NBA Notes: Lakers, Luka Doncic, Spurs, Victor Wembanyama, 2027 Draft

Lakers

Luka Doncic is making his way back to Los Angeles. Apparently, that includes reminding everyone to remain properly hydrated.

Doncic appeared in a new Gatorade commercial alongside Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Josh Allen, Justin Jefferson, Jayden Daniels and Julio Rodriguez.

Ryan Ward of NBA On SI noted that the advertisement arrives as Doncic prepares to return from Slovenia for training camp.

Doncic was expected back in Los Angeles on Sept. 20 after spending most of the summer training in Europe. He also organized an informal minicamp for several Lakers teammates in Slovenia.

Basketball questions remain, particularly at power forward. Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes appear positioned to start, leaving Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia among the candidates for the final spot.

First comes media day. Then training camp. Then the preseason. Then, presumably, another commercial.

Spurs

Victor Wembanyama already has the statistics, awards and contract. His next challenge involves turning one Finals appearance into something sustainable.

Matt Guzman of Spurs On SI made the case that Wembanyama’s fourth season will be defined as much by his leadership as his production.

“He wants to be the best player ever,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, while adding that Wembanyama has never placed himself above the team.

Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks last season before producing 23.8 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks during San Antonio’s run to the Finals.

The Knicks ended that run in five games. Wembanyama described the loss as the biggest lesson of his life, noting that mistakes become increasingly costly as the postseason advances.

“I’m using that to fuel me,” he said.

Wembanyama signed a five-year, $252 million extension in July without pursuing the additional Rose Rule money that could have raised his starting salary from 25 to 30 percent of the cap. That preserved additional flexibility for San Antonio.

The Spurs no longer need to prove their young core can win. They must prove last season wasn’t a one-time leap. Wembanyama intends to make sure it wasn’t.

NBA Draft

An analytics-based ranking of college basketball’s best players has produced three names worth monitoring before the 2027 NBA Draft.

Evan Miyakawa placed Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. first, Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner second and Duke center Patrick Ngongba II third in his preseason player ratings, as detailed by Randall Sweet of NBA Draft On SI.

The model considers box-score production, team impact, career history and recruiting pedigree. It measures projected college value, not necessarily NBA draft position.

Fears averaged 15.2 points and 9.4 assists as a junior, although his 6-foot frame and 32.1-percent three-point shooting could concern scouts.

Tanner averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals while shooting 36.8 percent from deep. He measured below 5-foot-11 without shoes at the combine, making size his obvious question.

Ngongba offers something neither guard does: 6-foot-11 size. He averaged 10.1 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 60.6 percent for Duke.

Analytics have identified the early leaders. NBA scouts will spend the season deciding how much those numbers translate.