LOS ANGELES: Victor Wembanyama’s hopes of victory in the NBA All-Star week’s ‘Rising Stars’ tournament came to an abrupt end on Friday as his team suffered an upset 41-36 defeat in the semifinals.
San Antonio Spurs rookie Wembanyama spearheaded a strong-looking lineup coached by Spanish legend Pau Gasol that many tipped to cruise into Friday’s final.
But their opponents — coached by Germany’s three-time NBA All-Star Detlef Schrempf and drawn from the NBA’s G-League development league — tore up the script with a deserved win in the first-to-40 semifinal.