NBA Buzz: Former Bulls will be a big part of 2019 free agency madness

Likely number one overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Victor Wembanyama has been called up to the France national team for 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. France will play two qualifiers at the end of February against Czech Republic and Lithuania.

France has already qualified for this edition of the World Cup. They are using their final two qualifying games to continue to evaluate their non-NBA and non-EuroLeague players.

Wembanyama played in two previous qualifiers for France. He averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, as the French team clinched a spot in this summer’s World Cup back in mid-November.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines. The event will run from late-August to mid-September.

During an interview on Friday afternoon, James Dolan said he believes in the job Leon Rose is doing, and that he “fully expects” the New York Knicks to make the playoffs this season.

“Why did I bring Leon in? I’ve been doing this for like 20-something years and in my experience with the NBA, there’s things you can do as an owner. You can create an environment where everybody, you give them enough money to do their job, give them more money than they need to do their job. You can stay out of the way, which is usually the best course of action.

“But you do end up picking the one guy who’s going to make all the strategy, who’s going to execute for you. I picked Leon because I believe after you look at the NBA and the game that we play, that the team with the best talent wins. You want a guy who can get you the best talent. I believe that Leon Rose is still the best guy.”

Dolan said Rose is not working under a timetable.

“Eventually, there’s a timetable,” Dolan said. “But, right now, what we’re looking for is progress. We want to build into a championship team. We fully expect to make the playoffs this year. That will definitely be a benchmark.

“Now, this is sports. If Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle both get hurt? [Making the playoffs is] probably going to be tough.”

Since Dolan assumed control of the Knicks in 1999, New York has had 14 different head coaches and seven different lead basketball executives.