Latest Basketball News
Mercury beat Fever for 7th straight time, 99-78
PHOENIX (AP) — Skylar Diggins-Smith had 17 points and seven assists, Sophie Cunningham added 14 points and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Indiana Fever 99-78 on Wednesday night. Phoenix (9-12) beat Indiana for a seventh straight time, including an 83-71 victory on Monday. ...
Bird sets WNBA career wins record as Storm beat Aces 88-78
SEATTLE (AP) — Sue Bird became the WNBA's leader in career wins with 324 on Wednesday night as the Seattle Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 88-78. Bird, who has announced this will be her final season, passed former Minnesota star Lindsay Whalen. Jewell Loyd led...
AP source: Timberwolves, Prince reach 2-year, $16M extension
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are bringing back reserve forward Taurean Prince, who became a vital part of the second unit in his first season with the club. Prince and the Timberwolves have agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract extension, according to a person...
AP source: Harden declines $47M option with Philadelphia
James Harden is taking less with hopes the Philadelphia 76ers can do more. A person familiar with the situation said Harden chose not to exercise his $47.4 million option for next season and will become a free agent — but with no designs on leaving Philadelphia. Harden made the...
Emoni Bates says he's transferring to hometown E. Michigan
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Emoni Bates, one of the top recruits in the 2021 men's basketball recruiting class, says he is transferring from Memphis to Eastern Michigan. Bates, in an Instagram post Wednesday, announced his decision to return to his hometown of Ypsilanti to play for the...
Done deal: Celtics' Will Hardy takes over as coach of Jazz
As the Utah Jazz spent time talking to candidates to become their next coach, Will Hardy quickly rose to the top of their list. And that’s where he stayed. Hardy was announced as the coach of the Jazz on Wednesday, a day after the sides came to an agreement in principle. He’ll be...
Three early Harlem Globetrotter alums get Hall of Fame call
SPRINGFIELD, Mass (AP) — Harlem Globetrotters alums Inman Jackson, Wyatt “Sonny” Boswell and Albert “Runt” Pullins will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with the Class of 2022. The three were added by the Early African-American Pioneer...
NBA free agency opens Thursday, starting deal-making season
Let the talking begin. The trading, too, and eventually the signing. Free agency officially opens Thursday in the NBA, with teams able to begin negotiating at 6 p.m. Eastern with players who are not under contract — although, in reality, free agency and the slew of offseason...
Lakers pick up options on Stanley Johnson, Wenyen Gabriel
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers exercised their team options for next season Wednesday on Stanley Johnson and Wenyen Gabriel. Johnson started 27 of his 48 games last season for the Lakers, who signed the Orange County native as a free agent on Christmas Eve....
3-on-3 hockey league launches, could be step toward Olympics
Hours before Canada beat the U.S. to win women’s hockey gold at the Beijing Olympics in February, International Ice Hockey Federation officials lamented having only two medal events on sports’ biggest stage. The IIHF and IOC have discussed adding to that, and a new 3-on-3 league...
