
Wembanyama cleared to return for NBA Spurs: reports
"Wemby" was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2024 and an NBA All-Star this past season, which was ended February 20 when the team shut him down after the shoulder injury was discovered.
The 7-foot-3 (2.21m) center averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocked shots and 1.1 steals a game over 46 contests for the Spurs last season.
The NBA club had he was expected back in time for the start of Spurs training camp in late September but his recovery came much earlier than first predicted.
Wembanyama has been in Las Vegas for the past few days watching the Spurs' newest prospects play in the NBA Summer League.

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France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Pacquiao held to draw by Barrios in world title return
Barrios, 30, retained his belt despite being dominated for several rounds by Pacquiao, making a comeback to the ring after a four-year retirement. Barrios was awarded the fight 115-113 by one judge, with the other two cards scoring it 114-114. The result drew a subdued reaction from the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd, who had roared on Pacquiao during a cagey, hard-fought contest. At times, it seemed as if Pacquiao was poised to write another improbable chapter in his 30-year professional career as he used all of his guile and experience to frustrate Barrios. But Barrios rallied furiously over the final three rounds -- he was deemed the winner of those rounds on all three cards -- to do just enough to force a result that sees him retain his title. "I thought I won the fight," Pacquiao said afterwards. "I mean, it was a close fight. My opponent was very tough. But it was a wonderful fight. "I was trying to find a way to finish the fight but my opponent was so tough. He threw punches in combination and with defense, so it was hard." Barrios, meanwhile, felt he had done enough to deserve the draw. "I thought I pulled it out," Barrios said. "But I still tip my hat to Manny. It was an honor to share the ring with him, somebody with so much experience who has accomplished so much in this sport. We left everything in the ring, nothing but love and respect." Barrios admitted he had been awed by Pacquiao's remarkable reserves of energy and stamina. "That's crazy -- his stamina, he can still crack and he's still strong as hell. His timing, his rhythm, everything. He was still a very awkward fighter to figure out," he said. Rematch offer Barrios said he had been made aware that he needed to up his workrate to force the result over the closing rounds. "I knew I had to step it up to try to and solidify a win," Barrios said. "I was really pressing him, trying to make him feel old. But he has some good legs -- a lot of the tank and a lot of fight left in him. Pacquiao, meanwhile, said that he hoped to continue fighting, and would be open to a rematch with Barrios. "Of course, of course," he replied when asked if he wanted to continue his career and face Barrios again. "That's the only legacy that I can leave behind -- to give inspiration to the Filipino people and to be proud wherever you are." Barrios, for his part, added he was open to facing Pacquiao again. "I would love to do it again," he said during a ring interview. Pacquiao, whose last win came in 2019, had been regarded as a heavy underdog against his taller, rangier opponent from Texas. But the Filipino eight-division champion, one of the most beloved fighters of the era, showed little sign of being troubled for long periods. Fighting in flurries and landing crisp combinations throughout, Pacquiao consistently looked the busier fighter during the early and middle rounds. Barrios, by contrast, appeared tentative, reluctant to risk going toe-to-toe early on against the experienced Filipino. Yet for all of Pacquiao's craft, he was unable to seriously hurt Barrios, who regrouped impressively in the later rounds to connect with several jabs and do just enough to force the draw.


France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Rodriguez stops Cafu in super flyweight unification fight
Rodriguez landed a hard right hook and followed with an unchallenged series of punches that forced referee Hector Afu to stop the bout after two minutes and seven seconds of the 10th round. "All I remember is I caught him with a right hook. That's about it," said Rodriguez. "I felt like it was a good performance, my best performance up to today now. It was my toughest opponent, my toughest fight." Rodriquez kept his WBC crown and took Cafu's WBO title, improving to 22-0 with his 15th victory inside the distance. Cafu fell to 11-1 with three drawn, his seven-fight win streak snapped in his US debut. "All credit to Cafu. He's a tough opponent. He was a lot tougher than I thought he would be but we got the job done no matter what," Rodriguez said. "I wasn't hurt but I could feel he had pop. He had better pop than I expected. I knew he had power but not like that. And he can take a shot." That forced a strategy change in the 115-pound (52.2kg) division matchup of stellar southpaws. "I had to stop throwing every shot hard," Rodriguez said. "I was trying maybe a little too hard to get him out of there, but once I felt he could take my best shot and keep going, that's when I had to slow my pace down, set him up with a few shots here and there like I did to get him out of there." Rodriguez, 25, and Cafu, 26, were cautious in the early rounds, the American trying to press the attack but wary of the African's counter punches, each fighter respectful of the dangers his rival offered. A right uppercut by Rodriguez set up a combination in the fourth round but Cafu began working to the body, striking with his own combination late in round five and a solid left hook late in round six. Rodriguez landed a hard combination of five punches starting with a left hook in the final minute of the ninth round and won it with his flurry late in round 10, forcing Cafu's corner to wave the towel. Rodriguez plans to fight the division's other unbeaten champion, WBA title-holder Fernando Martinez of Argentina, on November 22. He had a cut on a left knuckle but said he was fine. "It's just a little, I don't know what you call it, but I'll be good," Rodriguez said. "I want to be undisputed, especially the way I did it against Cafu, a world champion and I got him out before the 12th round. It just shows I'm here to stay."


France 24
9 hours ago
- France 24
Fundora batters Tszyu to retain WBC superwelter crown
A bruising, action-packed scrap at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ended when a bloodied Tszyu failed to come out for the eighth round. Fundora -- who had beaten Tszyu in their first meeting last year -- once again used his towering 6ft 6in (1.98m) frame and huge reach advantage to dominate the short, stocky Australian. Tszyu was quickly in trouble, knocked down by Fundora in the first round by a crisp left hand, and finished the second round with a nasty cut over his right eye. Although Tszyu battled bravely, jolting Fundora with some shuddering right-hands in the middle rounds, the American continued to land damaging punches. The end came after the seventh, when a weary Tszyu declined to come out for the next round. "I gave it everything but I just couldn't do it," Tszyu said afterwards. "Victory belongs to Sebastian Fundora -- he's the best 154-pounder on the planet right now. "He was the better man. He's very hard to land, and he's tall ... I felt like I was shadow boxing with myself at times. It is what it is." Fundora, 27, who improved to 23-1-1, with 15 knockouts, said he had been determined to exploit his advantages of height and reach. "I felt like obviously I'm the bigger guy, and everyone's calling me a bully -- so you know what, let's start bullying these guys," Fundora said.