl-Anthony Towns was born in the U.S., but represents the Dominican Republic in FIBA competitions. Towns said if selected to the All-Star game, he prefers Team World over the U.S. squad.

Assuming guys are healthy enough to play, the World team is stacked with an All-NBA starting five and plenty of firepower off the bench.

Starters
Nikola Jokic, center, Denver Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo, forward, Milwaukee Bucks
Victor Wembanyama, forward-center, San Antonio Spurs
Luka Doncic, guard-forward, L.A. Lakers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard, Oklahoma City Thunder

Bench
Jamal Murray, guard, Denver Nuggets
Karl-Anthony Towns, forward-center, New York Knicks
Deni Avdija, guard-forward, Portland Trail Blazers
Pascal Siakam, forward, Indiana Pacers
Potential injury replacements:
* Alperen Sengun, center, Houston Rockets
* Lauri Markkanen, forward, Utah Jazz

Jokic, Wemby, Giannis, Luka, and SGA have combined for six MVPs, two scoring titles, and three NBA championships. If the season ended today, there could be a strong case to be made that these five superstars deserve to be on the All-NBA first team.

Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic was well on his way to potentially a fourth MVP award until a hyper-extended knee derailed his season and forced him out of the Denver Nuggets lineup for a month.

Slovenia’s Luka Doncic, the leading vote-getter in the West, is having his best season in two years, leading the league in scoring and free throw attempts. He’s averaging 33.4 points per game, which would be his best mark since the 2023-24 season, and he gets to the line 11 times per game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — born in Canada but played college basketball at Kentucky — is backing up his 2024-25 MVP season with another outstanding campaign. He’s second in the league in scoring and leads all players with 11.0 field goal makes per game. Behind Shai, the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder owns the best record in the NBA.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as The Greek Freak, garnered the most votes of any Eastern Conference player. He isn’t having his typical MVP-type season, but he remains among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage.

Victor Wembanyama, now in his third year in the league, is the biggest reason why the San Antonio Spurs are poised to have their best season since the Tim Duncan era. The 22-year-old Frenchman played a vital role in helping the Spurs reach the championship game of the NBA Cup, and he was the force behind San Antonio’s three convincing wins over the OKC Thunder.

That’s quite a formidable starting unit. The bench for the World team isn’t too shabby.

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the most versatile big men in the Association. He could easily start for the World team if Jokic, Wemby, or Giannis decide to skip the All-Star game. Towns, one of the best shooting big men in the NBA, was a force on both ends of the court during the New York Knicks’ championship run in the NBA Cup tournament.

Jamal Murray finally made an NBA All-Star team after nine seasons, as he was voted on by coaches as a reserve. The Denver Nuggets guard — the pride of Kitchener, Ontario — is averaging 26 points per game, five points higher than last season, and he is shooting a career-best 44% from 3-point range. Because of Murray, the Nuggets were able to stay in the top four in the West standings despite Jokic missing a month due to a hyperextended knee.

Israel’s Deni Avdija might be the biggest reason why the Portland Trail Blazers are still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. The first-time All-Star should be a cinch to win Most Improved Player as he’s putting together a career year. The first Israeli-born player selected to the NBA All-Star Game is averaging 25.5 points per game, easily the best of his career and a significant jump from his first season with the Blazers (16.9).

Forward Pascal Siakam from Cameroon was named to his fourth All-Star game as a reserve despite the Indiana Pacers’ abysmal record. Siakam has led the Pacers in scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 23.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.

Two potential injury replacements on the World team are Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.

Finland’s Markkanen ranks ninth in the league in scoring (27.9). He would be the ideal small ball 4 or stretch 4, allowing the guards on the World team space to operate. Sengun, who powered Turkey to a silver medal at EuroBasket 2025, is enjoying the best season of his young NBA career, posting career highs in points, assists, steals, blocks, field goal attempts, and free throw percentage.

About the only question marks for the World team are health and availability. Jokic is nursing a knee injury, Doncic has had an assortment of ailments, and Antetokounmpo will likely miss the All-Star game because of a calf injury. If fully healthy and able to participate in the showcase event in L.A., the World team is a scary squad on paper.

Team World’s starting backcourt of Luka and Shai are the top two scorers in the NBA, and its massive starting frontcourt could block the sun.

In a perfect situation, one of the U.S. teams will play Team World in the finals. And don’t bet against the World team.

Love it or hate, the NBA Cup is here to stay. And years from now, we’re going to look at it differently.

The New York Knicks became the latest team win the NBA Cup, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s the first time in 52 years that the Knicks have ever won anything in the NBA. The last time New Yorkers celebrated a professional basketball title, Knicks superfan Spike Lee was only 16 years old.

Lee, now 68, witnessed his beloved Knicks beat Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs in Las Vegas. Wembanyama, 21, wasn’t even born yet the last time the Knicks reached a championship game. It was 1999 and the grit-and-grind Knicks were coached by Jeff Van Gundy and spearheaded by Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks, and Anthony Mason.

Now, the Knicks can finally hang a banner at Madison Square Garden next to NBA titles won in 1970 and 1973 thanks to a new group of gritty guys, headed by Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

“This is on the road to an NBA championship,” Lee said on “NBA Nightcap” on Amazon Prime. It’s a great day. It’s not done yet. It’s a tough league. It’s gonna be a fight.”

Brunson put on an MVP performance in Vegas, scoring 40 points in the semifinal win over the Orlando Magic and 25 points in the championship game against the Spurs.

The former Villanova standout is playing at an elite level. New York Knicks coach Mike Brown hammered home a specific point he’s been making in recent weeks — that Brunson, even this early in the season, belongs in the regular-season MVP conversation.

“He makes the game easier for everybody,” Brown said. “That’s what MVPs are supposed to do, and he definitely did that tonight. … At the end of the day, he carries you home. It’s beautiful to be able to see him do what he’s more than capable of doing on a national stage like this, in an environment like this. Hopefully you guys as media and the fans out there can continue talking about him as an MVP of this league because that’s exactly what he is.”

If Brunson keeps playing this way, the MVP case is going to get even more compelling.

He was the NBA’s clutch player of the year last season, so it’s not like he’s been ignored by voters. Brown just wants him to be in the hunt for a bigger trophy.

“You see a lot of other great candidates that are well-deserving but I don’t ever hear Jalen’s name,” Brown said. “When you’re first or second in either conference, and you’re putting up the numbers that he’s putting up, his name’s got to be one of the first names coming out of somebody’s mouth.”

For the past three years since its inception, the NBA Cup has seen its share of detractors. One of the loudest critics is The Athletic’s John Hollinger, who suggested that the in-season tournament forced players to play more games leading to potential injuries.

Critics also say the whole thing is a gimmick, from the outrageously loud and colorful courts to the somewhat confusing group tiebreakers.

Say what you want about the NBA Cup, at least the NBA is making an effort to make waves in the fall season and put a small dent on the NFL’s stranglehold on viewership.

It appears to be working. The NBA has seen a surge in fan interest in the early portion of the 2025-26 season, with a 92% bump in viewership for nationally televised games. Thanks to new broadcast partners NBC and Amazon Prime, joining ABC/ESPN, the league is enjoying its best viewership numbers in 15 years.

But the biggest win so far is the fact that the players are embracing the NBA Cup. They competed hard each and every night the Cup games were held, injecting a playoff-type atmosphere that has resulted in some fantastic games.

“This is not a typical regular-season game,” Wembanyama said after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals. “We knew if that if we lose, we’re out. And you know, some people are built for these moments. Some aren’t. But we definitely are.”

The NBA Cup games in Las Vegas have replaced the league’s Christmas Day lineup as the Association’s marquee event of the fall. It hasn’t overtaken the NFL yet, but in three short years it has generated a lot of buzz and made the early portion of the season far more interesting.

The NBA Cup final didn’t count in the standings, and the stats won’t be added to any official totals. A trophy was at stake and $533,000 cash bonus for the winning team.

It was the third different finals matchup in the NBA Cup — which was initially referred to as the In-Season Tournament. During its inception, the L.A. Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers. In the second year, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a convincing victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Add the New York Knicks to the champions list.

“The Cup is special. I think you saw tonight, here in Vegas the semifinals and finals, it brought out the best in all the teams,” Knicks center Towns said while proudly wearing a championship T-shirt.

“For us to be in a position to say that we won and we’re the champions, and to have this dope-ass shirt on with the Knicks saying as champions is humbling and an honor.”

On the anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game, Joel Embiid took center stage and eclipsed one of the many NBA scoring records held by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

Embiid scored 70 points in just 37 minutes on the court to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It was the most points scored in a single game by a Sixer since Chamberlain scored 68 points on Dec. 16, 1967. Embiid, who also grabbed a personal-best 18 rebounds, made 24 of 41 field goals and 21 of 23 free throws. The reigning NBA MVP outdueled much-hyped Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, who scored 33 points in 29 minutes.

“My mindset is to attack, dominate offensively and defensively, so tonight was no different,” Embiid said after the game on the local TV broadcast. The Sixers center was surprised to hear afterwards that Wilt “The Stilt” never had a 65-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist game in his Sixers career.

“Wilt never never did this? I don’t believe that,” Embiid said with a smile. “Some of those world records, you know, we still gotta see. I’m sure Wilt has done it at some point.”

Embiid’s reaction to accomplishing something Chamberlain never did is a testament to the great career of the man they called The Big Dipper. The NBA record book begins and ends with Chamberlain. He still holds the single-game record with 100 points, a record that may never be touched. Wilt was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors when he set the mark. Kobe’s 81 points is the second-highest scoring game.

Prior to Embiid’s 70-point game, Chamberlain held three of the four best single-game scoring marks in 76ers history. Allen Iverson is only other Sixer besides Embiid and Chamberlain to score over 60 points. Iverson scored 62 in 2005.

Embiid had tied his career high of 59 points through three quarters and re-entered the contest with 6:38 left and Philadelphia ahead 118-104. With the record in sight, the 76ers were feeding him the ball at every opportunity.

“Obviously he can score in so many ways, just his sheer size gets him a lot of stuff around the basket, gets him a lot of free throws,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “The shooting touch is the skill part. The way he moves, the skill he has, the size he is, and he gets motivated like that, anything can happen I guess.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked before the game that the Spurs’ plan against Embiid was to “hammer” him. “I told Wemby to back him down over the rim and just throw him through the rim,” Popovich playfully told reporters.

But it was Embiid who backed down the young Frenchman to the hoop early and often. He had hit going early with 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting in the first quarter. Once Embiid got rolling, there was no stopping the big man.

The NBA summer league is the best teaser to what to expect from the incoming rookie class. As expected, the top lottery picks didn’t disappoint, while others have obvious weaknesses that need to be corrected.

The Las Vegas summer league was the main event of the NBA offseason. All 30 teams, armed with their first-round picks from the 2023 NBA draft, showed up to The Strip to showcase the potential stars of tomorrow. The main attraction was 7-foot-4 center Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Wembanyama had quite the roller-coaster ride in Vegas, and we’re not referring to his games on the hardwood. Wembanyama had strange encounter with pop star Britney Spears at Aria, which resulted in a wild 48 hours in which the San Antonio Spurs star’s security detail was accused of slapping Spears in the face. The claim was investigated by Las Vegas police and no charges were filed. No harm, no foul.

Wembanyama was literally and figuratively the biggest attraction in the Vegas summer league. There was a palpable buzz around UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center as a massive crowd that snaked around the arena were there to catch a glimpse of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

His summer league debut was a major event. Thomas & Mack Center was sold out for the whole day to watch the 19-year-old human Eiffel Tower. When Wembanyama took the court, it was like watching Usher or Adele hit the stage.

His first game was dud as he went 2-for-13 from the floor with just nine points.

His second game was worth the price of admission.

He scored 27 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, had three blocks, and threw down a couple of crowd-pleasing dunks. But just as Wemby was starting to get on a roll, the Spurs inexplicably shut him down for the rest of the summer league after two games. Two games! Fans who were hoping to catch Wemby after the weekend must have felt like they got slapped in the face by Wemby’s security team.

We shouldn’t be surprised by now that a Gregg Popovich-run organization is unnecessarily load managing Wemby. Pop did it with Tim Duncan. He did it with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. And he did with with Kawhi Leonard.

Wembanyama wasn’t the only NBA rookie who put on a show in Vegas. Here are the studs — and duds — from the Las Vegas summer league:

STUDS: Cam Whitmore, Keyonte George, Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson

Cam Whitmore, forward, Houston Rockets — For whatever strange reason, Whitmore dropped to 20th in the draft. The 19-year-old former Villanova standout is now using his draft night disappointment as motivation. Whitmore silenced his doubters with his outstanding performance in summer league. He was arguably the best two-way player in Vegas, leading the Rockets to a 5-1 record and winning the MVP of the Vegas summer league. He averaged 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 steals. He tied a summer league record with eight steals in a win over Golden State. When we revisit the 2023 draft, we’re all going to wonder how in the world did Whitmore fall out of the lottery. He looks like the steal of the draft and could be an absolute stud.

Keyonte George, guard, Utah Jazz — The 16th pick in the draft put on a show in his first two games before a sprained ankle in his third game ended his summer session. George, 19, dropped a cool 33 points and 10 assists the first time he hit the Vegas stage, and followed that up with 26 points and seven assists for an encore. The former Baylor Bears guard shot 44% from 3-point range. It’s safe to say, Jazz general manager Danny Ainge hit another home run in the draft.

Scoot Henderson, guard, Portland Trail Blazers — Henderson, the No. 3 overall pick, looked the most NBA-ready player from his draft class. The 19-year-old prodigy had the advantage of playing in Vegas where he has been training for the past two years under the G League Ignite program. Henderson was comfortable in the spotlight. He met the moment during his summer league debut, making his first four shots and finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists. He went head-to-head with fellow rookie point guard Amen Thompson and both of them made a strong first impression.

Amen Thompson, guard-forward, Houston Rockets — Amen and Ausar Thompson were the first set of twins to be drafted in the top-5 in the draft. Amen, 20, was seen as the slightly better prospect than his brother and that scouting report proved to be accurate. He posted 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting with four rebounds, five assists, three steals and four blocks in 28 minutes before leaving the game with a sprained ankle. The Rockets shut him down the rest of the summer league.

Ausar Thompson, guard-forward, Detroit Pistons — After somewhat of a slow start, Ausar really got going once the Pistons sat second-year players Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. The fifth overall pick in the draft saved his best for last when he had 18 points and 14 rebounds against the Spurs, including a spectacular one-handed, putback dunk over Dominick Barlow.

DUDS: Brandon Miller, Jett Howard, Bilal Coulibaly, Jordan Hawkins, Kobe Bufkin

Brandon Miller, forward, Charlotte Hornets — Miller has had an up-and-down summer season. He struggled in his pro debut during the California Classic in Sacramento, and it carried over in his first two games in Vegas as he went 9-for-33 from the field. He finally shook off the cobwebs in his third game against the Blazers scoring 26 points in a loss. There’s a stain that has followed past No. 2 overall picks in the last 23 years. Some might even say it’s cursed. From Stromile Swift to Darko Milicic to Hasheem Thabeet to Marvin Bagley, being selected No. 2 has not worked out for a host of much-hyped prospects. Miller is hoping he can avoid the curse.

Jett Howard, forward, Orlando Magic — Howard, the son of former NBA player and Michigan Fab Five member Juwan Howard, is one of Orlando’s two lottery picks. The other was point guard Anthony Black, the sixth overall pick. Howard was the 11th player selected. In other words, the Magic passed on Cam Whitmore twice. Howard couldn’t find his shooting stroke in a bumpy Vegas run. The 6-8 former Michigan forward shot just 38% from the field in three games and looked unsure at times on both ends.

Bilal Coulibaly, forward, Washington Wizards — Coulibaly has the biggest boom-or-bust potential among all the rookies in his draft class. The French teenager — a teammate of Wembanyama’s with Metropolitans 92 — rocketed to the top of many draft boards because of his high ceiling and vast potential. But potential could get coaches fired. Coulibaly has all the physical tools, but he’s far from being a finished product. His defense is way ahead of his offense. If he turns into Nic Batum, then the Wizards made the right call to take him at No. 7 overall. But if his offensive game doesn’t improve, we could be looking at another Frank Ntilikina.

Jordan Hawkins, guard, New Orleans Pelicans — Hawkins had a reputation of being a sharpshooter in college, flashing those skills in the Connecticut Huskies’ NCAA championship run in 2023. Some scouts compared him to former UConn great and basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen. Based on how Hawkins played during the Vegas summer league, let’s put those Ray Allen comparisons to bed. He’s definitely not Ray Allen. After a solid first game, Hawkins progressively got worse the more games he played in Vegas. He shot just 29% from the field and 21% from 3-point range. Hawkins (who’s already 21) doesn’t do much else outside of being a shooter, so if he doesn’t fix his shot he might have a hard time cracking the Pelicans’ rotation.

Kobe Bufkin, guard, Atlanta Hawks — Bufkin was a popular player to watch on many mock drafts, and he rose in the draft in part because of his potential as a scorer. The transition from college to pro is not a smooth one so far for the left-handed shooting guard, who primarily played point guard on the Hawks summer league team. Bufkin, 19, struggled when he was tasked as the primary playmaker, turning the ball over at alarming rate (4.6 per game). He also struggled with consistency on his shooting, especially from 3-point range as he made just 13% of his shots. Bufkin did finish strong with 18 points in his final game, but he’s got a long ways to go before he can crack the rotation in a very crowded Hawks backcourt.

Victor Wembanyama doesn’t like being called “The Unicorn.” It’s the nickname mostly associated with Latvian standout Kristaps Porzingis. About the only thing Wembanyama and Porzingis have in common is their height. Both are extremely tall men raised on European soil. But the comparisons end there. Wembanyama is a far, far better prospect at this stage of his career than Porzingis was. The 19-year-old from Le Chesnay, France, is the most talked about pro prospect in a long time, and some even compare the hype to 2003 when LeBron James was the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the draft.

Wembanyama is currently playing for Metropolitans 92 in the French pro league. Prior to that, he played for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the EuroLeague. Former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker is the majority stake hold of the European club and the team is coached by Parker’s brother T.J. Wembanyama is listed at 7-foot-4 with an 8-foot wingspan. He plays forward and center, but he’s got guard skills with an NBA-ready 3-point shot. His defense is ahead of his offensive skills at this point, so he’ll make an immediate impact on that end of the court. However, he’s made huge strides offensively and it won’t take long before he becomes a beast on both ends.

Wemby is so uniquely gifted that there’s no real NBA comparison. The closest we can come up with is he’s Kevin Durant on offense and Rudy Gobert on defense. That’s a scary combination.

Steph Curry calls Wembanyama a “cheat code.” He’s an ethereal talent that only exists in create-a-player mode on NBA2K.

“Right now, it’s Wembanyama and everyone else for the 2023 draft,” one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “There’s always concern about someone so good so young, but it hasn’t gotten in the way of Wembanyama from getting better over the years. He’s the closest thing to a transcendent talent the draft has seen since probably Zion [Williamson], and even then the feelings throughout the league were much more mixed compared to where things stand right now with Wembanyama.”

Zion Williamson might not be an accurate comparison in terms of generational talent. Wembanyama is a much freakier athlete than Zion. He’s in the LeBron James category as far as hype and talent. And LeBron agrees.

“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien,” James said of Wembanyama after seeing him play for the first time. “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor. His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers out of the post, catch-and-shoot threes, block shots.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Durant are also impressed — and worried.

“The league is really in trouble when he comes in,” Durant said.

Antetokounmpo warned his friend Serge Ibaka that the league better be ready because we’ve never seen anyone like Wembanyama.

“He’s taller than Rudy Gobert. He can block shots like Rudy, but he shoots like Kevin Durant. Bro, it’s crazy. And he has a good attitude,” Giannis added. “If he stays healthy, he’s going to be really good.”

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA draft lottery and have the first selection. Head coach Gregg Popovich can’t turn in the draft card fast enough with Wembanyama’s name on it.

Here are OMFB’s top prospects in the 2023 NBA draft.

1-Victor Wembanyama, forward/center, Metropolitans 92
NBA comparison: Kevin Durant (but much taller)
Scouting report: Tons of NBA scouts witnessed Wembanyama go head-to-head against Chet Holmgren (the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft) at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia. Holmgren was named tournament MVP for leading Team USA to a gold medal, but it was Wembanyama who put up eye-popping statistics. In the 83-81 loss to Team USA in the gold medal game, Wenbanyama scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked eight shots. He established a FIBA tournament record for blocked shots (40), averaging 5.7 per game. The next best player, Holmgren, recorded 19 blocks in the same tournament. “Never have I ever seen Chet Holmgren overshadowed physically like he was last year whenever the two met,” an NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “He practically can and does do all that Chet can, but is three inches taller, probably shoots it better from three, may have a better feel as a passer and has a much better frame to develop than Chet.” Wembanyama put the entire basketball world on notice during two exhibition games in Henderson, Nevada, in October 2022. He averaged 36.5 points and 4.5 blocks in a pair of games against a G League Ignite team led by Scoot Henderson.

2-Scoot Henderson, guard, G League Ignite
NBA comparison: Russell Westbrook
Scouting report: Sterling “Scoot” Henderson was the top point guard and No. 7 overall prospect in the ESPN high school rankings prior to reclassifying. He averaged 32 points, seven rebounds, and sis assists per game as a high school junior and was named to the MaxPreps Junior All-America team. He turned down college basketball offers from Auburn and Georgia and decided to join the G League Ignite. The 6-2 guard averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and shot 50% from the field in 10 games for the Ignite in 2021. Henderson, who turned 19 in February, inked a seven-figure, multi-year endorsement contract with Puma in 2022. Scoot combines speed, agility, and explosive vertical. He’s cut from the same cloth as the 2011 version of Derrick Rose when he was the NBA MVP and prime Russell Westbrook

3-Brandon Miller, forward, Alabama
NBA comparison: Paul George
Scouting report: Brandon Miller strolled into Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a ton of hype as a freshman. Miller not only lived up to the hype, he surpassed all expectations. Miller opened eyes when he dropped 36 points against Gonzaga, including six 3-pointers. The 6-9, 200-pound forward rolled that performance into the SEC as he became one of the best scorers in a deep and competitive conference full of pro prospects. He averaged 19 points per game while shooting 46% from the 3-point line. His ability to get hot from the 3-point line makes him a very intriguing pro prospect. His game and build is comparable to NBA star Paul George. If he’s anything close to PG13, Miller will be a valuable building block for any lottery team.

4-Amen Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite
NBA comparison: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Scouting report: Amen is one half of the talented Thompson Twins. Amen is pegged more of a playmaker than his twin brother, Ausar, but has the ability to play both point and shooting guard. Amen still needs some work on his shooting, but his athleticism for a 6-7 guard is already NBA level. Amen attended Pine Crest School in Florida with his brother. Instead of opting to play college basketball, the Thompsons signed with the Overtime Elite where they’ve been honing their craft for the past year. “Both Ausar and I know we’re not going to be able to get to the rim easily in the league, so we’ve been very intentional this last year working on our floater, working on our pull-up jumper off the dribble, getting more comfortable in those areas,” Amen told Yahoo Sports. “I try to implement it in game situations too just to develop that habit.”

5-Ausar Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite
NBA comparison: Jaylen Brown
Scouting report: Speaking of Amen’s twin brother, Ausar Thompson has a skillset coveted by most NBA teams: An explosive athlete who can defend his position. Ausar plays more of a 2 than a 1, and could develop into an outstanding two-way player. He has the length and athleticism (listed at 6-7) to be a terrific perimeter defender. Offensively, Ausar still needs to develop a consistent outside shot. He tends to shoot his jump shot on the way up, but with proper training and coaching he can easily fix it. He averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game in the Overtime Elite league. While his twin Amen is more comfortable as a primary ball handler, Ausar feels more at home as an off-the-ball scorer. “Amen is more on-ball, ball-dominant, like a point and I’m more comfortable coming off the wing,” Ausar told Yahoo Sports. “I can run the point, but I feel like I can create more for myself and teammates off the wing.”

6-Cam Whitmore, forward, Villanova
NBA comparison: Jimmy Butler
Scouting report: Cam Whitmore is your typical Villanova player. He’s physical and tough, and fundamentally sound in all areas. Whitmore already possesses an NBA-type frame (6-7, 235) and has the potential to be a prolific three-level scorer with his shooting range and ability to get to the rim off the dribble. A thumb injury slowed down his progress at Villanova, but once he recovered from his injury he hit the ground running in the Big East. Even though Whitmore didn’t an opportunity to play for Jay Wright at Villanova, he is cut from the same cloth as past ‘Nova standouts who played for Wright. Former Wildcats Kyle Lowry, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson all found great success at the pro level, and Whitmore should follow in their footsteps.

7-Dereck Lively, center, Duke
NBA comparison: Tyson Chandler
Scouting report: Lively had huge expectations when he arrived at Duke as the No. 1 high school prospect in the country. But those expectations fell short for various reasons. Lively came off the bench during the early part of the season for first-year Duke coach Jon Scheyer and struggled to find consistent playing time. But something clicked somewhere in the middle the season for 7-foot-1 center, and once he figured out what Scheyer wanted him to be — which was a rim protector and rebounder on defense and lob threat on offense — he took off and became a force for the Blue Devils. Duke’s late-season run in the ACC and NCAA tournament was due in part to Lively’s improved play. His defense is what will earn him NBA minutes. He plays similarly to Jarrett Allen. Both are excellent shot blockers and lob threats at the rim. Lively is projected to go somewhere in the middle or late in the first round. But if a team needs a shot-blocking big who can switch pick-and-rolls, Lively is a helluva prospect worth taking a hard look.

8-Gradey Dick, guard-forward, Kansas
NBA comparison: Kevin Huerter
Scouting report: The 19-year-old wing enters the NBA armed with professional 3-point shooting touch. This skill set alone is enough to get him drafted in the top 10. He finished second on the team with 14.1 points per game while hitting 40.3% of his 3-pointers on 5.7 attempts per game. He made at least one 3-ball in 33 of 36 games. But during his one season with the Kansas Jayhawks, Dick showed he’s not a one-dimensional player and is more than capable of holding his own on the defensive end. At 6-8 with good mobility, Dick can defend multiple positions and won’t be exposed on pick-and-roll switches. He was rated as the Jayhawks’ second-best defender and most efficient player. If he’s anything close to Kevin Huerter, you got yourself a superb wing player who can space the court with his 3-point accuracy.

9-Keyonte George, guard, Baylor
NBA comparison: Darius Garland
Scouting report: Keyonte was the Big 12 freshman of the year, averaging 15.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Bears, who finished 23-11 and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament. He was part of a three-guard attack for Baylor that also featured Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer. George is talented three-level scorer with a special ability to get draw fouls and get to the free-throw line (averaged 5.5 FTA). He has good size for a shooting guard (6-4) and can create his own shot, especially late in the clock which is a must-have skill for an NBA guard. Even though George posted decent numbers in his lone season at Baylor, he had some glaring flaws. He had a tendency to be loose with the ball (2.9 turnovers) and his 3-point shot still needs improvement (33%). If the NBA comparison is Darius Garland, then George could be one of the best combo guards in the Association.

10-Jaime Jaquez Jr., forward, UCLA
NBA comparison: Alex Caruso
Scouting report: Jaquez, 22, is one of the older players in the draft, having played four years at UCLA. But Jaquez’s age and time spent in college shouldn’t be seen as a negative. There’s a lot of positives with the 6-7 versatile swingman. He plays at a controlled pace on offense and is a very rugged defender, who can match up with guards and forwards. He may not have the shooting range of some of the top prospects in the draft, but he’s getting better. He’s crafty enough to get his own shot with an array of pump fakes and nifty footwork. Jaquez was a decorated player at UCLA. He was the Pac-12 player of the year in 2023 and made second-team All-American. He was an integral part of Mick Cronin’s UCLA Final Four squad in 2021. In short, Jaquez is a winner. He is a plug-and-play type of player who can immediately be a part of a rotation. He has above-average ball handling skills as a forward and has good positional size and agility to be a solid defender. Alex Caruso is a close comparison, but Jaquez has a much higher ceiling.