Even before he was eligible for the NBA Draft, it was known that Victor Wembanyama was going to be a special player once he made the league. Standing at 7-foot-3 and possessing skills you’d see from a guard, Wembanyama can not only create his own shot and score at all three levels, but is arguably the league’s best rim protector.

During his second year in the NBA, where he earned an All-Star selection, Wembanyama’s season was cut short after being diagnosed with a blood clot. Now, as he prepares for his third year in what looks like a playoff push time, the star Frenchman is taking a different approach to his offseason preparation and working on the mental side of his game.

After going viral for shaving his head during a monk retreat in China, Wembanyama is once again going viral after he appeared to be working on his martial arts. While he surely won’t need the ability to fight his opponents in the NBA, it’s clear that Wembanyama is trying a different approach at preparing for next season.

In 46 games this past season before being cut short due to injury, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Even though he played just 46 of a possible 82 games, Wembanyama still managed to lead the league in total blocks with an average of 3.8 per game.

Barring any drastic trade, the Spurs will also welcome in a new young piece with their second and 14th overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. While Rutger’s Dylan Harper looks to be the pick behind Cooper Flagg, there’s no telling just how the draft will fall when the Spurs are back on the clock at the end of the lottery.

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Sea Coast Echo | Bay St. Louis

This article was posted online by Sea Coast Echo | Bay St. Louis. Spot On Mississippi collects excepts of news articles from this source and add these in the ‘Mississippi Coast’-category.

After Pope Leo XIV’s message about athletes went viral, tennis fans humorously speculated that it was directed at Jannik Sinner following his heartbreaking loss in the final of the 2025 French Open.

Sinner, who was aiming for his fourth Grand Slam title and his first at Roland Garros, defeated Arthur Rinderknech, Richard Gasquet, Jiří Lehečka, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, and Novak Djokovic to reach the final. However, in the championship match, he fell to Carlos Alcaraz, with a nail-biting scoreline of 6-4, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-7(3), 6-7(2).

Fans Hilariously Connected Pope Leo XIV’s Opinions About Athletes to Jannik Sinner’s French Open Loss

Recently, Pope Leo XIV took to social media to share a message about the lessons sports impart regarding the “art of losing.” He mentioned that defeat helps one confront fragility, limitations, and imperfections. He also stated that athletes who never make mistakes or experience defeat simply “do not exist.”

“In our competitive society, where it seems that only the strong and winners deserve to live, sport also teaches us how to lose. It forces us, in learning the art of losing, to confront our fragility, our limitations and our imperfections. It is through the experience of these limits that we open our hearts to hope. Athletes who never make mistakes, who never lose, do not exist,” Pope Leo XIV posted on X.

In our competitive society, where it seems that only the strong and winners deserve to live, sport also teaches us how to lose. It forces us, in learning the art of losing, to confront our fragility, our limitations and our imperfections. It is through the experience of these…

— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) June 15, 2025

The Pope’s message drew many reactions, particularly among sports fans. Some speculated that his post was influenced by the Chicago White Sox’s recent loss to the Houston Astros. In contrast, others believed it was a direct commentary on Sinner’s defeat to Alcaraz.

Many fellow players and members of the tennis community had commended Sinner for his gracious demeanor following his runner-up finish at the French Open.

Interestingly, just a month prior, Sinner had met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican Auditorium, accompanied by his parents, and presented the Pope with one of his tennis rackets.

“A great honor to meet Pope Leo XIV,” Sinner had posted on his Instagram.

The Pope’s post elicited various reactions from tennis fans, who took to social media to express their opinions. One fan humorously suggested that the Pope’s message stemmed from his desire to “comment” on the final between Sinner and Alcaraz, while also offering “comfort” to the World No. 1 after his loss.

“The Pope also wanted to comment the Roland Garros final and comfort @janniksin,” a fan posted.

The Pope also wanted to comment the Roland Garros final and comfort @janniksin https://t.co/6hNnN2Agmx

— LAC (@lore_aac) June 15, 2025

Another fan expressed their belief that the Pope crafted his message specifically after watching the Roland Garros final.

“He totally wrote this after watching Sinner-Alcaraz on Sunday,” a fan wrote.

He totally wrote this after watching Sinner-Alcaraz on Sunday https://t.co/mvNFrkUV1k

— Jose (@josecm945) June 15, 2025

“Me using my serious work account to tweet about sinner:” a fan posted.

me using my serious work account to tweet about sinner: https://t.co/M3cXVgXdmE

— nic (@whereismyserve) June 15, 2025

“is that about-????” a fan wrote.

is that about-???? https://t.co/mN7Qidl3wa pic.twitter.com/bcbsNL3o8q

— livv (@livv_hq) June 15, 2025

“It took him a week to recover from Jannik’s lost finale, I get it,” a fan posted.

It took him a week to recover from Jannik’s lost finale, I get it https://t.co/qd7ziH8BX9

— valentine (@Lotikuma) June 15, 2025

Where Will Jannik Sinner Compete Next?

Following the conclusion of his campaign at the 2025 French Open, Sinner is set to begin his grass court season at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, scheduled from Jun. 16 to Jun. 22, 2025. The matches will take place on the outdoor grass courts of the OWL Arena in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

This year, Sinner will defend his title at the ATP 500 grass court tournament in Halle. In 2024, he triumphed over Hubert Hurkacz in the final, winning 7-6(8), 7-6(2) to secure his first title on grass and his 14th career ATP Tour title overall.

Sinner will compete in both the singles and doubles events at the 2025 Terra Wortmann Open. He is the top seed and will kick off his campaign against qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the first round.

Hanfmann earned his spot in the main draw by defeating Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4, 6-1 in the first qualifying round, followed by a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Nicolás Jarry in the second qualifying round.

Sinner and Hanfmann have met twice on the ATP Tour, with the World No. 1 emerging victorious in both encounters. Their most recent clash was in the first round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, where Sinner triumphed with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The winner of the Sinner-Hanfmann match will advance to face either Alexandre Müller or Alexander Bublik in the second round.

Sinner will compete in the doubles event at the 2025 Terra Wortmann Open in addition to his singles competition. He has teamed up with fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego, and the Italian duo will face off against Karen Khachanov and Alex Michelsen in the first round.

After leading the Denver Nuggets to their first championship in franchise history in 2023, Nikola Jokic cemented himself as one of the greatest big men of all time. Jokic finished second in MVP voting this year, marking the fifth consecutive year he has finished in the top two in voting for the esteemed award, including three wins.

However, Jokic has gotten to the point where an early playoff exit is seen as an extreme disappointment. After escaping the LA Clippers in Game 7 of their first-round series, the Nuggets met their fate against the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, but taking that team to seven games is an accomplishment in itself.

However, Jokic and the Nuggets have now suffered two consecutive second-round playoff exits, and they are once again watching the NBA Finals from home. This would likely bother many players who feel like they should be the ones playing on that stage; however, Jokic does not seem to care as much.

Jokic was recently seen living his life and vacationing at home, with not much care for the NBA Finals going on.

Via Legion Hoops: “Nikola Jokic is living his best life this summer ”

This video has gone viral, mainly because this is exactly how many people picture Jokic enjoying his offseason. Jokic has always made it clear how much he enjoys being home, and with no basketball to worry about for a while, he certainly seems to be having a good time. Coming off another historic year, Jokic has deserved to rest and have a good time.

In the latest chapter of the divisive discourse over transgender inclusion in sports, retired Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner has stepped into the fray—publicly siding with Riley Gaines and criticizing her former teammate, Simone Biles.

The growing rift between Biles and Gaines has captured national attention. At its core is a heated exchange about fairness in women’s sports, ignited after Gaines made remarks regarding a transgender athlete’s participation in a high school softball tournament. Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and vocal conservative advocate, remarked, “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy,” prompting widespread backlash and a sharp response from Biles.

MyKayla Skinner speaks out

Skinner, 28, released a strongly worded statement on June 13 through One America News, expressing disappointment in Biles’ choice of words and actions.

“As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I’ve always believed that true competition should elevate us — not diminish others,” Skinner stated. “That’s why it’s deeply troubling to see Simone Biles publicly label a fellow female athlete a ‘sore loser’— simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women’s sports.”

MyKayla Skinner applauded Gaines’ outspokenness, stating, “I commend and appreciate Riley Gaines for having the courage to speak up. Women like her are not only standing for fairness, but for the future of female athletics itself. She deserves support — not ridicule.”

Simone Biles and Riley Gaines clash online

Earlier this month, Simone Biles addressed Gaines’ controversial post, which misgendered a trans athlete. The gymnastics icon responded on X, formerly Twitter:

“Riley Gaines You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight-up sore loser… You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans [people] feel safe in sports.”

Simone Biles also suggested a new transgender category across all sports, emphasizing inclusivity. The 28-year-old has long been an advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and frequently speaks out against hate.

However, the response did not sit well with Gaines, who hit back:

“It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces… Men don’t belong in women’s sports, and I say that with my full chest.”

A rift behind the scenes

MyKayla Skinner didn’t stop at current events. She accused Biles of past mistreatment during their time as teammates, claiming she was “belittled, dismissed and ostracized” by the gymnastics superstar.

“The pressure to stay silent was immense,” she continued. “But witnessing this kind of public shaming, especially from someone in a position of influence, makes that silence no longer acceptable.”

She further criticized Biles’ use of her platform:

“It’s one thing to disagree. It’s another to use your platform to bully and demean… No one should be punished for standing up for fairness and biological reality. We should be lifting each other up — not tearing one another down for speaking hard truths.”

Biles issues apology

Despite the charged exchange, Simone Biles later offered a rare apology for getting personal:

“The current system doesn’t adequately balance [competitive equity and inclusivity]… and it didn’t help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for.”

Still, MyKayla Skinner’s remarks have added fuel to an already inflamed conversation, opening up deeper questions about how public figures address sensitive issues and disagreement in sport.