Westphal, Fitch, 'T-Spoon' among Hall inductees - ESPN

1:06 PM ET

Paul Westphal, Teresa Weatherspoon, Sidney Moncrief, Vlade Divac, Jack Sikma and Bill Fitch were among the 12 inductees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, it was announced Saturday.

Al Attles, Carl Braun, Chuck Cooper, Bobby Jones, the 1957-59 Tennessee A&I team and the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens were also inducted into the Class of 2019 during the announcement made at the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis.

Westphal was a five-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA first team in three seasons. He won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 1974 before helping the Phoenix Suns reach the NBA Finals in 1976. As a coach, he went 318-279 with a trip to the NBA Finals and two conference semifinals with the Suns.

Weatherspoon is a five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time league defensive player of the year who won an NCAA title with Louisiana Tech in 1988. The two-time All-America selection also won a gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

After her playing career, in which she was the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 assists, she became head coach of her alma mater from 2009-14, compiling a 99-71 record while guiding the Lady Techsters to two NCAA tournament appearances.

One of the finest defensive guards in NBA history, Moncrief played 10 of his 11 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he was a five-time All-Star and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He was a four-time second-team All-NBA player and a first-team All-NBA selection in 1982-83 before chronic knee problems shortened his career.

Divac, who was selected via the International Committee, is currently the general manager of the Sacramento Kings. He had a storied FIBA career in addition to playing 16 seasons in the NBA. He is one of seven NBA players with 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.

Sikma, a three-time All-America selection at Illinois Wesleyan, helped guide the Seattle SuperSonics to their first NBA Finals during his rookie season in 1977-78. The seven-time All-Star fared even better in second season as the Sonics won their first NBA title. He is the only center in NBA history to have led the league in free-throw percentage (.922).

Cooper, the first African-American drafted in NBA history, was selected by the special direct-elect Early African-American Pioneers Committee. He averaged 6.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while playing for the Celtics, Milwaukee Hawks, St. Louis Hawks and Fort Wayne Pistons from 1950 to 1956.

Cooper, who died in 1984 at the age of 57, also played a season for the Harlem Globetrotters-like Harlem Magicians in 1956 before leaving basketball for good.

The 82-year-old Attles, the Golden State Warriors patriarch and a former coach and guard, was chosen as a contributor. He has been dealing with health issues this NBA season and recently left the hospital and returned home to his Oakland residence.

Jones, a forward, was NBA All-Defensive first team eight times with the Philadelphia 76ers and twice was ABA All-Defensive first team. In 941 games between the NBA and ABA, he averaged 20.2 points, 10 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He was a member of Philadelphia's championship team in 1983.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated contributed to this report.

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2019-04-06 17:13:02Z
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Michigan State vs. Texas Tech in Final Four: Everything you need to know - Detroit Free Press

Chris Thomas Detroit Free Press

Published 10:59 AM EDT Apr 6, 2019

Michigan State basketball plays Texas Tech in the Final Four on Saturday in Minneapolis. 

But you already knew that, didn't you?

That's OK. Because the Freep has you covered for anything you don't know, thanks to a week's worth of coverage from our team of columnists and writers in Minnesota. 

[ Big Ten fanatics! Sign up for our free Best of the Big Ten newsletter. Subscribe here! ]

Here's everything you need to know about tonight's NCAA tournament national semifinal, from Tom Izzo's pursuit of his second national title and Kirk Cousins' planned cameo to an epic Spartan gender reveal and, of course, all our predictions for the game: 

Izzo's pursuit of No. 2

Everything you need to know about Izzo's bid for championship No. 2: 

[ Mitch Albom: Tom Izzo and the pursuit of the two NCAA championship fraternity ]

[ Shawn Windsor: Izzo doesn't just think MSU can win the NCAA title. Here's why he knows it ]

[ Why is title No. 2 so important? Izzo needs it to validate his legacy ]

[ Relive all of MSU's Final Four runs (Izzo has eight of 'em) ]

Our favorite moments ...

Our feel-good and just plain fun reads from the Final Four: 

[ Jeff Seidel: MSU freshman Gabe Brown carries father's spirit with him this season ]

[ It's a boy! Izzo helps MSU fans with gender reveal. See the video! ]

[ This MSU hype video will get you jacked! 

[ This MSU video is going viral. So the Lansing State Journal analyzed every dance move ]

Scouting Texas Tech

[ Historically good defense powered Texas Tech's Final Four run ]

[ Texas Tech coach gave up beer and candy during march to Final Four. But not Pop-Tarts ]

[ Texas Tech comfortable, confident as Michigan State awaits ]

[ Here's what MSU can learn from Michigan's loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 ]

[ Aaron Henry's next challenge? Stopping Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver ]

Scouting Michigan State

[ Jeff Seidel: Cassius Winston was made in Detroit. It takes only 23 seconds to explain why he's so great ]

[ Shawn Windsor: Meet the 'grumpy old men' who made MSU a national powerhouse ]

[ Graham Couch: MSU's Final Four run driven by avoiding the wrong injuries ]

[ Making the case for Michigan State to win the national title ]

[ Why Nick Ward feels blessed just to be playing in Final Four ]

Predictions

[ Michigan State vs. Texas Tech in Final Four: Predictions, who has the edge ]

[ Our writers predicted the game: See their explanations here ]

[ Virginia vs. Auburn in Final Four: Prediction, who has the edge ]

[ Five bold predictions for the Final Four ]

Chris Thomas is the sports editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at cdthomas@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @bychristhomas.

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2019-04-06 14:50:00Z
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Michael Avenatti says Nike bribed Zion Williamson - 247Sports

Michael Avenatti, the celebrity attorney arrested in March for allegedly attempting to extort Nike for $20 million, has tossed Duke freshman Zion Williamson under the bus in a social media firestorm posted on Twitter.

Avenatti tweeted on Friday that Nike executive Carlton DeBose, bribed Williamson and over 100 other high school basketball athletes over the past four years to play for Swoosh-sponsored programs. Avenatti attests that Williamson's mother, Sharonda Sampson, received money from Nike during her son's recruitment to attend Duke.

Avenatti has stuck to the same story since he and another attorney threatened to release damaging information about Nike if it did not meet his demands after his arrest in March.

According to CBS News, "two of the Nike attorneys held a phone call with Avenatti that was recorded by law enforcement. Avenatti allegedly reiterated his demands for payment for him and his client.

"I'm not f---ing around with this, and I'm not continuing to play games," Avenatti was recorded as saying. "You guys know enough now to know you've got a serious problem. And it's worth more in exposure to me to just blow the lid on this thing. A few million dollars doesn't move the needle for me. I'm just being really frank with you." "I'll go and I'll go take $10 billion off your client's market cap. But I'm not f***ing around," he said.

Preliminary hearings for Avenatti vs. Nike are set to begin in New York on April 25.

Here's the string of tweets from Avenatti, who promises more will come to light in the coming days:

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2019-04-06 14:49:03Z
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Michael Avenatti Suggests Zion Williamson’s Mother Might Have Been Bribed So That He’d Play At Duke - The Daily Caller

9:48 AM 04/06/2019 | Sports

David Hookstead | Reporter

Michael Avenatti suggested late Friday night that Zion Williamson’s mother might have been bribed for her son to play at Duke.

Stormy Daniels’ former lawyer, who is being charged for allegedly extorting Nike, tweeted that Coach K should ask if Williamson’s mother Sharonda Sampson was paid fake consulting fees in 2016 and 2017 as bribes. (RELATED: The March Madness Bracket Has Been Released)

.@DukeMBB – About this denial by Coach K the other day relating to payments by Nike…Can you please ask Zion Williamson’s mother – Sharonda Sampson – whether she was paid by @nike for bogus “consulting services” in 2016/17 as part of a Nike bribe to get Zion to go to Duke? Thx.

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 6, 2019

I almost forgot – long day – @DukeMBB can you also have your close friends at @Nike check their Nike Vendor Portal for payments to “Sharonda Sampson Consulting”. Just search 2016 to the present. Appreciate it.

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 6, 2019

Well, things are about to get kicked off in a major way. I think we all know Avenatti was going to go down swinging, and he had already suggested that he might have info on Duke.

Of course, Coach K has already said “there’s nothing there” to any claims from the disgraced lawyer. However, I think it’s pretty clear at this point in time that this situation isn’t going away.

For as much as I hate Duke (a ton), I really hope Zion is clean. He’s maybe the most likable guy in college basketball in my lifetime, and it’d be awful if he got embroiled in some big pay-for-play scandal.

I don’t have a problem with players taking money, but I just don’t want to see Zion become the center of some massive scandal. Any other Duke player would be fine, but the freak of nature forward should be off-limits.

As for Avenatti, you’d think he’d be more busy spending time defending himself from the federal charges he’s facing and a little less time focused on Duke.

The Blue Devils are arguably the most powerful program in all of sports. They’ve got insanely wealthy boosters, they’re powerful, and the porn lawyer is kidding himself if he thinks they’ll go down without a major kind of fight.

They’re the Delta Force of college programs. He better bring an army with him if he plans on taking down Coach K.

This is about to get very interesting, and I can’t wait to see if there’s actually any evidence here or if these are all baseless claims.

Follow David Hookstead on Twitter

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2019-04-06 13:48:00Z
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Final Four 2019: Predictions and previews of the key matchups - NCAA.com

The 2019 Final Four might be missing a few traditional powerhouses, but there is plenty to look forward to.

Let's predict and break down both games.

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 5 Auburn

6:09 p.m., CBS | Stream it here

The best way to beat the Virginia defense is to shoot over the top of it (like Carsen Edwards), or beat it in transition. Auburn can do both of those things. The Tigers make 38.3 percent of their 3s as a team, and they've been on fire throughout the NCAA tournament.

And their guards are fast. Auburn made North Carolina look slow, which is the ultimate compliment to its collective quickness. Jared Harper and Bryce Brown are blurs, and when they are making 3s, they are unguardable.

Witness an inspired Auburn team make the Final Four for Chuma Okeke

This is not a good matchup for Virginia. That said, it's still tough to pick against Virginia based on both teams' overall resumes and talent. The Chuma Okeke loss didn't hurt Auburn much in the Kentucky game, but it could sting against the Cavaliers because of De'Andre Hunter. At 6-8, 230 pounds with good length, Okeke would have been an ideal guy to throw at Hunter, who could feast against an undersized Tigers front line without him.

BRACKET CHALLENGE GAME: Check your bracket picks now

The best thing about Auburn's defense is its ability to force turnovers; the Tigers lead the country in forced turnover rate. But Virginia is one of the most well-disciplined teams in the country. The Hoos only cough it up on 14.7 percent of their possessions, which ranks 11th in the nation. Anything can happen in a 40-minute game, and we know Virginia is prone to straying from its identity in the tournament in recent years. But for now, we should expect Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy, Kihei Clark and the rest of the team to secure the ball like they normally do.

Travel down Virginia's road to the Final Four

This is more about Virginia's offense than its defense, because the Tigers rely so much on their defense to create transition scoring opportunities and fastbreak 3s. It's a lot harder to run when you're taking the ball out of the hoop.

If the Cavaliers can take care of the rock and exploit Hunter's isolation abilities, they will be in good shape.

Prediction: Virginia 72, Auburn 67

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

8:49 p.m. Eastern, CBS  | Stream it here 

Such a fun matchup. If there's a theme within these Final Four teams, it's discipline. These squads just don't screw up often, and while it's not sexy, that's an extremely valuable characteristic that will help you win a lot of games.

The argument for Texas Tech: it has the best player on the floor in Jarrett Culver (although Cassius Winston is close), and its defense is the best unit of the four in this game. The Red Raiders faced the No. 1 offense in Gonzaga in the Elite Eight and held it to 69 points. Chris Beard is an absolute mastermind on that end, and Texas Tech is one of the toughest teams in the country.

Relive the Michigan State Spartans' road to the Final Four

Michigan State might be the toughest team in the country, and Tom Izzo is easily the most experienced coach in the Final Four. And while Culver may be a hair better than Winston overall, Winston has more opportunities to impact the game offensively since he's a point guard. The Spartans don't have any standout players (though Xavier Tillman has been brilliant all tournament and is approaching that status), but they have several competent pieces with which they surround a stud point guard. That'll play.

We're splitting hairs here. Texas Tech has plenty of guys to throw at Winston; Michigan State has the bodies to contain Culver. There are no obvious mismatches to exploit when you look at both lineups.

FINAL FOUR: 19 reasons to love this year's group

But the Red Raiders have been so good lately. Texas Tech has ranked first in adjusted defensive efficiency for most of the season, but the offense has been nearly as good since the start of February. The Red Raiders were outside of the top 75 in offense for a decent chunk of the season, but are up to 30th now. They look like a champion on both sides of the floor.

Join Texas Tech on their road to the Final Four

It just feels like Texas Tech has a little more 'oompf' thanks to Culver's two-way dominance and the general excellence of the defense. But this could easily go the other way.

Prediction: Texas Tech 65, Michigan State 63

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2019-04-06 13:18:45Z
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AAF issues statement: “We are very sorry” - NBC Sports

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Amid criticism for the decision to end their season this week — in some cases abruptly leaving players without housing or health care — the Alliance of American Football is saying it’s sorry.

In an unsigned statement released late Friday night, the AAF acknowledged it put players and coaches in a difficult position.

“This week, we made the difficult decision to suspend all football operations for the Alliance of American Football,” the statement said. “We understand the difficulty that this decision has caused for many people and for that we are very sorry. This is not the way we wanted it to end, but we are also committed to working on solutions for all outstanding issues to the best of our ability. Due to ongoing legal processes, we are unable to comment further or share details about the decision. We are grateful to our players, who delivered quality football and may now exercise their NFL-out clauses in our contract. We encourage them to continue pursuing their dreams and wish them the best. We are grateful to our fans, who have been true believers from the beginning, and to our world-class partners. And to the Alliance coaches and employees who devoted their valuable time and considerable talent to this venture, we are forever grateful.”

The statement leaves several questions unanswered. For starters, who wrote it? It presumably came from AAF chairman Tom Dundon, although his name doesn’t appear on it and he’s been quiet since pulling the plug. AAF co-founder Bill Polian has said he’s no longer involved with the league, while the other AAF co-founder, Charlie Ebersol, has said nothing publicly since the league ended.

And what does it mean that the AAF will find “solutions for all outstanding issues”? Dundon is a billionaire and he could afford to make sure every player is compensated for travel and moving expenses and medical bills. Will he do so?

The reference to “ongoing legal processes” is also unclear. Is the AAF anticipating getting sued?

The end of the AAF was not handled well. This statement doesn’t go far enough.

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2019-04-06 09:45:00Z
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Vikings cornerback Holton Hill draws four-game suspension - Star Tribune

Vikings second-year cornerback Holton Hill was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

The league made the announcement Friday through a news release.

Hill is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games, the release said.

He was not drafted in 2018 after ending his college career at Texas, but the Vikings signed him as a free agent and he played in all 16 games with three starts and an interception.

Defensive backs added

The Vikings signed two defensive backs, Derron Smith and Duke Thomas, from San Antonio of the recently folded Alliance of American Football on Friday.

Smith was drafted by Cincinnati in the sixth round in 2015 out of Fresno State. He played two full seasons for the Bengals and was waived early in the 2017 season before signing with Cleveland, where he played in seven games.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound safety was cut in training camp before last season. In 38 NFL games, he had 17 tackles. For San Antonio, he had 21 tackles in eight games.

Thomas, 24, signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2016 and was also with Philadelphia, San Francisco and Dallas. A 5-10, 192-pound cornerback, he led San Antonio with 22 tackles in eight games, and had an interception.

Dozier signs on

Dakota Dozier, who signed with the Vikings on Thursday to compete for the left guard spot, played four games at the fullback position for the Jets last season at 6-5 and 310 pounds. He was lead blocker on Elijah McGuire’s last-minute touchdown in a 27-23 victory over the Bills on Dec. 9.

“We didn’t have a fullback on the roster,” Dozier said Friday. “They wanted to get me on the field … coordinator reached out and said we want you to do this. … It was different sets, different formations, lot of ‘I.’ It was fun getting in there against Buffalo on fourth-and-1 and sealing the game.”

Dozier, 27, played five seasons for the Jets at various offensive line positions after playing mostly tackle at Furman. His preferred position is guard — “I’m not as long and tall as some of the guys, to interact in that quick space at guard is something I’m more comfortable with,” he said.

His offensive line coach in New York last season was Rick Dennison, who is now the Vikings O-line coach. He is eager to reunite with Dennison, saying “with him, you got to be definitely accountable and ready to support your teammates and your fellow linemen.”

Dozier, who lives in Raleigh, N.C., during the offseason said he would head to Minnesota next week. The Vikings’ offseason workouts start April 15.

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2019-04-05 20:26:15Z
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