Get ready across the pond, because EuroBasket is going to feel a lot like All-Star Weekend this year.

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Rashard Lewis, Cameron Payne, and Danilo Gallinari! 🎉

Around the Association

Luka, Jokic, Giannis headline NBA’s EuroBasket 2025 field

Europe’s biggest basketball stage is set to shine as EuroBasket 2025 tips off later this month, bringing not only the continent’s top talent but also a star-studded cast of NBA players.

Major NBA stars like Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Nikola Jokic (Serbia), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) are all expected to play in the international competition, which will take place all over Northern and Eastern Europe and feature 24 countries in the group stage before the field gets condensed into a 16-team single-elimination bracket.

Spain won the most recent edition in 2022, and while their roster this year will feature returning talent from that squad like Willy Hernangomez and Santi Aldama, don’t count out other teams with plenty of young NBA talent like France:

Other NBA guys expected to compete for their home squads include Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Franz Wagner (Germany), Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia), Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania), Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro), Jeremy Sochan (Poland), and Alperen Sengun (Türkiye).

A’ja Wilson climbs MVP ladder in Aces’ 78-72 win over Valkyries

With WNBA MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier sidelined for at least a few weeks with an ankle sprain, another contender more than familiar with the hardware could steal the show.

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson has been dominating as of late, most recently going 8-11 from the field and 11-11 from the line while pouring in 27 PTS against the Valkyries this week. She now has the fourth-most 25-point games in WNBA history and is the fastest player to reach 5,000 PTS and 500 BLK.

A’ja has averaged 21.0 PTS and 9.2 REB per game over the past month, but it’s been the little things too—she’s recorded six multi-steal games over that span and impresses every night with her rare combination of elite scoring and defensive excellence. Minnesota’s Collier is still the frontrunner, and Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas also warrants some conversation, but don’t be surprised if we see A’ja Wilson hoisting another MVP trophy in a few months.

Top Five Friday

It’s August, which means half the league is chilling on a beach somewhere while the other half is making moves to cement themselves in league history. This week, we’re spotlighting the teams that shoved their chips to the middle this summer—whether their plans are crystal clear or not.

Here are the five teams who went the most “all in” this offseason:

#5) Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks definitely went all in on their vision this summer, but that vision might still feel a little cloudy until the season starts. Milwaukee made major swings to cut Damian Lillard loose and bring Myles Turner into town, but they also reshaped their backcourt by signing Cole Anthony and Gary Harris to short-term deals. We’re looking forward to seeing this new-look Bucks squad in action!

#4) Los Angeles Lakers: There are still question marks about LeBron’s future in Los Angeles beyond 2026 and whether or not Luka Doncic is the franchise’s main priority, but one thing is for sure: the Lakers stacked talent this summer. Along with securing Doncic to a contract extension through 2029, L.A. brought in Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to help maximize their championship odds while they still have two legends on the court.

#3) Orlando Magic: Years of collecting assets and making smart draft decisions turned into a huge swing for Orlando, as they gave up significant future value for Desmond Bane to try and compete in an open Eastern Conference this season. Locking up Paolo Banchero and signing Tyus Jones to come off the bench also position Orlando as a potential championship riser in the near future.

#2) Los Angeles Clippers: Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, and Brook Lopez? The Clippers built a 2010s All-Star reunion team around Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, and we’re absolutely here for it. There’s playoff experience, plenty of shooting to go around, and with the extra addition of John Collins, enough frontcourt depth to survive down the stretch. It might finally be the Clippers’ year…

#1) Houston Rockets: Of course, the headline is Kevin Durant. As a matter of fact, any player acquired in a seven-team trade would be a valid topic of discussion. But don’t forget that Houston also signed Dorian Finney-Smith to provide versatility on both ends and brought Clint Capela back after trading the Swiss center to Atlanta back in 2020. With plenty of young, growing talent still ready to develop after the KD trade, the Rockets could be scary this year.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

Up, up, and away! Thanks for spending your Friday with us. Enjoy the weekend—we’ll catch up with you on Monday.

Austin Zeglis