Wemby's Global Takeover Just Got Real: Paris and Manchester Are Ready For The Spurs

Alright, Emerald City! You gotta hear this, because the NBA just dropped some absolute bombs, and it's not even about trades for once. We're talking international basketball, baby! The league just officially confirmed that the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Pelicans are heading across the pond for two massive regular season games in early 2027. Get ready, Europe, because the league's global push just hit another gear!

Wemby's International Domination Is Officially Underway

Mark your calendars, because this is huge for the league's global footprint. The Spurs and Pelicans are set to clash at the Accor Arena in Paris on January 14, 2027. But wait, there's more! They're also hitting Co-op Live in Manchester on January 17. That Manchester game? It's gonna be the first regular season NBA contest ever played there. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are literally going back to Paris after splitting games there against the Pacers back in January 2025. It's like a world tour! Remember how Orlando and Memphis split this year's European games in Berlin and London? And how Franz and Moritz Wagner, those Berlin brothers, got to play in their hometown? The league is already eyeing Berlin and Paris again for 2028. You know what's wild? The Spurs aren't just gearing up for a European trip; they're straight-up BALLING right now. They finished the regular season with an insane 62-20 record, then rolled past Portland and Minnesota in the first two playoff rounds. They're about to face the defending champion Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday. This team is legit, and the world is about to see them up close! The stakes for this playoff run are sky-high, and if they keep this momentum, their European tour is going to feel like a victory lap for a powerhouse.

The Bulls Are Shaking Up Their Coaching Search, Too

Okay, so while the Spurs are busy conquering continents, there's some serious movement happening behind the scenes for another NBA squad. The Chicago Bulls are looking for a new head coach, and they're bringing in some fresh faces. Bryson Graham, their new head of basketball operations, first got his new front office team together, bringing in Stephen Mervis as senior VP of basketball operations and Acie Law IV as VP of player personnel. Now, with those crucial hires locked down, the Bulls are going full speed into their coaching search. Word on the street is they're expected to interview Lamar Skeeter, an assistant from the Hornets, and Ryan Schmidt, who's an assistant with the Hawks. These aren't names you've heard floating around other coaching gigs, which makes it even more interesting. Skeeter, at 37, has been grinding since 2012/13 with the G League Canton Charge, then with the Hawks, and a decade with the Jazz where he rose to lead assistant. For the last two years, he's been Charlotte's top assistant. Schmidt has his own G League history with the Raptors 905, then got head coaching experience with the London Lions and the College Park Skyhawks, before joining Quin Snyder's staff as a full-time Hawks assistant in 2024. Guys like Sean Sweeney, James Borrego, Wes Unseld Jr., Micah Nori, and Dave Bliss are still in the mix for interviews, with Tiago Splitter also on their radar. Chicago is clearly trying to make a big splash. So there you have it, folks. The NBA is heating up on multiple fronts. From the Spurs making a global statement and battling for a Western Conference title, to the Bulls looking for the next big coaching mind, it's never a dull moment. We here in Seattle, the city that lives and breathes sports, are watching every single move. Get ready for that Spurs-Thunder Game 1 on Monday, because you know when the defending champs are involved, it's going to be absolute fireworks!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.