The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs' new master plan were immediately planted.

the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs stars Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul gave their game-worn ... Paul, who was teammates with Redick when the two were with the Los Angeles Clippers, approached Wemby about gifting their jerseys to his former ...

Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama gifted JJ Redick's sons, Knox and Kai, jerseys after the Spurs and Lakers played Monday night.

The Spurs may have spoiled LeBron James and the Lakers' first game since the California wildfires began, but the heartfelt postgame gesture orchestrated by Wembanyama and veteran Spurs point guard Chris Paul showed the power of the NBA family to rebound from tragedy.

The Lakers and the Clippers both went back to work Monday night in Los Angeles’ first two NBA games since catastrophic wildfires killed at least 24 people and destroyed significant sections of their hometown.

The Spurs (20-23) returned from Paris three games under .500, same as they were when they left the United States last week. They are in 12 th place of a jam-packed Western Conference, still within striking distance of a play-in berth but fast approaching a February slate that will feature only one game at the Frost Bank Center.

Spurs stars Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama gave game-worn jerseys to JJ Redick's sons, who lost their entire memorabilia collection in the wildfires that burned down their family home.

San Antonio Spurs stars Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama presented their game jerseys to Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick's

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Redick's children are big NBA fans and had a growing memorabilia collection that was destroyed in the wildfires devastating Los Angeles.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 16 of his 28 points in a dazzling 2½-minute display late in the third quarter as the Pacers downed Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs 136-98 in the NBA Paris Games finale.

Both teams played on the road last week, and Monday marked their first home contests since the Palisades Fire began Tuesday.