NBA Player News

Wembanyama registered 18 points (6-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 5-8 FT), eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks in 29 minutes during France's 84-69 win over Sweden in Sunday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The superstar big man led France in both scoring and rebounding Sunday, helping pick up the slack left behind by the absence of Rudy Gobert. Wembanyama, the NBA's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game across 64 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, and he's likely to be either the first or second player off the board, perhaps behind only Nikola Jokic, in most fantasy drafts for the 2026-27 campaign.

Raynaud registered 13 points (6-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt) and two rebounds in 18 minutes during France's 84-69 win over Sweden in Sunday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

Raynaud made the most of his playing time Sunday, supplying an efficient 13 points. The 2025 second-rounder is preparing to compete with Dylan Cardwell for Sacramento's backup center role behind Domantas Sabonis during training camp in the fall.

Zubac registered 24 points (8-10 FG, 8-11 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 30 minutes during Croatia's 101-99 win over the Netherlands in Sunday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

Zubac co-led the club in scoring alongside Dario Saric on Sunday, and the former paced Croatia in boards as well. Zubac is set to begin the new season as Indiana's starting center following an injury-riddled 2025-26 regular season, when the veteran center averaged 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 30.1 minutes per game across 48 appearances between the Clippers and Pacers.

Mara recorded 12 points (3-8 FG, 6-7 FT), six rebounds, two assists and four blocks in 19 minutes during Spain's 95-89 loss to Portugal in Friday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The 21-year-old was selected by Oklahoma City with the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and will enter training camp competing with Jaylin Williams for the backup center role behind Isaiah Hartenstein. Mara's 7-foot-2 frame, passing ability and shot-blocking give him considerable long-term upside, but the Thunder's depth could make consistent playing time difficult to find during his rookie campaign.

Queta recorded 16 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-6 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and two steals in 25 minutes during Portugal's 95-89 win over Spain in Friday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a breakout 2025-26 campaign for Boston, averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while starting 75 of his 76 regular-season appearances, earning a four-year, $56 million contract this offseason. The addition of Mitchell Robinson creates competition at center, but Queta should remain a significant part of Boston's rotation and could retain the starting job.

Nurkic recorded 25 points (11-19 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 14 rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes during Bosnia and Herzegovina's 78-76 win over Italy in Friday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The 32-year-old re-signed with Utah on a two-year deal this offseason after averaging 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.4 minutes across 41 regular-season appearances last season. With Walker Kessler now with the Lakers, Nurkic enters 2026-27 with a clearer path to the starting center job and could be a useful source of rebounds and assists in fantasy despite his limited scoring upside.

Jokic recorded six points (3-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals in 23 minutes during Serbia's 102-73 win over Iceland in Friday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

Jokic attempted only seven shots but impacted the game in his usual fashion as a rebounder and facilitator. The 31-year-old averaged a triple-double for the second consecutive regular season in 2025-26, posting 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game while finishing second in MVP voting. Denver has reshaped the supporting cast around him this offseason, but Jokic remains the unquestioned centerpiece of the offense and should once again be among the first players selected in virtually every fantasy format in 2026-27.

Bitadze recorded 23 points (8-18 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 4-5 FT), eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks in 30 minutes during Georgia's 101-74 win over Montenegro in Friday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The 27-year-old averaged 5.9 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 67.6 percent from the field during the 2025-26 regular season, but his path to playing time has become even more crowded following the Magic's offseason addition of Nikola Vucevic. With Vucevic and Wendell Carter both in the mix at center, Bitadze may struggle to see enough minutes to provide consistent fantasy value in 2026-27.

Missi recorded 24 points (9-13 FG, 6-8 FT), nine rebounds, two steals and four blocks in 27 minutes during Cameroon's 78-62 win over Nigeria in Thursday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

The 22-year-old is coming off his second NBA season and will enter training camp battling for minutes in a crowded New Orleans frontcourt that also features Derik Queen and Karlo Matkovic. Missi's rebounding, rim protection and athleticism give him a clear path to maintaining a significant role, but the presence of Queen and Matkovic could prevent any substantial increase in playing time. His limited offensive range also caps his fantasy ceiling.

Hansen recorded 15 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt), nine rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 20 minutes during China's 83-57 win over Qatar in Thursday's FIBA World Cup qualifier.

Hansen came off the bench but led China in both scoring and rebounding, continuing an encouraging offseason for the 21-year-old center. The 2025 first-round pick had a limited role as a rookie with Portland, averaging just 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per game during the regular season, but he'll have an opportunity to push for a larger role in his sophomore campaign.