Le Journal

Add another honor to the growing Victor Wembanyama legend as he secures a unique spot within the storied history of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. In being selected as a starter in the 2026 All-Star Game, the recently turned 22-year-old becomes only the fifth Spur ever to start in the annual NBA classic. Not on that list are Pro Basketball Hall-of-Famers Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, who are widely regarded as two of the best six players in team history. While the selection marks Wemby’s second consecutive All-Star nod, it’s his first as a starter. With the distinction, he joins San Antonio icons Tim Duncan and David Robinson, both of whom, like Wembanyama, are big men who went first overall in their respective drafts. The 2023 top overall draftee appears on his way to navigating turnarounds as Duncan and Robinson did before him. Robinson’s rookie year marked the greatest single-season turnaround in league history at the time. It was a record that stood until the Spurs broke it again, by a game (36) in Duncan’s first year as a pro, eight seasons later. The Spurs won their first-ever championship in Duncan’s second year. As of this latest Wembanyama accolade, the Spurs sport 29 wins through mid January and sit second in the Western Conference standings. They won 34 games all of last season. Kawhi Leonard, who earned 2014 Finals MVP honors, and Alvin Robertson, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Star, round out the players in franchise history who’ve been selected as starters. San Antonio has now had at least one All-Star selection in 43 of the 49 NBA All-Star Games since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most of any franchise in that span. A look inside Victor Wembanyama’s 2025-2026 season The Spurs’ leading scorer for a third straight season has helped guide the Spurs to a 29-13 mark by averaging a career-best 24.5 points to go along with 10.9 rebounds, three assists, and 2.6 blocks in just under 29 minutes in 28 games. He is also shooting a career-high 51.6% (238-461) from the field and 38.2% (47-123) from beyond the arc. The 2023-2024 Rookie of the Year is the only player in the NBA averaging 20-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and two-or-more blocks. He leads the NBA in blocks per game and ranks fourth in rebounding. This season, the 2023-2024 Defensive Player of the Year runner-up extended his streak of consecutive games with a block to 101, which represents the third-longest streak in NBA history and set a franchise record. On January 13 at the Oklahoma City Thunder, he blocked the 500th shot of his career, becoming the second-youngest player in NBA history to have 500 blocks and fourth fastest ever to 500 at 143 games, joining Robinson, Manute Bol and Mark Eaton. In a November victory at the Chicago Bulls, Wemby became the first player in NBA history to record 35-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, 5-plus assists, 5-plus three-pointers and 5-plus blocks in a game. The 7-foot-5 phenom will suit up for the World Team on February 15 in a new format with two teams of players born in the United States and one team of international players competing in a round robin tournament. All-Star Starters were determined through a weighted vote by fans (50%), current NBA players (25%), and a media panel (25%). The post How Victor Wembanyama’s All-Star starter nod secures Spurs franchise history appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Houston Texans will look forward after a playoff loss, including a lot of study for the upcoming NFL Draft. However, running back Joe Mixon’s future got an uncertain response from DeMeco Ryans, according to a post on X by Jonathan M. Alexander. “DeMeco Ryans on whether he expects a future with Joe Mixon: “As of right now I don’t know that.” Mixon missed the entire 2025 season with a foot injury. He totaled 1,325 yards for the Texans in the 2024 season, scoring 12 total touchdowns. Texans RB Joe Mixon might need to find another team The Texans rolled with Woody Marks and Nick Chubb during 2025. Neither player had any kind of flashy statistics. Marks rushed for 703 yards with a pair of scores. Chubb totaled 506 yards and three scores. Marks managed 208 yards receiving and three more scores, proving to be at least an in-the-neighborhood replacement for Mixon. But will the Texans be content to run it back with Marks and Chubb? Will they give Mixon another look? The money part of the issue would seem to favor letting Mixon go, according to chron.com. “The Texans signed Mixon to a two-year contract extension after acquiring him in a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024, keeping him in Houston through 2026,” Michael Shapiro wrote. “The final year of that deal, however, is largely non-guaranteed. Houston would have to pay just $2 million in 2026 if (it) releases him this spring, compared to $10.5 million if he remains on the roster.” Mixon will turn 30 years old before his next NFL snap. And he’s coming off a year-long injury. Mixon may have to sign a one-year deal for limited money, just to get back on the field for a running back-needy NFL team. Watch the draft as well. If Mixon is still with the Texans and they draft a running back, that’s a strong sign the relationship won’t continue. Mixon is a two-time Pro Bowl performer. He got that honor in 2021 with the Bengals, and last year with the Texans. The post Joe Mixon’s Texans future gets uncertain DeMeco Ryans response appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Chicago Bears lost the NFC Divisional Round game vs. the Los Angeles Rams in heartbreaking fashion. They were a single completion away from attempting a game-winning field goal. Facing a 2nd-and-8 at the Rams’ 48, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw his third interception of the game. Los Angeles proceeded to move the ball down the field and kick the game-winning field goal themselves. But all of the talk in Chicago has been about the misconnection between Williams and Moore. On Monday, the Bears’ quarterback opened up about what went wrong on that fateful play, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “Small things like that that show up in those moments that you may not have talked about, being on the same page, maybe you talked about it in Week 1 or Week 6, and it shows up in [Week 20],” Williams said. This one will hurt for a bit. Caleb Williams said postgame that he thought DJ Moore would flatten his route on the OT pick. There was a ton of space and it likely would’ve been the kill shot from the Bears. pic.twitter.com/gZ00kgfnT0 — Depressed Bears Fan (@DepBearsFan) January 19, 2026 “You know, it’s something to learn from for myself, a learning experience, it’s something for us to learn from as an offense and as a team. We’ll go do that at some time.” Following the loss, Williams acknowledged that he thought Moore was going to flatten the route. That would have brought him more across the field and not as deep. Instead, he continued the post pattern, while Rams cornerback Kam Curl made a diving play on the ball. Fans and television pundits were quick to criticize Moore for seemingly giving up on the play. Nevertheless, it was a hugely successful season for the Bears. The Ben Johnson hire seems to have worked overnight, and Williams took a massive step forward in his second year in the NFL. The future is bright in Chicago for the first time in a very long time. The post Bears QB Caleb Williams reflects on fatal overtime miscommunication with DJ Moore appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Gable Steveson has done something no American before him has accomplished — winning Olympic gold in wrestling at just 20 years old. Since transitioning to MMA, the 25-year-old phenom has been even more ruthless, dismantling every opponent in devastating fashion. Now, at Mexico Fight League 3, Steveson enters uncharted waters against “Pandamonio” Lezama, a battle-tested veteran who represents the first real adversity of his fighting career. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MFL (@fightmfl) With a spotless 2-0 record, Steveson hasn’t just won his MMA fights — he’s obliterated them. Both victories came via knockout, finished in a staggering combined 2:02. Even more impressive, the Jon Jones protégé added a Dirty Boxing victory to his résumé in just 15 seconds, accomplishing three professional fights in a compressed 10-week span. The hype surrounding Steveson isn’t manufactured; it’s earned through explosive performances that have left analysts scrambling for comparisons. GABLE STEVESON 13 SECOND KO Jon Jones loving it pic.twitter.com/E0YgXNODSn — Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 31, 2025 But Mexico won’t feel like a tune-up. Lezama arrives as an 11-3 professional with championship pedigree. The Mexican heavyweight successfully defended the Budo Sento Championship title as recently as November 2024, proving he operates at an elite level in his region. What makes Lezama particularly dangerous is his finishing ability—nine of his 11 victories came by stoppage, including five devastating knockouts and four submissions. He’s not just experienced; he’s proven he can end fights decisively. This matchup sits at a critical inflection point in Steveson’s career arc. His knockout power and wrestling credentials are undeniable, but Lezama represents the first real test against a durable, technical opponent with legitimate championship experience. The Showcenter Complex won’t be some anonymized fight gym; it’ll be Lezama’s backyard, adding another layer of complexity. For Steveson, a dominant victory cements the narrative of a generational talent progressing naturally through the ranks. A loss or even a narrow win forces a recalibration of expectations. Either way, when Mexico Fight League 3 streams live on YouTube, the MMA world will be watching closely. Steveson came to the sport with extraordinary advantages. Now he proves whether they translate against legitimate opposition. The post Gable Steveson faces make-or-break moment against MMA veteran Hugo Lezama appeared first on ClutchPoints.