TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet is bracing for the suspended NBA season not to resume and if it does, he isn’t convinced health concerns can be adequately addressed as long as the coronavirus pandemic remains a threat.“I think everybody is just preparing for the worst case scenario, the season being canceled,” Van Vleet said in a conference call Wednesday. “We have to do what we have to do to try to shoulder the hit as best we can for us as players and owners and the league, while also working to try to resume as best we can.”Speaking from his home in Rockford, Illinois, VanVleet — a self-described skeptic — questioned whether a return to action could be carried out safely, and said he doesn’t relish the idea of playing in front of empty arenas.“I could play anywhere,” he said. “Do I want to play in front of no people? No, but does it really matter? At this point, I don’t think anybody is going to have a quarrel with what happens, as long as people’s health is first and... [More]

The year was 1997. Andy Thompson had an idea. Adam Silver liked his plan.Neither had any clue what they concocted.The ESPN and Netflix documentary “The Last Dance” — the story based around Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls — premieres Sunday night with the first two episodes of the 10-part series. And the images from that season exist because of the notion that Thompson had and Silver, now the NBA commissioner but then the person in charge of NBA Entertainment, helped arrange.Thompson, who already had been working at NBA Entertainment for about a decade, suggested embedding a crew with the Bulls. Silver made some phone calls. They were off and running.“It’s almost hard to understate how famous Michael was and how popular this Bulls team was,” Silver told The Associated Press. “And so, Andy’s view was, ‘We need to find a way to capture this team in its glory.’ And there were no such things as multi-part documentaries on sports on television back then.”But there had been some examples... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers are getting together for workouts while the NBA season is suspended — via video conference calls.Up to 10 players at a time tune in to do workouts led by the team's performance staff since the league shut down practice facilities because of the coronavirus pandemic.They've also been using workout equipment specially tailored for each player and provided by the team.“They're challenging each other, a lot of trash talk,” coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. “When we come out of this, (there will be) some of the funny stories guys will have about watching each other work out.”Rivers figures that when the league eventually resumes there will be a high level of competition as a result of the layoff that has allowed players like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to train at a level that wasn't possible during the offseason, when they were dealing with injuries.“If we do get back to this, and rhythm and all that, bodies won't... [More]

Kevin Garnett always found Seattle to be a difficult place for opponents. He played in 27 games there during his NBA career, leaving the court as a winner only eight times.He remembers those days. And respects them, too.In a wide-ranging interview this week with The Associated Press, Garnett covered plenty of topics, including the announcement over the weekend that he officially is a member of the Class of 2020 for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, his relationship with fellow inductee Kobe Bryant, the coronavirus pandemic, and his plans for the next five and 10 years.But there was also a surprise: Garnett revealed a deep affinity for Seattle, to the point where he said he'd like to see the NBA return to that city — and said he would bring a team there if he could.“If I have a dream, I would say that I would love to be able to go and buy the Seattle SuperSonics and reactivate the Seattle Northwest and get NBA loving back going into that area,” said Garnett, who starred for... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Instead of preparing for a playoff run, LeBron James is mostly spending the spring playing hoops with his teenage sons and enjoying tea time with his young daughter.And when he isn't binge-watching “Tiger King” with his wife, he is scanning the news for information on whether the coronavirus pandemic will allow the Los Angeles Lakers to finish their impressive season chasing an NBA championship.James is still optimistic about the Lakers' future, but he also knows safety comes first.“I don’t think I’ll be able to have any closure if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season,” James said from his home Wednesday on a conference call with Lakers beat reporters.The Lakers were cruising toward their first playoff berth since 2013 when the NBA season was suspended March 11. They have the Western Conference’s best record at 49-14, leading the second-place Clippers (44-20) by 5 1/2 games and trailing only Milwaukee (53-12) in the overall league standings.The Lakers did... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Instead of preparing for a playoff run, LeBron James is mostly spending the spring playing hoops with his teenage sons and enjoying tea time with his young daughter.And when he isn't binge-watching “Tiger King” with his wife, he is scanning the news for information on whether the coronavirus pandemic will allow the Los Angeles Lakers to finish their impressive season chasing an NBA championship.James is still optimistic about the Lakers' future, but he also knows safety comes first.“I don’t think I’ll be able to have any closure if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season,” James said from his home Wednesday on a conference call with Lakers beat reporters.The Lakers were cruising toward their first playoff berth since 2013 when the NBA season was suspended March 11. They have the Western Conference’s best record at 49-14, leading the second-place Clippers (44-20) by 5 1/2 games and trailing only Milwaukee (53-12) in the overall league standings.The Lakers did... [More]

Kobe Bryant is back atop the best-seller lists, days after the late Los Angeles Lakers superstar was selected to the Hall of Fame.The latest release from Bryant’s Granity Studios, “The Wizenard Series: Season One” will debut at No. 1 on The New York Times’ middle-grade hardcover list that will be published April 19. Earlier this week, it had already hit No. 1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for children’s basketball books.Bryant and daughter Gianna were among nine who died in a helicopter crash in late JanuarySeason One, the latest installment of Bryant’s Wizenard story line that follows the progress of a young basketball player dealing with various trials and tribulations, was released last week. Bryant’s company describes it as “a story of strain and sacrifice, supernatural breakthroughs, and supreme dedication to the game.”Bryant was the series creator and envisioned the story lines. Other books created by Bryant’s content company soared in popularity in the days following the basketball... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo is spending much of his time during the coronavirus-imposed hiatus working out, helping care for his newborn son and playing occasional video games.What the reigning MVP isn’t doing very often is shooting baskets since the NBA has closed team practice facilities.“I don’t have access to a hoop,” the Milwaukee Bucks forward said Friday during a conference call. “A lot of NBA players might have a court in their house or something, I don’t know, but now I just get my home workouts, (go) on the bike, treadmill, lift weights, stay sharp that way.”The hiatus is forcing thousands of athletes, pro and otherwise, to work out from home as they try to keep in shape. Equipment varies from player to player, too.“It all comes down to what they have and what they’re capable of doing,” Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said. “We can do a lot of body weight stuff. That’s how they stay ready. That’s the most I can offer as a coach for them to stay ready. I can’t say ‘Hey,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo is spending much of his time during the coronavirus-imposed hiatus working out, helping care for his newborn son and playing occasional video games.What the reigning MVP isn’t doing very often is shooting baskets since the NBA has closed team practice facilities.“I don’t have access to a hoop,” the Milwaukee Bucks forward said Friday during a conference call. “A lot of NBA players might have a court in their house or something, I don’t know, but now I just get my home workouts, (go) on the bike, treadmill, lift weights, stay sharp that way.”The hiatus is forcing thousands of athletes, pro and otherwise, to work out from home as they try to keep in shape. Equipment varies from player to player, too.“It all comes down to what they have and what they’re capable of doing,” Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said. “We can do a lot of body weight stuff. That’s how they stay ready. That’s the most I can offer as a coach for them to stay ready. I can’t say ‘Hey,... [More]

The votes are in, and word is about to come if this, finally, is the year that former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich gets the call from the Basketball Hall of Fame.He's due.“Long overdue,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.The opinions that matter are held by the 24 people who submitted their ballots to decide who goes into this year’s class, which will be announced on Saturday. Candidates need 75% of the vote — 18 ballots — to earn the congratulatory phone call from Basketball Hall President and CEO John Doleva.The late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, San Antonio great Tim Duncan and former Minnesota and Boston star Kevin Garnett headline this class, and it’s assumed they’ll all be officially announced Saturday. They’re first-time finalists, as is four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings.The other finalists have been close before: Baylor women’s coach Kim Mulkey, Bentley women’s coach Barbara Stevens, two-time AP college coach of the year Eddie Sutton are among... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — With so much uncertainty around the NBA season, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks is no longer ruling out Kevin Durant for the season.Marks repeatedly had said he didn't expect Durant to play this season while recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, but he acknowledged Wednesday that everything is unknown now that the season is suspended because of the new coronavirus.Durant was injured in the 2019 NBA Finals, so he would have a year to recover if the league were to resume in June.Even Kyrie Irving, who had shoulder surgery on March 3, might be available if play stretched into the summer.But Marks said he couldn't even give an answer if the superstars would be able to play this season.“I don’t think that’s fair, one to those athletes, nor the performance team, to put a timeline on this. I think everybody is dealing with bigger items, far more pressing items,” Marks said during a conference call. “I do know that those two players are continuing their rehab, but again,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — With so much uncertainty around the NBA season, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks is no longer ruling Kevin Durant out for the season.Marks had repeatedly said he didn't expect Durant to play this season while recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, but he acknowledged Wednesday that everything is unknown now that the season is suspended because of the new coronavirus.Durant was injured in the NBA Finals, so he would have a year to recover if the league were to resume in June.Even Kyrie Irving, who had shoulder surgery on March 3, might be available if play stretched into the summer.Marks said he couldn't even give an answer if the superstars would be able to play this season.“I don’t think that’s fair, one to those athletes, nor the performance team to put a timeline on this. I think everybody is dealing with bigger items, far more pressing items,” Marks said during a conference call. “I do know that those two players are continuing their rehab, but again, when... [More]

The documentary looking at Michael Jordan’s last championship season with the Chicago Bulls is set for release nearly two months sooner than expected with no sports to air due to the coronavirus pandemic.ESPN and Netflix announced on Tuesday that the 10-part documentary series called “The Last Dance” will air next month will run in the U.S. over five consecutive Sunday nights starting April 19 and running through May 17. There will be two hour-long episodes on each of those nights, airing back-to-back at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern.ESPN was originally planning to release the documentary in June, when this season’s NBA Finals were to be played but those plans were accelerated.“April 19th can’t come fast enough. I CAN NOT WAIT!!” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted upon hearing news of the series’ long-awaited release.The series will include never-before-seen footage from that season, one where the team chased its sixth championship in a span of eight years.“As society navigates this... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Goran Dragic of the Miami Heat said Tuesday that he is prepared to forgo his annual offseason move back to his native Slovenia if that is what the NBA schedule necessitates.Dragic, his wife and their two children are in Miami and have no plans to leave for Slovenia amid the global coronavirus pandemic. His parents recently left Miami to return home, but the Heat guard says he’s staying.“Three days ago they flew back home because they had to, the government said that all the Slovenian citizens needed to get back,” Dragic said, referring to his parents, adding that they wore masks and gloves on their not-very-full flight back to Slovenia. “But my situation is different. Here is my home. We have health insurance in America and we have a home to go to, so we’re going to stay here.”Dragic and his family have gotten a firsthand global view of the pandemic.He’s in Miami, and so is his uncle — who is staying in the U.S. because he cannot get back to his native Serbia because Dragic... [More]

The long-awaited look at Michael Jordan’s last championship season with the Chicago Bulls is finally set for release.ESPN and Netflix announced on Tuesday that the 10-part documentary series called “The Last Dance” will run in the U.S. over five consecutive Sunday nights starting April 19 and running through May 17. There will be two hour-long episodes on each of those nights, airing back-to-back at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern.“April 19th can’t come fast enough. I CAN NOT WAIT!!” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted upon hearing news of the series’ long-awaited release.The series will include never-before-seen footage from that season, one where the team chased its sixth championship in a span of eight years.“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to... [More]

The long-awaited look at Michael Jordan’s last championship season with the Chicago Bulls is finally set for release.ESPN and Netflix announced on Tuesday that the 10-part documentary series called “The Last Dance” will run in the U.S. over five consecutive Sunday nights starting April 19 and running through May 17. There will be two hour-long episodes on each of those nights, airing back-to-back at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern.“April 19th can’t come fast enough. I CAN NOT WAIT!!” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted upon hearing news of the series’ long-awaited release.The series will include never-before-seen footage from that season, one where the team chased its sixth championship in a span of eight years.“As society navigates this time without live sports, viewers are still looking to the sports world to escape and enjoy a collective experience,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’ve heard the calls from fans asking us to move up the release date for this series, and we’re happy to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Top NBA executives are having their base salaries reduced by 20% for the foreseeable future, a person with knowledge of the details said Thursday.The reductions affect the roughly 100 highest-earning executives, as the NBA joins the NHL and NASCAR in cutting salaries while competitions are on hold because of the coronavirus.The cuts are effective immediately and affect NBA employees both inside the league headquarters in New York, and in global offices, the person told The Associated Press. The person was granted anonymity because the reductions were not announced publicly.The reductions were first reported by ESPN.Health benefits remain unaffected and there are no changes for the rest of the organization, including support and administrative staff.The NBA suspended its season on March 11 when Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz became the first player to test positive. The league is still discussing scenarios for resuming play once allowed. It had already been a challenging season... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is buying the Forum for $400 million, ending the billionaire's legal fight with the Madison Square Garden Company and clearing the way to build a new arena for his NBA team down the street in Inglewood, California.Ballmer announced his cash purchase of the venerated arena Tuesday. Ballmer, the former Microsoft executive, and Clippers vice chairman Dennis Wong are making the transaction through CAPSS LLC, a newly formed entity that will continue to operate the Forum as a live music venue.“This is an unprecedented time, but we believe in our collective future,” Ballmer said. “We are committed to our investment in the City of Inglewood, which will be good for the community, the Clippers and our fans.”Apparently fearing competition for concerts and other big events, MSG has been aggressively attempting to thwart Ballmer's desire to build a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat home for the Clippers just a few blocks down Prairie Avenue from... [More]

The number of known coronavirus cases within the NBA doubled to 14 on Thursday, when Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics pleaded with people to take social distancing more seriously and the league ordered all teams to shutter their training facilities indefinitely.Smart revealed that he tested positive and the Los Angeles Lakers said two of their players tested positive as well, bringing the number of players who have acquired the virus to 10. The Philadelphia 76ers said three members of their organization tested positive and the Denver Nuggets said someone within their franchise was positive as well.The 76ers and Nuggets did not say if the affected people were players, coaches or other staff.“I’ve had no symptoms and I feel great,” Smart said on Twitter. “But the younger generation in our country MUST self distance. This is not a joke. Not doing so is selfish. Together we can beat this, but we must beat it together by being apart for a short while.”The league wants its teams to keep distance... [More]

The number of known coronavirus cases within the NBA doubled to 14 on Thursday, when Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics pleaded with people to take social distancing more seriously and the league ordered all teams to shutter their training facilities indefinitely.Smart revealed that he tested positive and the Los Angeles Lakers said two of their players tested positive as well, bringing the number of players who have acquired the virus to 10. The Philadelphia 76ers said three members of their organization tested positive and the Denver Nuggets said someone within their franchise was positive as well.The 76ers and Nuggets did not say if the affected people were players, coaches or other staff.“I’ve had no symptoms and I feel great,” Smart said on Twitter. “But the younger generation in our country MUST self distance. This is not a joke. Not doing so is selfish. Together we can beat this, but we must beat it together by being apart for a short while.”The league wants its teams to keep distance... [More]