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Wednesday 19 February 2025

Spurs star Victor Wembanyama brings books

to games; that's not all that makes him different

By TIM REYNOLDS when his team lost the All-Star tour- great, obviously, for the franchise
AP Basketball Writer nament final. with the Spurs. But he's going to be
Let's start with this: He brought a San Antonio knows, and has great for our league for so many
book to the All-Star Game. known, that Wembanyama is the years to come."
As if the NBA needed more proof face of the Spurs. The rest of the Wembanyama was the unanimous
that San Antonio's Victor Wem- league has probably figured out rookie of the year last season; he's
banyama is different, the latest that he's one of the faces of the the favorite, according to Bet-
example came Sunday in a locker- league — the game globally, too MGM Sportsbook, to be defensive
room video posted by the league. — and is well on his way to super- player of the year this season. He is
Wembanyama was getting settled duper-superstardom, if he's not almost certainly going to make the
in before the games and Denver's there already. All-NBA team. He will likely get MVP
Nikola Jokic was puzzled by what LeBron James had nothing but votes.
the Spurs star had with him. rave reviews for Wembanyama All for good reason.
"You really brought a book?" Jokic when the 7-foot-3 French center His scoring average is up. Rebounds
asked. — who just turned 21 last month per game, up. Shooting percent-
"I read before every game," Wem- — was coming into the league. ages, up. He's already taken 403 San Antonio Spurs center Victor
banyama said. James heaps the Wemby praise 3-pointers and blocked 176 shots Wembanyama dunks past teammates
Even at All-Star weekend, Wem- even higher now. this season — no player in NBA his- Trae Young and Nikola Jokic during the
banyama didn't change who he "I've seen one quote that he says tory has ever finished a season with NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday,
is. He got himself and Spurs team- that nobody better call him past those numbers, and Wemby did Feb. 16, 2025, in San Francisco.
mate Chris Paul disqualified from 9 o'clock at night because he's ei- it this year by the All-Star break. Associated Press
the skills competition at All-Star Sat- ther reading or he's asleep. I think He's averaging 24.3 points, 11 re- asked what he marvels at when he
urday night after finding what he that's super cool. I think that's super bounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists; watches Wembanyama.
thought was a loophole in the rules dope," the Los Angeles Lakers' star the only other player to finish a sea- "Everything he does," Curry said.
and could increase the chance of said. "That lets you know where his son averaging all that was Kareem "Everything."
winning. He brought the book on mind frame is at, where he is at in- Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76. The Spurs have been through some
Sunday. He was visibly frustrated tellectually, and I think he's been Golden State's Stephen Curry was things this season.q

Lack of snow north of the Alaska Range prompts Iditarod to

move official start to Fairbanks

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Nome." The safety of the
— A lack of snow along a dogs, mushers and volun-
dangerous stretch of trail teers remains the Iditarod's
has led organizers of the top priority, the statement
world's most famous sled said. Even with snow, this
dog race to move the stretch of the Iditarod
start of the Iditarod farther consistently has some of
north. the worst trail in the entire
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog 1,000-mile (1,609-kilome-
Race will still have its cere- ter) race across the Alaska
monial start in Anchorage wilderness.
on March 1, but the offi- The race's description of
cial start for the 33 teams the trail for mushers en-
will be two days later in courages them to do this
Fairbanks, about 360 miles stretch in a convoy with
(579 kilometers) north. Mats Pettersson, from Sweden, makes the corner onto Cordova Street during the Iditarod Trail one or more teams be-
It's the fourth time the race Sled Dog Race ceremonial start in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, March 2, 2024. cause they might require
has been moved because Associated Press help. Conditions include
of a lack of snow. The race in a statement Monday, as unpassable. can allow the teams to windblown gravel sand-
previously started in Fair- trail breakers said no snow "After a heavy discussion progress through that 20- bars, high winds, rivers, a
banks in 2003, 2015 and since that Jan. 31 an- with our lead Trail Break- mile (32-kilometer) stretch," glacier, slippery conditions
2017. nouncement led them er and other friends of Race Marshal Warren Pal- and ice at the bottom of a
Race officials last month to deem one portion of the race including local frey said in the statement. canyon.
said the race would start the trail — from the Rohn knowledge, and with no "It is a shame because the The winner is expected in
as normal from the An- to Nikolai checkpoints — new snow on the horizon, remainder of the trail is in Nome about 10 days after
chorage area. However, north of the Alaska Range there is simply no way we great shape all the way to the start.q