NBA Player News

The 44th overall pick in last month’s draft, Larsson got off to a slow start on Saturday (as did his Heat teammates). The former Arizona guard, who shot nearly 40% from three as a collegian, went 1-of-4 from beyond the arc and struggled from the foul line. The good news is that Larsson was impactful in other areas, most notably tallying three steals. The shot will come around, given the numbers he produced while at Arizona. Larsson will be a better option for the late rounds in dynasty league drafts than in redrafts.

SGA wasn’t Canada’s leading scorer in this game, but he was clearly in control from start to finish. He made timely plays throughout the game on both ends of the floor and as both a scorer and facilitator. He also came up with a clutch floater to give them a four-point lead late in the fourth quarter. SGA will be an integral piece for Canada throughout the Olympics, and he should continue to put up big numbers in each game.

Barrett flushed down a dunk in the final seconds to seal the win over Greece after they nearly allowed a comeback. Barrett and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were Canada’s two leading scorers in this game, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that theme continued throughout the Olympics. Canada has a talented roster that is littered with NBA players, and they’ll be competing for the gold medal after earning bronze in the FIBA World Cup last summer. Barrett’s success will be a big part of that.

Giannis nearly helped Greece complete a dramatic comeback, but they ended up falling just short. Still, it was a dominant performance from Antetokounmpo in his Olympic debut, and he even had some success at the free throw line. Without any other current NBA players on the team, Giannis will continue to be their superstar. He nearly helped them upset Canada, and he’ll look to help them secure a win over Spain in their next game on Tuesday.

Wembanyama didn’t dominate, but he did join Nicolas Batum (19 points) as the leading scorers for France in this game. Wembanyama will continue to be one of the focal points for France throughout the Olympics, and the duo down low of Wemby and Rudy Gobert will be tough for their opponents to deal with. They have a few days off before they play Japan on Tuesday, and Wemby shouldn’t have any issues dominating that matchup.

Hachimura didn’t have a great shooting performance, but he was able to finish with a 20-point double-double in the loss. Hachimura is one of the only NBA players on the team, which allowed Germany’s defense to lock in on him. He’ll continue to be one of the focal points of Japan’s offense as they look to have more success against France on Tuesday.

Schroder was the star of the FIBA World Cup last summer, and he is once again thriving on the international stage. He kicked off the Olympics with a double-double after being the flag bearer for Germany during the opening ceremony. Schroder may not be a fantasy stud in the NBA, but he is a legend on the world stage. He’ll look to keep things going against Brazil on Tuesday.

Less than a month after agrees to a five-year, $224 million extension from Orlando, Wagner is leading Germany in the Olympics. He was their leading scorer in this game and will continue to be one of their best players as they look to hold on to their title as the best in the world after winning the gold medal at the FIBA World Cup last summer. Hopefully Wagner will be able to carry some of this success into the regular season in a few months.

Aldama is one of a few NBA players on Spain’s roster, and he was by far their best offensive weapon in this game. He did all of his work from behind the 3-point line and at the free throw line, and while it wasn’t enough for them to get a win, it was an impressive performance. Aldama will continue to be an integral part of Spain’s offense, and he will be a valuable role player for Memphis once again next season.

Before he suits up for Atlanta this season, Daniels will look to help Australia during the Olympics. He played well in their scrimmages and is already making an impact in his Olympic debut. He is in the starting unit for the Boomers and will have a chance to start for the Hawks this upcoming year. He has loads of fantasy upside, and his defense will make him incredibly valuable for the rest of the Olympics and for Atlanta in a few months.

After a down season with the Thunder, Giddey will get a fresh start with Chicago this upcoming season. Before that happens, Giddey will represent Australia in the Olympics, where he has started off well. He played well in the scrimmages, and he nearly recorded a triple-double in their first game of this Olympics. He’ll continue to play an instrumental role in helping Australia in their quest for a gold medal.