NBA

AKRON, Ohio (AP) LeBron James welcomed a high-profile guest to show kids in his hometown that they can grow up to be anything they want.The NBA star appeared with first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday to celebrate the importance of education and to challenge thousands of children in...

AP Basketball WriterHarden dazzles, then Raptors rally past Rockets in JapanBy TIM REYNOLDSWhen James Harden's night was over, defense got easier for the Toronto Raptors.Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and the Raptors - in their first game since winning the NBA Finals - rallied from...

The Latest: Suns' Devin Booker walks off with 3-point titleLOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on NBA All-Star Saturday (all times local):6:45 p.m.Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns won the 3-point contest with a record 28 points in the final round. He beat 2016 champion Klay Thompson of the...

AP Basketball WriterFree agency opens: Fox and Kings agree on $163 million dealBy TIM REYNOLDSOn the first night of free agency, De'Aaron Fox was the first huge winner.Huge, as in $163 million - or even more.Fox and the Sacramento Kings agreed on a max deal Friday night, agent Chris...

Australia tops Czechs 82-70, heads to World Cup semifinalsSHANGHAI (AP) Patty Mills scored 24 points and Australia moved into the World Cup semifinals with an 82-70 victory over the Czech Republic on Wednesday night.Chris Goulding scored 14 and Andrew Bogut added 10 for Australia, which will meet Spain...

June 4 - NBA Finals begin.June 15 - Draft early-entry withdrawal deadline (5 p.m. EDT).June 25 - NBA draft.July 1 - Free agency opens.July 9 - Free-agent contracts can be signed.July 10-20 - NBA Summer League, Las Vegas.

The injury-plagued Utah Jazz are relying on Gordon Hayward to carry a big portion of the scoring load with several key players out and the 26-year-old Butler product is more than fulfilling his end of the deal. Hayward will attempt to extend his streak of 30-point games to four...

Clippers' Morris, Mavs' Doncic fined for actions in Game 6LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Marcus Morris of the Los Angeles Clippers was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for his flagrant foul on Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, who was penalized $15,000 for throwing the ball...

Jazz guard Ricky Rubio to miss Game 1 with hamstring injuryHOUSTON (AP) Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets because of a strained left hamstring.Rubio left Friday night's game against the Thunder in the first quarter...

Ex-wife of slain NBA player agrees to face Tennessee chargesRIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) The ex-wife of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright will not fight authorities' attempt to send her from California to Tennessee, where she's charged with killing him nearly eight years ago.The Desert Sun newspaper reports that Sherra...

AP Sports WriterBrown's future in jeopardy after 76ers suffer early exitBy DAN GELSTONPHILADELPHIA (AP) A year ago against Toronto, four bounces of the basketball finished the 76ers. This season, four straight playoff losses ended Philly's season and sent the Sixers to the brink of a serious shakeup.Brett Brown...

Dennis Rodman gets probation after DUI arrest in CaliforniaLOS ANGELES (AP) Former NBA star Dennis Rodman was sentenced to three years' probation after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors stemming from a January DUI arrest in California.Rodman pleaded guilty Monday in Orange County to one count of driving under...