Thunder GM Presti hopes Holmgren is latest star draft pick

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder general manager Sam Presti has a stunningly successful history with high draft picks. Back when the Thunder were still the Seattle SuperSonics, Presti made Kevin Durant the No. 2 overall pick in 2007 and Russell Westbrook No. 4 overall in 2008. The team...

AP source: Clifford to return as head coach of the Hornets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Steve Clifford is heading back to Charlotte. Clifford has agreed to a multiyear contract to return as head coach of the NBA’s Hornets, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity...

Grizzlies confirm trade with 76ers netting Roddy, Green

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies announced Friday the final pieces of their draft night trade sending guard De'Anthony Melton to the Philadelphia 76ers for the draft rights to forward David Roddy and wing Danny Green. The 6-foot-6 Green has started 709 of 819 regular...

A person familiar with the situation says Steve Clifford has agreed to return to the Charlotte Hornets as head coach

Banchero arrives in Orlando, a day after becoming No. 1 pick

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The secret about how Orlando was going to take Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft was incredibly well-kept. Among those who didn’t know: Banchero himself. Banchero said even he was kept out of the Magic decision loop until...

UNC-Indiana, Ohio State-Duke headline ACC/Big 10 Challenge

National runner-up North Carolina, a strong contender for the No. 1 spot in the preseason polls with four starters returning, will play at Indiana in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 30. The two conferences announced Friday the 14 matchups for the 24th edition of the three-day...

T-wolves draft trade nets 7-1 Auburn center Walker Kessler

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves added a potential rim protector to complement star Karl-Anthony Towns, acquiring 7-foot-1 Auburn center Walker Kessler in a draft pick swap that netted them an additional first-rounder that became Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr. on Thursday night. ...

Mavs trade into draft, get G League's Hardy at 37 from Kings

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison can finally say he has made a draft pick. The second-year GM and his club traded back into the the NBA draft in a deal with Sacramento, acquiring G League player Jaden Hardy after the Kings drafted him 37th overall in the...

College baseball intent on increasing Black players, coaches

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Anthony Holman is the highest-ranking NCAA official at the College World Series and the man in charge of the Division I baseball championship. Holman is Black, and when he watches the games, he doesn't see many people who look like him on the field or in the...

Moving up: Grizzlies trade 2 1st-round picks to get LaRavia

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jake LaRavia wasn’t just worth a first-round pick. The way the Memphis Grizzlies saw it, he was worth two of them. The Grizzlies moved the 22nd and 29th picks in Thursday’s NBA draft to Minnesota for the 19th pick — which became LaRavia, a 6-foot-8...