Since the NBA season tipped off 10 days ago, basketball fans in Europe and the Middle East have been relying on next-day replays and highlight reels to catch up on the action the morning after it happened, given the time difference to the United States.
The world had been eagerly anticipating the debut of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, the most exciting NBA rookie since LeBron James, and on Sunday, the French teen phenom will showcase his talent in Europe’s prime time slot at 9:30pm CET (12:30am UAE time) against the Toronto Raptors.
The Spurs enter the game with a 3-2 record for the season and are coming off an impressive two-game sweep of the Phoenix Suns.
The 19-year-old 2.24-metre Wembanyama exploded with a career-high 38 points in the Spurs’ win over Phoenix on Friday, which ties him at third-most by a rookie in Spurs history.
Just five games into this new campaign, Wembanyama is already shaping up to be a stellar four-quarter player, having combined for 39 points in the final frame of his first five games, shooting 15-for-19.
“It’s a requirement, if we’re being ambitious,” Wembanyama said on Friday of his fourth-quarter heroics early in the season.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has worked with a host of top talent since he took over the reins in San Antonio in 1996 and believes Wembanyama has what it takes to become the superstar everyone expects him to be.
“The first thing I would say is that his parents did a very good job. He's one of the most mature 19-year-olds I've ever been around. His character is incredible,” Popovich told reporters ahead of Sunday’s game, which is part of the NBA Sundays Primetime initiative.
“His view of the world is mature. He understands who he is. He feels comfortable in his own skin. He knows that all the hype that has been pretty thick everywhere is something to be ignored. He realises he's got work to do.
“Talent is talent. But he's going to channel that, figure out exactly what his game should be. Discipline will be a big part of that, in understanding exactly what wins and loses. And that's a process, it's a journey. Fortunately for us, he doesn't have to be convinced of those things.
“He understands that that's how it works. So he's a very special young man. In addition to his talents, he understands relationships, respects teammates, very coachable, fun to be around. So he's got it all to become a superstar in time.”
Wembanyama is the first player to have 85+ points, 35+ rebounds and 10+ blocks in his first five career games since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 – one of the many standout stats from his opening rookie performances.
“It just makes me want to go even higher to beat all these records,” said a confident Wembanyama on Friday.
The French teenager’s versatility is remarkable; and while he has impressed in the paint so far, he is also effective from beyond the arc and can handle the ball with staggering ease for someone his height.
Popovich admits he is still learning more about his charge’s abilities and hasn’t decided yet where on the court he thinks Wembanyama will be best utilised.
“At this point, we're in observation mode,” said Popovich.
“We don't really know what his game is going to be. Obviously his height and with his natural abilities, I think it's wiser for me to watch him play more – four games is a small sample to see where he feels comfortable. What are his innate abilities on the court as far as where he can be the most effective, is it down to the post? Is it in the wing? Is it in transition? Should he bring the ball up? Should he be a post player? Should he be a perimeter player, maybe all of the above?
“I think watching him for a while gives us a really good indication of where he fits and what his most significant contributions can be for the team. So we've pretty much given him freedom to shoot those threes and learn time and score. What's an appropriate time for a three and not? What's a contestant three and not?
“But defence is mandatory and we've spent most of our time disciplining him in that sense, so that he knows what's required and what's needed to be a defender in the NBA. Whether he's guarding a big man or a perimeter player because he will guard both. So that's really been the emphasis as we watch him offensively.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
