Tag: Basketball

Alabama hoops star delivered gun in shooting, police say

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller brought a teammate the gun that was used in a fatal January shooting near campus, an investigator testified Tuesday.

Miller, a freshman standout, brought Darius Miles’ gun to him on the night of the shooting after Miles texted him and asked him to do so, Tuscaloosa Police investigator Brandon Culpepper testified, according to news outlets.

The allegation of Miller’s involvement on the night of the Jan. 15 shooting came during a preliminary hearing for Miles and Michael Davis, who face capital murder charges for the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

The ex-Alabama player Miles is accused of providing his gun to Davis, who fired it and killed Harris, prosecutors say.

Alabama coach Nate Oats told reporters Tuesday the team has been aware that Miller allegedly brought Miles the gun, but the team’s leading scorer is not in “any type of trouble.” He has started every game since the shooting.

Miller was just in “the wrong spot at the wrong time,” Oats said.

“We’ve known the situation,” Oats said. “We’ve been fully cooperating with law enforcement the entire time. I mean, the whole situation is just sad. The team closed practice with a prayer for the situation today, knowing that we had this trial today. You think of Jamea and her family,” Oats said.

Miller has not been criminally charged. A team representative did not immediately know if Miller had an attorney.

“We knew about that,” Oats said. “You can’t control everything everybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out. Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Like the wrong spot at the wrong time.”

The 6-foot-9 Miller is the biggest star of the second-ranked Tide team that had its first AP Poll No. 1 ranking in 20 years last week. He is projected to be an NBA Draft lottery pick.

The shooting occurred on the Strip, a business district of bars and restaurants that cater to students near the Tuscaloosa campus. Harris was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when she was struck by a bullet, police said.

Investigators wrote in a court document that Miles, who had been a junior reserve forward on the team, admitted to providing the gun used in the fatal shooting, but Davis fired the weapon.

Culpepper said Tuesday that Miles told Davis where his gun was in Miller’s car.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers presented diverging accounts of the shooting. Chief Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told the judge that there was ample evidence to proceed with the case against Miles and Davis.

A defense lawyer suggested during Tuesday’s hearing that Miles was reacting defensively when he told Davis where the gun was located.

“The reason that the gun was provided to Michael Davis was for protection,” Mary Turner argued.

Defense lawyers asked for Davis and Miles to be released on bond. District Judge Joanne Jannik did not immediately issue a decision on the bond request.

Both Davis and Miles wiped away tears as their mothers’ took to the stand to testify that they would make sure their sons would follow rules if granted bond.

After court, Harris’ mother told reporters that she is frustrated by the focus on basketball when the shooting claimed the life of her daughter.

“She has a 5-year-old son that is still waiting for his mother to come home,” DeCarla Heard told reporters. “I want justice for my grandson.”

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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February 21, 2023
Brink, Jones power No. 3 Stanford women past No. 17 UCLA

STANFORD, Calif. — Tara VanDerveer asked the crowd to give a standing ovation to her four Stanford seniors, and hundreds of fans who stuck around well past the final buzzer for a postgame ceremony jumped to their feet.

VanDerveer thanked the players’ parents while making something perfectly clear: The Cardinal have plenty of great basketball still to be played with March approaching. Stanford’s seniors have already won 116 games during their careers.

“They call themselves the Funky Four, I call them the Final Four or the Fabulous Four,” the Hall of Fame coach said. “Let’s keep it rolling.”

Cameron Brink scored 25 points and made all 15 of her free throws, the last of which put Stanford ahead for good, and the third-ranked Cardinal beat 17th-ranked UCLA 71-66 on Monday night in their final regular-season home game.

Brink swatted two more shots to give her 102 blocks for the season, and her 15 free throws were the most without a miss by a Stanford player since at least 1999 — Candice Wiggins went 14 for 14 in 2008. Senior Haley Jones added 18 points and converted a layup with 1:22 remaining to put the Cardinal ahead by three.

“There were a lot of different moments tonight we had to change our mentality,” Jones said. “We’re trying to win a Pac-12 championship and this game was necessary to do that. We had to be the aggressor.”

Stanford (26-3, 14-2 Pac-12) has won four straight and is closing in on a third straight Pac-12 regular-season title with games remaining this week at No. 21 Colorado and No. 8 Utah.

Jones hit a go-ahead jumper with 2:45 to play before Lina Sontag answered with a 3 moments later to put UCLA ahead 65-64. Brink’s final two free throws made it 66-65 with 1:53 left.

Freshman Londynn Jones scored 14 points for UCLA (21-7, 10-6), which dropped one spot in the AP Top 25 this week and had its four-game winning streak snapped. UCLA pounded the boards for a 36-33 advantage, getting 17 on the offensive glass.

“They’re a good team and they’re on a mission,” VanDerveer said.

Brink also converted a go-ahead three-point play with 8:55 remaining. The 6-foot-4 junior reached 100 blocks for the first time in her stellar career and set the all-time Stanford record during Friday’s 50-47 win over Southern California — and she still has another collegiate season left to play. Brink has 280 blocks, having topped Jayne Appel’s mark of 273 set from 2006-10.

Stanford won the first meeting 72-59 on Jan. 13 after the teams were tied after three quarters. UCLA made it interesting until the end this time.

“Really proud of our team’s response in the second half,” Bruins coach Cori Close said, “their fight, their togetherness, their belief.”

The cold-shooting Bruins began 3 of 11 and went 5:39 without a basket in the second quarter, missing 10 straight shots as the Cardinal went on a 6-0 run. Christeen Iwuala’s putback with 3:36 left in the quarter ended a nearly six-minute stretch without a field goal by UCLA.

But the Bruins came out energized after halftime, using a 25-point third quarter — they had just 26 points at halftime — while holding Stanford to just four field goals in the period to take a 51-50 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

CURRY SUPPORTS

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry attended his second straight Stanford game. He has been a regular this season at women’s games on The Farm and also at California in Berkeley. He sat on the baseline with Brink’s parents, Michelle and Greg.

The reigning NBA Finals MVP’s family is close with the Brinks.

“When I was growing up I played with a lot of young girls, we played a lot of pickup together,” Curry said. “I love that the game is growing and getting some more exposure. I grew up watching sports and now to drive awareness on how good the women’s game is, all that stuff matters. I’ve had my daughters here with me to watch, I’ve had my son here with me to watch the game, and they love it. And I’m supporting family, too.”

SENIOR NIGHT

The Cardinal also acknowledged each UCLA senior before the game. Senior Charisma Osborne had 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a career-best six steals for the Bruins.

BIG PICTURE

UCLA: Scored 14 points off Stanford’s 15 turnovers. … The Bruins were 2 of 11 on 3s in the first half and 7 for 25 overall, with freshman Kiki Rice going 0 for 3. … UCLA has lost six of the last seven in the series.

Stanford: Brink has scored in double figures in 21 straight games. … After Stanford limited USC to 22% shooting Friday for its lowest by an opponent since 2010, UCLA finished at 36%.

UP NEXT

UCLA: Hosts Washington State on Thursday night.

Stanford: Visits Colorado on Thursday.

___

AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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February 20, 2023
Tatum scores All-Star record 55, Team Giannis wins 184-175

SALT LAKE CITY — Jayson Tatum put on a record-setting show, and made Giannis Antetokounmpo look like a genius.

Tatum scored an All-Star Game-record 55 points on his way to winning MVP honors, and Team Giannis ended LeBron James’ hold on All-Star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184-175 in the NBA’s annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night.

Tatum had 27 points in the third quarter, another All-Star Game record for any period. He was the first pick by Antetokounmpo in the starters’ portion of the All-Star draft, and in the end, that pick proved to be the right one.

And the MVP award Tatum was given is named for Kobe Bryant, one of his heroes.

“It means the world,” Tatum said. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game, and in all honesty, records are made to be broken. I’ll hold it for as long as I can, but I’m certain someone will come along in a couple years and try to break it.”

Tatum broke Anthony Davis’ All-Star record of 52 points. He was 22 of 31 from the floor, plus had 10 rebounds and six assists.

It was James’ first loss in six times as captain. Antetokounmpo improved to 1-2 in his All-Star captaincies, and became the first captain to hoist a new trophy presented to the winners of the All-Star Game.

“Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” Antetokounmpo said.

Later, with a more serious tone, Antetokounmpo said he had a reason for choosing Tatum.

“I knew he would take it serious. It was a no-brainer,” he said.

Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, which got 26 points from Damian Lillard — including the game-winner to push his team past the target score.

Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and had 14 rebounds for Team LeBron, while Kyrie Irving had 32 points and 15 assists and Joel Embiid finished with 32 points.

Brown and Tatum — Boston teammates — were reveling in a back-and-forth duel during a stretch of the second half.

“It was a normal day for us,” Tatum said. “Just millions of people watching.”

Lillard, the winner of the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday Night, made eight 3s — including a halfcourt pullup in the third quarter.

“That was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone said, clearly poking fun at the defense-optional event.

Winning coach Joe Mazzulla of Team Giannis said he had a very simple strategy.

“Stay out of the way, enjoy it, have fun, allow the guys to just be themselves,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s important, especially in this league, that guys are just able to be themselves.”

The league had a ceremony before the second half to pay tribute to the three leading scorers in NBA history: No. 3 Karl Malone, No. 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James, now the game’s career leader after he passed Abdul-Jabbar earlier this month.

Malone and Abdul-Jabbar were brought to the stage, and then Dwyane Wade — James’ former teammate in Miami and now a part-owner of the Jazz — introduced James to bring him onto the platform.

“We’ve all been witnesses,” Wade said. “No matter the challenge, no matter the noise, he was relentless.”

With the number 38,388 displayed behind him, James then raised his hand to thank the fans for their ovation, hugged Abdul-Jabbar and Malone. He didn’t return to the game, his night ending with a right hand contusion.

He finished with 13 points, and said a chasedown block in the first half led to him getting a finger caught in the rim.

“Precautionary reasons,” James said.

James played a half. The game’s other captain didn’t play a half-minute.

Antetokoumpo drafted his team before the game, went through warmups (such as they were) and started the game as planned.

But his right wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous sign. The injury kept him out of All-Star Saturday’s skills event, limited him to 20 seconds in this one. He got an uncontested dunk to open the game, then took a foul and headed to the bench.

“Whatever I have, I’m going to give,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s who I am. That’s never going to change.”

As in past years, the teams played for charity, with Team LeBron raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah and Team Giannis for Raise the Future, which connects youth waiting in foster care with stable adults. Each team started with $150,000, with the first three quarters worth another $100,000 apiece and the All-Star Game winner getting another $150,000.

The teams were tied at 46-46 in the first quarter, and Team Giannis took the second quarter 53-46. Team Giannis also won the third quarter 59-49, and the cumulative score to that point — 158-141, Team Giannis — meant 182 would be the score to reach in the untimed fourth quarter with a target-score ending.

Team Giannis won $550,000 for its charity, and Team LeBron won $200,000. And Tatum, just as he vowed he would at his first All-Star Game in 2020 — when the award was named for Bryant — won the trophy that he’s wanted for a while.

“Icing on the cake,” Tatum said.

TIP-INS

Team Giannis: Antetokounmpo’s two points kept him the all-time All-Star scoring average leader. He’s now averaging 25.1 points in All-Star Games, just ahead of Kevin Durant (25.0). Without that basket, he’d average 24.9. … Jrue Holiday took Antetokounmpo’s spot in the starting lineup for the second half.

Team LeBron: Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the two-time reigning MVP, became the first player to start an All-Star Game on his birthday; he turned 28 on Sunday. The only other player to appear in an All-Star Game on his birthday, the NBA said, was Larry Nance Sr. in 1989. … Halftime lasted 42 minutes. … Paul George started in place of James for the second half.

214 COUNTRIES

Last year’s All-Star Game was broadcast in 215 countries; this year, it was shown in 214 countries. The omission was Russia. The NBA isn’t showing its games in Russia and hasn’t for nearly a year. The league suspended its business activities with Russia in March 2022, just days after that country invaded Ukraine.

REFEREES

The officiating crew of John Goble, Mark Lindsay and Michael Smith had the game.

UP NEXT

Indianapolis will play host to the next NBA All-Star weekend, set for Feb. 16-18, 2024. The city was supposed to have the 2021 game, but it was moved to Atlanta and considerably scaled down because of the pandemic.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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February 20, 2023
Tatum scores All-Star record 55, Team Giannis wins 184-175

SALT LAKE CITY — Jayson Tatum put on a record-setting show, and made Giannis Antetokounmpo look like a genius.

Tatum scored an All-Star Game-record 55 points on his way to winning MVP honors, and Team Giannis ended LeBron James’ hold on All-Star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184-175 in the NBA’s annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night.

Tatum had 27 points in the third quarter, another All-Star Game record for any period. He was the first pick by Antetokounmpo in the starters’ portion of the All-Star draft, and in the end, that pick proved to be the right one.

And the MVP award Tatum was given is named for Kobe Bryant, one of his heroes.

“It means the world,” Tatum said. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game, and in all honesty, records are made to be broken. I’ll hold it for as long as I can, but I’m certain someone will come along in a couple years and try to break it.”

Tatum broke Anthony Davis’ All-Star record of 52 points. He was 22 of 31 from the floor, plus had 10 rebounds and six assists.

It was James’ first loss in six times as captain. Antetokounmpo improved to 1-2 in his All-Star captaincies, and became the first captain to hoist a new trophy presented to the winners of the All-Star Game.

“Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” Antetokounmpo said.

Later, with a more serious tone, Antetokounmpo said he had a reason for choosing Tatum.

“I knew he would take it serious. It was a no-brainer,” he said.

Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, which got 26 points from Damian Lillard — including the game-winner to push his team past the target score.

Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and had 14 rebounds for Team LeBron, while Kyrie Irving had 32 points and 15 assists and Joel Embiid finished with 32 points.

Brown and Tatum — Boston teammates — were reveling in a back-and-forth duel during a stretch of the second half.

“It was a normal day for us,” Tatum said. “Just millions of people watching.”

Lillard, the winner of the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday Night, made eight 3s — including a halfcourt pullup in the third quarter.

“That was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone said, clearly poking fun at the defense-optional event.

Winning coach Joe Mazzulla of Team Giannis said he had a very simple strategy.

“Stay out of the way, enjoy it, have fun, allow the guys to just be themselves,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s important, especially in this league, that guys are just able to be themselves.”

The league had a ceremony before the second half to pay tribute to the three leading scorers in NBA history: No. 3 Karl Malone, No. 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James, now the game’s career leader after he passed Abdul-Jabbar earlier this month.

Malone and Abdul-Jabbar were brought to the stage, and then Dwyane Wade — James’ former teammate in Miami and now a part-owner of the Jazz — introduced James to bring him onto the platform.

“We’ve all been witnesses,” Wade said. “No matter the challenge, no matter the noise, he was relentless.”

With the number 38,388 displayed behind him, James then raised his hand to thank the fans for their ovation, hugged Abdul-Jabbar and Malone. He didn’t return to the game, his night ending with a right hand contusion.

He finished with 13 points, and said a chasedown block in the first half led to him getting a finger caught in the rim.

“Precautionary reasons,” James said.

James played a half. The game’s other captain didn’t play a half-minute.

Antetokoumpo drafted his team before the game, went through warmups (such as they were) and started the game as planned.

But his right wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous sign. The injury kept him out of All-Star Saturday’s skills event, limited him to 20 seconds in this one. He got an uncontested dunk to open the game, then took a foul and headed to the bench.

“Whatever I have, I’m going to give,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s who I am. That’s never going to change.”

As in past years, the teams played for charity, with Team LeBron raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah and Team Giannis for Raise the Future, which connects youth waiting in foster care with stable adults. Each team started with $150,000, with the first three quarters worth another $100,000 apiece and the All-Star Game winner getting another $150,000.

The teams were tied at 46-46 in the first quarter, and Team Giannis took the second quarter 53-46. Team Giannis also won the third quarter 59-49, and the cumulative score to that point — 158-141, Team Giannis — meant 182 would be the score to reach in the untimed fourth quarter with a target-score ending.

Team Giannis won $550,000 for its charity, and Team LeBron won $200,000. And Tatum, just as he vowed he would at his first All-Star Game in 2020 — when the award was named for Bryant — won the trophy that he’s wanted for a while.

“Icing on the cake,” Tatum said.

TIP-INS

Team Giannis: Antetokounmpo’s two points kept him the all-time All-Star scoring average leader. He’s now averaging 25.1 points in All-Star Games, just ahead of Kevin Durant (25.0). Without that basket, he’d average 24.9. … Jrue Holiday took Antetokounmpo’s spot in the starting lineup for the second half.

Team LeBron: Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the two-time reigning MVP, became the first player to start an All-Star Game on his birthday; he turned 28 on Sunday. The only other player to appear in an All-Star Game on his birthday, the NBA said, was Larry Nance Sr. in 1989. … Halftime lasted 42 minutes. … Paul George started in place of James for the second half.

214 COUNTRIES

Last year’s All-Star Game was broadcast in 215 countries; this year, it was shown in 214 countries. The omission was Russia. The NBA isn’t showing its games in Russia and hasn’t for nearly a year. The league suspended its business activities with Russia in March 2022, just days after that country invaded Ukraine.

REFEREES

The officiating crew of John Goble, Mark Lindsay and Michael Smith had the game.

UP NEXT

Indianapolis will play host to the next NBA All-Star weekend, set for Feb. 16-18, 2024. The city was supposed to have the 2021 game, but it was moved to Atlanta and considerably scaled down because of the pandemic.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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February 20, 2023
Spartans pregame ceremony honors 3 killed in campus shooting

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State women’s basketball players wiped away tears as they stood shoulder to shoulder during a moment of silence before losing to No. 8 Maryland 66-61 on Saturday, less than a week after three students were killed in a shooting on campus.

“I’m really proud of us for just showing up,” said Julia Ayrault, who led the Spartans with 15 points. “It’s hard to come back and play a game that seems so small.”

Diamond Miller scored 29 points and helped the Terrapins (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) hold on for the win after leading by 16 points in the second half.

“We knew today would be extremely emotional,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “Michigan State was one possession away from taking this game from us.”

The Spartans (13-13, 5-10) rallied to have a chance at pulling off an upset, coming up short after DeeDee Hagerman missed a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left.

“They’re strong,” Miller said. “They’re resilient. They did not stop.”

Michigan State players wore white shirts with “Spartan Strong” and the school’s logo in green during warmups while coaches, support staff, administrators, cheerleaders and mascot sported the tops all afternoon.

“We all need healing and sports can do that,” said Michigan State acting coach Dean Lockwood, who has filled in for Suzy Merchant since she was in a car crash last month. “We wanted this to be a healing event for our community.”

The victims, and survivors, were honored with pregame remarks as athletic events resumed on a campus and community reeling from the tragedy. On Saturday, four of the wounded students remained in critical condition at a Lansing hospital and one was still hospitalized in stable condition.

Funerals were held earlier in the day for Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner while Arielle Anderson’s funeral is scheduled for next week. They were among eight students shot two buildings that are one-third of a mile apart on winding sidewalks on campus.

Police say Anthony McRae, a 43-year-old man with no connection to the school, went into Berkey Hall where evening classes were being held and opened fire in a classroom then walked about 5 minutes away to the MSU Student Union and fired more shots before fleeing and dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

The union, which would normally be open on a Saturday afternoon, had signs in door windows that informed visitors it was closed until further notice.

Red and yellow flowers were placed in door handles at the the northern entrance and on the other side, a slew of flower bouquets were strewn on steps on a sun-splashed, relatively warm afternoon. Near the Berkey Hall sign, flowers and candles were placed in a tree bed where Michigan State graduate Pedro Kuyenga bowed his head for a few minutes.

“I prayed for the souls of the students who departed unexpectedly and sadly,” he said. “I prayed to give the families affected comfort, and the knowledge and wisdom to the hospital staff helping the students recover.”

Streams of people also visited “The Rock,” a community gathering place that has become a makeshift memorial in the days since the attack, and the Spartan Statue, where a sea of flowers have been placed this week.

The Michigan State men’s basketball team, which like the women had a game postponed earlier in the week, traveled to play rival Michigan on the road Saturday night.

The rivalry rested during a poignant pregame in Ann Arbor, were a long moment of silence was broken by the Michigan band playing “MSU Shadows,” while Crisler Arena was dimly lit with green and white lights from LED wristbands that were given to fans.

“I thought it was a very classy move on their part,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said after losing to Michigan 84-72.

The Wolverines, and their student section, wore maize shirts with Michigan Basketball Stands with MSU across the chest.

BIG PICTURE

Maryland: Miller, the Big Ten player of the week, needs more teammates to make shots than they did Saturday to make a deep runs in the conference and NCAA Tournaments.

Michigan State: Athletic director Alan Haller said he hoped the game that drew about 3,439 fans gave the grieving community a place to gather after athletic events were cancelled earlier in the week.

UP NEXT

Maryland: Host No. 7 Iowa on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes handed the Terrapins a 96-82 loss two weeks ago.

Michigan State: Host Minnesota on Wednesday, the last home game for the Spartans

___

AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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February 18, 2023
Brittney Griner signs one-year deal with Phoenix Mercury, according to reports | CNN

CNN
—

After spending nearly 10 months imprisoned in Russia, WNBA star Brittney Griner is making her return to basketball in the upcoming season, signing a one-year deal with the Phoenix Mercury, according to ESPN and The Athletic, who cited multiple unnamed sources.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was released in December – after spending nearly 300 days in Russian custody – in a prisoner exchange with Russia.

And as soon as she was back home, she vowed to play in the WNBA again.

“It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn,” she wrote in a December post on Instagram. “I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.”

“I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season, and in doing so, I look forward to being able to say ‘thank you’ to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon,” Griner said.

Griner – who for years had played in the WNBA off-season for a Russian women’s basketball team – was arrested on drug smuggling charges at an airport in the Moscow region in February 2022. Her detention, which became an international cause during a tense time in relations between the US and Russia, was deemed wrongful by American officials.

And despite her testimony that she had inadvertently packed the cannabis oil that was found in her luggage, she was sentenced to nine years in prison in early August and was moved to a penal colony in the Mordovia republic in mid-November after losing her appeal.

The 32-year-old last played with the Mercury in 2021, helping lead the team to the WNBA Finals, which they lost to the Chicago Sky.

Before that, the seven-time All-Star had played all nine seasons with the franchise since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.

Phoenix are scheduled to open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19. The team will play their first home game against the Sky on May 21.

CNN has reached out to Griner’s representatives and the Phoenix Mercury but did not immediately hear back.

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February 18, 2023
Entrepreneur | Michael Jordan Quotes: See His Most Motivational Remarks

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Michael Jordan is widely considered to be the best basketball player of all time, and is arguably one of the best athletes in history.

He dominated the court from the mid-1980s until the late 1990s, leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and winning the title of “Most Valuable Player” five times. In 2009, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. And in 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.

RELATED: 8 Leadership Lessons From ESPN’s Documentary, ‘The Last Dance’

While it’s obvious that Jordan is a naturally gifted athlete, much of what has made him so successful is his mindset. He pushed himself through hard work and always met challenges head-on. He has given his all in everything he has ever done. With his acrobatic dives and dunks, he had nearly unmatchable skills, but his authenticity, likeability and humility were the traits that made him a cultural icon.

Jordan has a remarkable ability to inspire and motivate through his words. His strength, dedication and belief in working hard are reflected in many of the quotes attributed to him over the years. Here are the 12 of his most motivational quotes to make you really think about what it takes to be successful and keep you moving toward your goals and dreams.

On failure:

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan, Nike Culture: The Sign of the Swoosh (1998) by Robert Goldman and Stephen Papson

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” — Michael Jordan, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence (1994) by Michael Jordan, Mark Vancil and Sandro Miller

On teamwork:

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” — Michael Jordan, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence (1994) by Michael Jordan, Mark Vancil and Sandro Miller

Related: Billionaire Michael Jordan Donates Record-Breaking $10 Million to Make-A-Wish Foundation

On overcoming limits and fears:

“Never say never. Because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” — Michael Jordan, Hall of Fame induction address (2009)

On becoming who you’re meant to be:

“Look me in the eye. It’s okay if you’re scared. So am I. But we are scared for different reasons. I am scared of what I won’t become. And you are scared of what I could become. Look at me. I won’t let myself end where I started. I won’t let myself finish where I began. I know what is within me, even if you can’t see it yet. Look me in the eyes. I have something more important than courage. I have patience. I will become what I know I am.” — Michael Jordan, “Become Legendary“ commercial (2013)

On the importance of core skills:

“You can practice shooting 8 hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” — Michael Jordan, The Champion’s Comeback: How Great Athletes Recover, Reflect and Reignite (2016) by Jim Afremow

Related: This Is How You Become the Michael Jordan of What Matters to You

On never giving up:

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan

“My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said you never know what you can accomplish until you try.” — Michael Jordan, “A Humbled Jordan Learns New Truths” (1994) The New York Times

On setting goals:

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.” — Michael Jordan

“I approach everything step by step … I had always set short-term goals. As I look back, each one of the steps or successes led to the next one.” — Michael Jordan, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence (1994) by Michael Jordan, Mark Vancil and Sandro Miller

Related: The Extraordinary Power of Visualizing Success

@entrepreneur Why can’t Michael Jordan sell his house? Find out what makes this mansion a real estate agent’s dream and nightmare. Plus, see all of the unique incentives they’ve tried to help move it off the market. #EntrepreneurTok #CorporateTikTok #RealEstate #mansiontour #realtors ♬ Troubled Basketball – DJ BAI

On playing to win:

“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.” — Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan’s Unofficial Guide to Success in the NBA (2013) The Bleacher Report

On creating change in the world:

“The problems we face didn’t happen overnight and they won’t be solved tomorrow, but if we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families and our communities.” — Michael Jordan (2016) The Undefeated

Deep Patel

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February 17, 2023
Celtics remove interim tag, name Joe Mazzulla head coach

BOSTON (AP) — Joe Mazzulla has been so steady guiding the Celtics through a franchise-shaking crisis that their turbulent offseason has taken a back seat to their championship aspirations.

The team rewarded him by turning a temporary opportunity of a lifetime into a permanent one.

Boston named Mazzulla its full-time head coach on Thursday, removing the interim tag he had held since stepping in for Ime Udoka in the preseason.

Udoka initially was given a yearlong suspension before training camp for having an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization. The 34-year-old Mazzulla, previously an assistant under Udoka, will now replace his former boss, who is no longer with the team. Mazzulla is the NBA’s youngest head coach.

“Since I’ve been here I always knew where I stood,” Mazzulla said Thursday. “And even though it was an interim position … I knew I was going to get a fair shake and get an opportunity. I knew I was going to be able to do it the way that I thought to give us the best chance to be successful without any pressure because of that.”

Terms of his new deal were not released, but the team said his promotion includes a contract extension.

“I’ve always been surrounded by great people and great coaches,” Mazzulla said. “I just think I’m a byproduct of all the different environments I’ve been in.”

Mazzulla’s Celtics have the best record in the NBA (42-17) and led Milwaukee by one game in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Bucks’ game at Chicago on Thursday night. Boston won’t play again until after the All-Star break.

Mazzulla said he found out the process of making him the permanent coach was underway two days ago and that the deal was finalized after the Celtics’ 127-109 win over Detroit on Wednesday.

Mazzulla and his assistants will coach Team Giannis — the team that will be captained by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo — in the All-Star Game Sunday at Salt Lake City. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were named All-Stars.

“One of the things that’s pretty obvious and evident about Joe is he’s a really good coach and he also is just an outstanding leader,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said. “I think he’s done a great job right from the get-go of galvanizing the locker room around a mission.”

Stevens said he decided to elevate Mazzulla now because of the job he’s done and because he didn’t want the coach and his staff to enter the second half of the season under “a cloud of uncertainty.”

“They’ve certainly have earned that,” Stevens said.

He declined to elaborate on why he made the move now instead of waiting until the season ended.

“We said in our original statement long ago that decision would be made at a later date. We wanted to make sure we were thorough, we were really focused on our team from that day on,” Stevens said. “I thought the players leadership, the staff’s leadership and Joe’s leadership have all stood out during that time.”

Mazzulla, who is from Johnston, Rhode Island, was recognized as the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November after leading the team to a league-best 18-4 record (.818).

He said being on top of the East is something he would take the time to appreciate over the All-Star break — while also thinking about how the Celtics can maintain their strong play in the second half.

“It’s there, you can’t run away, you can’t ignore it,” Mazzulla said. “I do think there is a comfort level knowing that. But that was kind of my message to the guys. That at the same time you can’t be too comfortable because when we get back, it picks right up.”

Udoka, a longtime assistant, led Boston to a 51-31 record last season, his first as a head coach — going 26-6 in the final 32 games. The Celtics then beat Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami on the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

Before training camp, the Celtics banned Udoka for a full season over what two people with knowledge of the matter said was an improper relationship with a member of the organization. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal that detail publicly.

Despite those circumstances, Boston looks fully capable of winning a title.

“All things considered, everything that we’ve went through this season as a team with coaching changes and guys getting injured, missing games and being in and out of the lineup. … Overall, it’s been a hell of a start,” Tatum said after the win over Detroit.

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February 17, 2023
Giannis sets assists mark, hurts wrist; Bucks beat Bulls

CHICAGO (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed on the ground, grimacing in pain before heading to the locker room. A sprained wrist in the early going ended his night.

Not before he set yet another franchise record.

Antetokounmpo became Milwaukee’s career assists leader before getting injured, and the Bucks won their 12th straight, beating the Chicago Bulls 112-100 on Thursday night.

Brook Lopez scored a season-high 33 points. Jevon Carter had 22 against his hometown team, and Jrue Holiday added 15 points and nine assists.

The Bucks were never seriously threatened. But Antetokounmpo’s injury early in the second quarter cast a bit of a cloud over a team that otherwise has so much going for it heading into the All-Star break.

Coach Mike Budenholzer said initial reports were “hopeful” and the X-ray was “clean.”

“We’ll just see how he feels tomorrow, see how he feels the next few days and continue to evaluate it,” Budenholzer said.

He had “no idea” if Antetokounmpo would travel to Salt Lake City for the All-Star Game.

The two-time MVP was hurt trying to block a finger roll attempt by Chicago’s Coby White after the guard drove past him. He jammed his wrist when he reached out — perhaps to soften the blow — as he crashed into the padded stanchion. He continued to flex his hand and got subbed out a few seconds later before heading to the locker room.

“He’s a guy that’s attacking the basket all the time,” Budenholzer said. “He’s fearless. He takes a lot of falls so you kind of learn to just expect him to always just bounce back up, and that’s what we’re hoping for from this one.”

Antetokounmpo finished with a season-low two points and three assists, giving him 3,274 over 10 seasons to break Paul Pressey’s record of 3,272 from 1982 to 1990. He also had seven rebounds.

SETTING THE RECORD

Antetokounmpo matched the assists mark when he fed Lopez for a 3-pointer two minutes into the game and broke it when he passed to Carter for another 3 that bumped Milwaukee’s lead to 19-10 in the first quarter. He also is the Bucks’ career leader in blocks, triple-doubles, free throws made, free throws attempted and minutes.

“It’s greatness, right?” Holiday said. “Especially to do it with one franchise, to be here through the ups and the downs, to see where he started and where he is now. I’m so happy for him.”

Lopez made three 3-pointers. Carter hit four from beyond the arc, and the Bucks beat Chicago for the first time in three games this season.

SLIDE CONTINUES

The Bulls lost their sixth in a row, their worst skid since dropping six straight in the 2020-21 season. They also fell seven games under .500 at 26-33, not what they envisioned after making the playoffs a year ago.

Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 16 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 18, and Patrick Williams had 16 points.

“We’re not just throwing in the towel,” LaVine said. “I don’t think we have the type of team or personnel to do that. Losing hurts.”

SIDELINED STARS

Both teams were missing stars, with Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton managing a sore right knee that has kept him out for a big portion of the season and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan sidelined for the second time in as many nights because of a strained right quadriceps.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Though Middleton’s absence was not expected, coach Mike Budenholzer said the three-time All-Star did not experience a setback against Boston on Tuesday. Middleton had 16 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes against the Celtics. “I think we’re overall not concerned, but we’ll see how he does over the break and just continue to work with him and make sure he’s in a good place when he plays,” Budenholzer said.

Bulls: The Bulls said DeRozan is expected to play in the All-Star Game on Sunday. … G Ayo Dosunmu was selected to replace injured Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green on fellow former Illinois star Deron Williams’ team in Friday’s Rising Stars game. The Chicago product played in the game as a rookie last year and was averaging 9.6 points and 2.9 assists in his second season after being drafted in the second round. Dosunmu called it a “blessing” to be selected again and said Williams was “a big mentor” for him in the draft process.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Host Miami on Feb. 24.

Bulls: Host Brooklyn on Feb. 24.

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February 17, 2023
Durant cheered by fans, says Suns have ‘all the pieces’

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant watched the Phoenix Suns from afar over the past few years, admiring the budding nucleus of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.

Now he’s thrilled to be a part of it.

“We’ve got all the pieces to be successful,” Durant said.

The 13-time All-Star was introduced Thursday on the floor at Footprint Arena in front of about 3,000 fans, who showed up in the middle of the afternoon just to hear the veteran forward answer a few questions.

Many were already wearing his No. 35 jersey, which has been a hot seller at the downtown fan store since GM James Jones pulled the blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets just before last week’s trade deadline.

Nearly every time Durant tried to speak on Thursday, he was interrupted by cheers from fans overjoyed by the biggest superstar arrival in Phoenix since the Suns traded for Charles Barkley in 1992.

The two-time Finals MVP soaked in the applause, but said he didn’t deserve it.

“I appreciate your warm welcome, but we’ve got work to do,” Durant said.

He later added: “I feel like I’ve still got to prove myself. I want to put good stuff on film every day. That’s the only thing I’m concerned with at this point in my life, is putting good stuff on film every night. I’m looking forward to doing that for Suns fans and hopefully they accept me after that.”

The 34-year-old Durant is still playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season. He initially asked for a trade last summer and the Suns were interested before Durant patched things up with Brooklyn. They finally got him, less than 24 hours before the trade deadline.

The Suns paid a hefty price, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, and other draft compensation to the Nets. Bridges was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year while Johnson has evolved into a versatile scorer.

Bridges, Johnson and Crowder were all instrumental in the team’s run to the Finals two years ago, where it lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

Durant is recovering from a sprained knee ligament, and when he returns he will join a Phoenix lineup that suddenly could be one of the best in the Western Conference. He said he hopes to be back soon after the All-Star break.

He became choked up talking about his time in Brooklyn, where he signed after rupturing his Achilles tendon playing for Golden State in the 2019 NBA Finals. A potential championship contender was broken up when first Kyrie Irving and then Durant asked for trades and then were dealt before the deadline.

“Everybody who was in that gym, we grinded, so I love those guys,” Durant said. “I get emotional talking about them, because that was a special four years of my career, coming off an Achilles, and they helped me through a lot.

“So yeah, it was terrible how some stuff went down, but at the end of the day I loved the grind and we all loved the grind there in Brooklyn and I wish them the best going forward. They’ve got a bright future.”

Durant and Booker played together on the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

“I think I’ve built my game around being efficient, taking good shots, making good plays on both ends of the floor,” Durant said. “I think my defense feeds my offense. I like to take shots in the mid-range, I like to cut to the basket, I like to do the little things throughout the offense and I think that’s what makes you a versatile player and adapt to any offense.”

The Suns were on the upswing even before Durant’s arrival. They struggled with injuries for most of the first half of the year, but have won 11 of their last 14 games and entered Thursday fourth in the West at 32-27 — one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, their opponent Thursday night.

Booker (groin) and Paul (hip) have both recently returned.

Now the Suns are adding one of the game’s most gifted scorers.

Phoenix has never won an NBA championship, losing in the finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021.

“That’s why we play the game of basketball,” Durant said. “We understand that. But I’m more concerned about what we do every day as a team, what you guys don’t see. I think that’s what really brings championships.”

___

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February 17, 2023
New Mexico State fires coach in wake of hazing allegations

New Mexico State fired basketball coach Greg Heiar on Tuesday in the wake of hazing allegations within the team that shut down the program for the rest of the season.

Chancellor Dan Arvizu announced the firing of the first-year coach and said “hazing has no place on our campus, and those found responsible will be held accountable for their actions.”

The chancellor said decisions about the rest of the coaching staff will be made after further investigation.

Arvizu shut down the program for the season on Sunday, after reviewing a campus police report in which an Aggies player said three teammates ganged up on him and attacked him. The report, which redacted the names of the players, included allegations of false imprisonment, harassment and criminal sexual contact.

The 47-year-old Heiar spent time earlier in his career as an assistant for former Aggies coach Chris Jans, who left after last season to coach Mississippi State. Last season, Heiar was at Northwest Florida State, where he helped the Raiders win the junior college national title.

He brought two highly ranked players with him from the juco ranks, Issa Muhammad and Deshawndre Washington (another player, Marchelus Avery, had moved over from Northwest Florida the season before), but the Aggies were riddled with problems almost from the start of their season.

It started unraveling when some basketball players were involved in a fight with New Mexico students at an Aggies football game in October.

A month later, the night before New Mexico State basketball was scheduled to play at New Mexico in Albuquerque, forward Mike Peake went to the apartment complex of one of the students involved in the fight. Security cameras at the apartment complex shows the student pulling a gun, then Peake brandishing own gun and shooting the student, inflicting fatal wounds. Peake was taken to the hospital with leg wounds.

Peake has been suspended from the team but not charged with a crime while authorities in Albuquerque investigate. New Mexico State has hired an independent investigator to look into the circumstances surrounding the killing.

The hazing allegations came less than three months after the shooting in Albuquerque. The police report says the hazing victim described teammates removing “his clothing exposing his buttocks and began to slap his (buttocks). He also went on to state that they also touched his scrotum.”

The Aggies were 9-15 when the season was first put on hold before a scheduled game last Saturday at California Baptist.

The Western Athletic Conference is counting New Mexico State’s final six games as forfeits. The team is supposed to move into the bigger, more high-profile Conference USA next season — a move that seemed like a good fit for a program that has a long tradition of strong basketball teams. New Mexico State has made 26 trips to the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16 five times.

But there have also been problems checkered throughout the history of a program that has long depended on juco transfers and players looking for second chances. An academic scandal in the 1990s brought about the quick end to the otherwise successful tenure of coach Neil McCarthy. It led to relative stability during the second of two long tenures in Las Cruces by coaching stalwart Lou Henson.

Most of Henson’s successors, including Marvin Menzies, Reggie Theus and Jans, enjoyed success before leaving for bigger opportunities.

There has been similar turnover in the administration. Just over the past 14 months, the university provost and president have resigned or been removed from their positions. And Arivzu, the chancellor, is on his way out in June after the regents declined to renew his contract. He said the school will investigate the hazing allegations.

“We will work to ensure we fully understand what happened here, and that those found responsible are held accountable,” he said. “We will also ensure that support systems are in place to prevent this from happening again.”

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February 14, 2023
New Mexico State fires coach in wake of hazing allegations

New Mexico State fired basketball coach Greg Heiar on Tuesday in the wake of hazing allegations within the team that shut down the program for the rest of the season.

Chancellor Dan Arvizu announced the firing of the first-year coach and said “hazing has no place on our campus, and those found responsible will be held accountable for their actions.”

The chancellor said decisions about the rest of the coaching staff will be made after further investigation.

Arvizu shut down the program for the season on Sunday, after reviewing a campus police report in which an Aggies player said three teammates ganged up on him and attacked him. The report, which redacted the names of the players, included allegations of false imprisonment, harassment and criminal sexual contact.

The 47-year-old Heiar spent time earlier in his career as an assistant for former Aggies coach Chris Jans, who left after last season to coach Mississippi State. Last season, Heiar was at Northwest Florida State, where he helped the Raiders win the junior college national title.

He brought two highly ranked players with him from the juco ranks, Issa Muhammad and Deshawndre Washington (another player, Marchelus Avery, had moved over from Northwest Florida the season before), but the Aggies were riddled with problems almost from the start of their season.

It started unraveling when some basketball players were involved in a fight with New Mexico students at an Aggies football game in October.

A month later, the night before New Mexico State basketball was scheduled to play at New Mexico in Albuquerque, forward Mike Peake went to the apartment complex of one of the students involved in the fight. Security cameras at the apartment complex shows the student pulling a gun, then Peake brandishing own gun and shooting the student, inflicting fatal wounds. Peake was taken to the hospital with leg wounds.

Peake has been suspended from the team but not charged with a crime while authorities in Albuquerque investigate. New Mexico State has hired an independent investigator to look into the circumstances surrounding the killing.

The hazing allegations came less than three months after the shooting in Albuquerque. The police report says the hazing victim described teammates removing “his clothing exposing his buttocks and began to slap his (buttocks). He also went on to state that they also touched his scrotum.”

The Aggies were 9-15 when the season was first put on hold before a scheduled game last Saturday at California Baptist.

The Western Athletic Conference is counting New Mexico State’s final six games as forfeits. The team is supposed to move into the bigger, more high-profile Conference USA next season — a move that seemed like a good fit for a program that has a long tradition of strong basketball teams. New Mexico State has made 26 trips to the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16 five times.

But there have also been problems checkered throughout the history of a program that has long depended on juco transfers and players looking for second chances. An academic scandal in the 1990s brought about the quick end to the otherwise successful tenure of coach Neil McCarthy. It led to relative stability during the second of two long tenures in Las Cruces by coaching stalwart Lou Henson.

Most of Henson’s successors, including Marvin Menzies, Reggie Theus and Jans, enjoyed success before leaving for bigger opportunities.

There has been similar turnover in the administration. Just over the past 14 months, the university provost and president have resigned or been removed from their positions. And Arivzu, the chancellor, is on his way out in June after the regents declined to renew his contract. He said the school will investigate the hazing allegations.

“We will work to ensure we fully understand what happened here, and that those found responsible are held accountable,” he said. “We will also ensure that support systems are in place to prevent this from happening again.”

___

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February 14, 2023
New Mexico State players interviewed about alleged hazing

The chancellor at New Mexico State says players on the basketball team were interviewed by school personnel Saturday about an alleged hazing incident that led to the program’s suspension.

In a letter to the school community, chancellor Dan Arvizu said he was “heartbroken and sickened to hear about these hazing allegations.”

“Hazing is a despicable act,” he wrote. “It humiliates and degrades someone and has the potential to cause physical and emotional harm, or even death. Sadly, hazing can become part of an organization’s culture, if left unchecked.”

He said the team, which arrived back in Las Cruces after its game at California Baptist was canceled, would remain under suspension until further notice.

The letter came out a few hours after the school announced it would hold a closed meeting Tuesday night to “discuss limited personnel matters concerning individual employees.” It did not name the employees who were to be discussed.

In announcing the virtually unheard-of midseason suspension of a Division I basketball program, the university put coach Greg Heiar and his staff on administrative leave pending an investigation into an alleged violation of university policy.

“NMSU policy strictly prohibits hazing, in all forms, and it’s something we simply will not tolerate,” Arvizu wrote in the letter.

A few hours before the letter came out, two Aggies, Shahar Lazar and Kent Olewiler, announced on social media that they were leaving the team.

Neither player had played this season. This was shaping up as a redshirt year for Lazar, a freshman who came to Las Cruces from Israel. Olewiler also took a roundabout path to Las Cruces; he was a preferred walk-on who was not listed on the Aggies official roster

Lazar said he was leaving because, “I don’t think the program that I originally committed to aligns with my beliefs and core values.”

Olewiler said, simply, “my recruitment is 100% open.”

The hazing allegations come nearly three months after the Nov. 19 fatal shooting in Albuquerque of Brandon Travis, a 19-year-old student from rival school, University of New Mexico. Aggies forward Mike Peake was suspended early in December while an outside investigator looked into his involvement in Travis’ killing. In the moments before the shooting, Peake suffered a leg injury and was later taken to the hospital by three of his teammates.

Peake has not been charged in the case, which is also under investigation by the district attorney in Albuquerque.

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Associated Press reporter Jacques Billeaud contributed to this report.

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February 12, 2023
New Mexico State players interviewed about alleged hazing

The chancellor at New Mexico State says players on the basketball team were interviewed by school personnel Saturday about an alleged hazing incident that led to the program’s suspension.

In a letter to the school community, chancellor Dan Arvizu said he was “heartbroken and sickened to hear about these hazing allegations.”

“Hazing is a despicable act,” he wrote. “It humiliates and degrades someone and has the potential to cause physical and emotional harm, or even death. Sadly, hazing can become part of an organization’s culture, if left unchecked.”

He said the team, which arrived back in Las Cruces after its game at California Baptist was canceled, would remain under suspension until further notice.

The letter came out a few hours after the school announced it would hold a closed meeting Tuesday night to “discuss limited personnel matters concerning individual employees.” It did not name the employees who were to be discussed.

In announcing the virtually unheard-of midseason suspension of a Division I basketball program, the university put coach Greg Heiar and his staff on administrative leave pending an investigation into an alleged violation of university policy.

“NMSU policy strictly prohibits hazing, in all forms, and it’s something we simply will not tolerate,” Arvizu wrote in the letter.

A few hours before the letter came out, two Aggies, Shahar Lazar and Kent Olewiler, announced on social media that they were leaving the team.

Neither player had played this season. This was shaping up as a redshirt year for Lazar, a freshman who came to Las Cruces from Israel. Olewiler also took a roundabout path to Las Cruces; he was a preferred walk-on who was not listed on the Aggies official roster

Lazar said he was leaving because, “I don’t think the program that I originally committed to aligns with my beliefs and core values.”

Olewiler said, simply, “my recruitment is 100% open.”

The hazing allegations come nearly three months after the Nov. 19 fatal shooting in Albuquerque of Brandon Travis, a 19-year-old student from rival school, University of New Mexico. Aggies forward Mike Peake was suspended early in December while an outside investigator looked into his involvement in Travis’ killing. In the moments before the shooting, Peake suffered a leg injury and was later taken to the hospital by three of his teammates.

Peake has not been charged in the case, which is also under investigation by the district attorney in Albuquerque.

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Associated Press reporter Jacques Billeaud contributed to this report.

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February 12, 2023
Auburn student wins car in a long-putt contest at Bama game

AUBURN, Ala. — In a game where Auburn struggled with its 3-point accuracy, the best long shot of the afternoon by far belonged to a student in the stands.

During a timeout in the second half of the game against No. 3 Alabama on Saturday, sophomore Craig Noyes made a full-court, 94-foot putt to win a new car.

Not bad for someone who said he’s not a golfer.

“Honestly, my main goal was just not to whiff or shank it into the bench,” Noyes told The Associated Press.

“It was so loud when I stepped up to the ball. Once I hit it, I completely zoned out. I couldn’t hear anyone,” he said. “It wasn’t until the announcer put a hand on my shoulder and said I’d won a car that I believed it.”

The sold-out crowd at Neville Arena erupted when he became the first person to win the contest since 2014. Noyes, who writes for the student-run paper The Auburn Plainsman, high-fived fans in celebration.

Noyes went baseline-to-baseline with his winning putt, rolling the ball through a small hole in a poster at the opposite end to win a car in the contest sponsored by a local Toyota dealership.

The 20-year-old Noyes, from Kensington, Maryland, said he and some friends camped outside the arena for about 24 hours to get prime seats for the game against the in-state rival Crimson Tide. Around halftime, he was randomly picked as the day’s contestant to shoot during an under-12 TV timeout.

“I was in the tunnel for about 15 minutes, swinging the club and trying to stay loose and relaxed,” he said. “I was so nervous.”

Noyes instantly heard from a lot of people after the winning shot, saying his phone ran out of juice on the way back to his campus house.

Auburn players, meanwhile, weren’t nearly as successful from long distance. The Tigers made just 7 of 24 shots from 3-point range in a 77-69 loss to Alabama.

Noyes, by the way, said he didn’t own a car. But thanks to a lucky putter, he’ll soon be a driver.

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February 11, 2023
Paging Russell Westbrook: Paul George says come to Clippers

LOS ANGELES — If Paul George has his way, Russell Westbrook would end up as the point guard the Los Angeles Clippers didn’t get at the trade deadline.

The Los Angeles Lakers sent Westbrook to Utah as part of a three-way deal earlier this week. There’s been talk the Jazz would buy out his contract, but it’s also possible he could stay with them for the rest of the season.

George wouldn’t mind seeing him in a Clippers jersey.

“I’ve talked to him just to kind of see where his head is and to see if there is anything I can do,” George said Friday night after the Clippers lost to Milwaukee with Kawhi Leonard on the bench.

George and Westbrook were former running mates in Oklahoma City, and George believes the nine-time All-Star still has plenty left at age 34 despite his rocky tenure with the Lakers.

“I’m a big believer and a fan of what Russ’ work is, having one of my best seasons in my career alongside of him. I’ve seen what he can do night in and night out,” George said. “I really think he can improve the team. He’s such a big talent. He rebounds, he finds guys, he makes the game easy for everyone. I think he will come in, he will mesh and he’ll figure out how we play and he’ll adjust to it.”

George said the Clippers can still make a postseason run without a point guard, but having Westbrook in the traditional role of starting the offense would make things easier. John Wall didn’t work out and the team sent him back to Houston this week.

“We have enough shooting to surround Russ where Russ can be Russ. I think the floor would be open for him, spacing would be there for him,” George said. “I know that’s my game, spacing the floor, being a shooter on the perimeter and then just running with him in transition. I think that’s where we can complement him.”

Westbrook, the 2017 NBA MVP, never meshed with LeBron James and oft-injured Anthony Davis on the Lakers. He averaged 17.4 points, 7.2 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 turnovers during his 130-game tenure. Westbrook, who played at UCLA, was frequently mentioned in trade talk.

“If it makes sense and obviously it goes with our team, we’re all for it,” George said. “Hopefully, Russell sees this and we figure something out.”

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February 11, 2023
New Mexico St. suspends operations of men’s basketball team

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — New Mexico State has suspended operations of its men’s basketball program and placed its coaching staff on paid administrative leave due to allegations unrelated to a fatal shooting last year.

The school said in a statement Friday night the new allegations involved potential violations of university policy and were separate from the Nov. 19 shooting of a student from a rival school. Aggies power forward Mike Peake was suspended in early December while a third-party investigator looks into his possible involvement in the shooting.

New Mexico State’s game against California Baptist on Saturday was canceled.

The New Mexico State University Board of Regent issued a statement in support of the decision for the program to suspend operations.

Peake, 21, has not been charged in the pre-dawn shooting on the University of New Mexico’s campus in Albuquerque hours before the host Lobos were to play the Aggies. That game was canceled, along with the Dec. 3 rematch in Las Cruces.

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February 10, 2023
Bucks win 9th straight, hold off LeBron-less Lakers 115-106

LOS ANGELES — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points and 10 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied in the second half for their ninth consecutive victory, 115-106 over the Los Angeles Lakers without LeBron James on Thursday night.

James sat out to rest his sore left ankle and foot two nights after he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s career scoring leader. The Bucks still fell behind by 11 in a tepid first half and never pulled away from an opponent with only nine players in uniform, but Antetokounmpo racked up 23 points in the second half.

Khris Middleton scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 for the Bucks, who matched their longest winning streak since their 9-0 start to this season. Milwaukee is primed for the stretch run to the postseason after adding veteran Jae Crowder to its talented core at the trade deadline.

“Our offense has been better for this stretch,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Tonight we did not shoot it well, but I think generally speaking, we’ve been shooting the ball better. I think it’s been our unselfishness, the way the ball has moved, the pop that we’re playing with. Getting Khris healthy makes a big difference, so it’s a little bit of everything. It’s hard to keep a stretch like this going, but we want to keep pushing.”

Dennis Schröder had 25 points and 12 assists in a standout performance at point guard for the Lakers, who had only four reserves after their flurry of trades in the past two days.

Los Angeles shipped out Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones while adding D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba and Davon Reed.

Russell, Vanderbilt and Beasley sat on the Lakers’ bench to watch this game with their new teammates.

“We’ve just got to put everything together,” said Anthony Davis, who had 23 points and 16 rebounds while battling foul trouble. “Obviously we know what we have on paper. We’ve got to put it to the floor. We’re behind the 8-ball, so we’ve got to do it with some urgency. These guys coming in are ready to get going.”

The Lakers are 25-31 after their third straight loss, and they’re in desperate need of a winning surge if they hope to avoid missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

James missed his 12th game of the season with an injury that has required constant maintenance. The Lakers honored his achievement with a pregame ceremony in which he thanked his fans and his family while describing the week as “surreal.”

Despite using their 28th starting lineup in 56 games this season, the short-handed Lakers improbably took a 58-50 halftime lead while Milwaukee missed 23 of its 28 3-point attempts.

THE REAL STORY

Davis ended a surge of internet speculation about why he was curiously sitting on the Lakers’ bench instead of watching the moment James broke the scoring record Tuesday: He didn’t realize LeBron was about to make history.

“We were losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that we needed, and I was (ticked) off that we were losing,” Davis said. “It’s very simple. It’s nothing had to do with Bron. He knows that.”

TIP-INS

Bucks: Crowder is unlikely to join the team before it returns home to Milwaukee, Budenholzer said. The Bucks gave up George Hill, Serge Ibaka, Jordan Nwora and three future second-round picks to get the defense-minded, playoff-tested Crowder, who played at Marquette. “I just feel like Jae is a winner,” Budenholzer said. “His toughness, his defense, what he brings on that end of the court is special.”

Lakers: Coach Darvin Ham said James had “imaging” done on his foot, but it didn’t show “anything extensive, just normal wear and tear.” … Ham is hoping all five newcomers are available for their next game Saturday. “All those guys bring unique skill sets that we need,” Ham said.

UP NEXT

Bucks: At LA Clippers on Friday.

Lakers: At Golden State on Saturday.

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February 9, 2023
Reports: Suns get All-Star Kevin Durant in trade with Nets

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns pulled a midnight blockbuster on Wednesday, acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports.

The outlets, citing unnamed sources, said the Suns added Durant to a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton.

Phoenix sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets.

The Suns also receive forward T.J. Warren in the deal.

The 34-year-old Durant is still playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season. Durant and the Suns were linked to trade rumors over the past summer, but nothing materialized until Wednesday.

The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix. The self-described basketball nut, who was a walk-on at Michigan State under Tom Izzo, didn’t waste any time shaking up the NBA.

Phoenix has never won an NBA championship. The Suns made the Finals two seasons ago, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. They also played in the Finals in 1976 and 1993.

The quartet of Durant, Paul, Booker and Ayton appears to immediately turn the franchise into title contenders again.

The Suns have had several injuries this season, but played better in recent weeks. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Booker (groin) and Paul (hip) have both recently returned.

Durant is currently recovering from a ligament strain in his right knee, but is expected to return soon.

When former Nets teammate Kyrie Irving heard the news, he said: “I’m just glad that he got out of there.”

The Nets recently traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, where he’ll pair with Luka Doncic as another top team in the Western Conference. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday.

“We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. “There was still a level of uncertainty but we just cared about seeing each other be places that we can thrive. Whether that be together or whether that be apart, there has never been one moment where I’ve felt like he’s been angry at me for the decisions I’ve made or I’ve been angry at him.

“I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference.”

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AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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February 9, 2023
Reports: Suns get All-Star Kevin Durant in trade with Nets

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns pulled a midnight blockbuster on Wednesday, acquiring 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports.

The outlets, citing unnamed sources, said the Suns added Durant to a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton.

Phoenix sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets.

The Suns also receive forward T.J. Warren in the deal.

The 34-year-old Durant is still playing at an elite level, averaging nearly 30 points per game this season. Durant and the Suns were linked to trade rumors over the past summer, but nothing materialized until Wednesday.

The trade comes just hours after new Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia was introduced in Phoenix. The self-described basketball nut, who was a walk-on at Michigan State under Tom Izzo, didn’t waste any time shaking up the NBA.

Phoenix has never won an NBA championship. The Suns made the Finals two seasons ago, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. They also played in the Finals in 1976 and 1993.

The quartet of Durant, Paul, Booker and Ayton appears to immediately turn the franchise into title contenders again.

The Suns have had several injuries this season, but played better in recent weeks. They jumped to fifth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Booker (groin) and Paul (hip) have both recently returned.

Durant is currently recovering from a ligament strain in his right knee, but is expected to return soon.

When former Nets teammate Kyrie Irving heard the news, he said: “I’m just glad that he got out of there.”

The Nets recently traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, where he’ll pair with Luka Doncic as another top team in the Western Conference. Irving scored 24 points in his Mavs debut against the Clippers on Wednesday.

“We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like,” Irving said. “There was still a level of uncertainty but we just cared about seeing each other be places that we can thrive. Whether that be together or whether that be apart, there has never been one moment where I’ve felt like he’s been angry at me for the decisions I’ve made or I’ve been angry at him.

“I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference.”

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AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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February 9, 2023