NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Five-time NBA All-Star guard Kyle Lowry has agreed to a one-year contract extension with the reigning champion Toronto Raptors worth $31 million, ESPN reported Monday. The move takes Lowry out of next July’s free agency market and follows the $33.4 million the 33-year-old will make this year in the final season of his expiring deal, according to agent Mark Bartelstein, ESPN reported. The deal would produce the largest salary […]
Sports — International
‘We love China’: Rockets’ Harden ‘sorry’ over GM’s Hong Kong tweet
by Natsuko FUKUE TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Houston Rockets star James Harden on Monday apologised to China over a tweet by the team’s general manager backing Hong Kong’s democracy protests that cost the franchise TV exposure and sponsorship in the lucrative Chinese market. The team and the NBA were forced into defensive mode as China’s state broadcaster said it was yanking Rockets games from the air and sponsors abandoned them. The controversy quickly spread across the […]
Ronaldo scores as Juventus brush aside Leverkusen
by Emmeline MOORE TURIN, Italy (AFP) — Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in this season’s Champions League, sealing a 3-0 win for Juventus over Bayer Leverkusen in their Group D game in Turin on Tuesday. Ronaldo blasted in the third goal in the 89th minute to extend his record to 127 strikes in the competition to add to Gonzalo Higuain and Federico Bernardeschi’s earlier efforts. Juventus move top of their section, level on four […]
George won’t make NBA Clippers’ debut in October: report
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Paul George will not be playing alongside Kawhi Leonard on the Los Angeles Clippers until at least November because of off-season shoulder surgeries, ESPN reported Sunday. George, who joined NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard in leaving his team to play for the Clippers starting this season, told the US sports television network he would miss the entire preseason and at least the first 10 days of the […]
World champion Coleman withdraws from 200m: US official
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Newly-crowned world 100m champion Christian Coleman has withdrawn from the 200m at the World Championships, the United States Track and Field Federation confirmed Sunday. US sprinter Coleman, who blasted to a brilliant gold medal in the 100m on Saturday, had been due to take part in the heats of the 200m. However a revised start list for the event at the Khalifa Stadium showed the American’s name absent. A USATF spokesman […]
Brady Tkachuck leads Senators past Canucks 6-2
By Anthony Sevilla EBC British Columbia Bureau VANCOUVER, CANADA (Eagle News) — The Ottawa Senators stole a game on the road with a 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Wednesday night. After leading 2-1 to end the first period, the Canucks would not score the rest of the night while the Senators would score six straight goals to claim the win. Five different players contributed to Ottawa’s high-scoring offense. Forward Brady […]
Nets guard Irving suffers facial fracture during team workout
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Six-time NBA All-Star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a facial fracture when he took an elbow during workouts, the Brooklyn Nets said Wednesday. Irving, who won an NBA title alongside LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, is expected to lead a young Nets club after making the jump from the Boston Celtics as a free agent, signing a four-year, $141 million deal. General manager Sean Marks, a New […]
Carter signs with Hawks for historic 22nd NBA campaign
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Vince Carter is set to make NBA history this season after signing with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the 42-year-old swingman set for his record 22nd league campaign. Carter will become the first NBA player to compete in 22 seasons when he takes the court for the first time for the Hawks and his first appearance in a game in 2020 will make him the first player to compete […]
Pistons sign 38-year-old veteran NBA swingman Johnson
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Joe Johnson, a 38-year-old swingman who had a superb 3-on-3 season, returned to the NBA for an 18th season on Thursday, signing with the Detroit Pistons. Johnson, a seven-time NBA All-Star, has career averages of 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists over 1,276 NBA games with the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz and most recently last season with the Houston Rockets. […]
NBA Nets show Durant in new No. 7 jersey, Irving working out
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Injured star Kevin Durant showed off his new jersey and Kyrie Irving was pictured working out Thursday as the Brooklyn Nets provided a glimpse of preparations for their upcoming NBA campaign. With the start of their pre-season schedule barely two weeks away and a trip to China next month to face the Los Angeles Lakers looming, the Nets heightened anticipation for the 2019-20 season with Twitter postings. Durant suffered […]
Fight Mayweather or retire, Arum tells Pacquiao
Los Angeles, United States (AFP) — Veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum believes Manny Pacquiao should retire from the sport soon unless he can land a lucrative rematch with Floyd Mayweather. Arum, who promoted Pacquiao during the Filipino icon’s golden years, told the World Boxing News website he wanted to see the 40-year-old hang up his gloves soon. Pacquiao, who won a bruising 12-round battle with Keith Thurman to capture the WBA welterweight crown in July, […]
US swimmer criss-crosses English Channel in 54-hour feat
by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — An American breast cancer survivor on Tuesday became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop in a 54-hour feat of endurance. Sarah Thomas, 37, an open water marathon swimmer from the US state of Colorado, could be seen in a video posted on Facebook arriving at Dover on the southern English coast with a group of supporters cheering […]