CHICAGO (AP) — Jennifer Hudson is coming to the All-Star Game to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant with her voice. The NBA has released a list of entertainers headed to All-Star weekend, the group headlined by Hudson — the two-time Grammy winner and Oscar winner — who, just before Sunday night’s player introductions, will perform […]
CHICAGO (AP) — It has become one of the NBA’s most revered traditions: On the morning of the NBA All-Star Game, the league pays tribute to retired players with what is called the Legends Brunch. It brings together about 3,000 guests, and every year a recent retiree with ties to the game’s host city is […]
Fred “Curly” Neal, the dribbling wizard who entertained millions with the Harlem Globetrotters for parts of three decades, has died. He was 77. The Globetrotters said Neal died in his home outside of Houston on Thursday morning. “We have lost one of the most genuine human beings the world has ever known,” Globetrotters general manager […]
NEW YORK (AP) — In basketball terms, “The Last Dance” had a strong fourth quarter. The last two episodes of the 10-part Michael Jordan documentary, strung out over the last five Sunday nights, averaged 5.9 million viewers, the Nielsen company said. It was simulcast on ESPN and ESPN2. That’s easily the highest-rated documentary project ever […]
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Michael Baiamonte was not at Walt Disney World on Wednesday. The public address announcer for the Miami Heat wasn’t in the building for the team’s season-restart scrimmage debut. His voice was. The sound of him bellowing one of his signature phrases — “stand up and make some noise” — […]
EDITORS — With the Tokyo Olympics postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press is looking back at the history of Summer Games. Lionel Richie, then just starting his solo career, spoke to the AP recently about his performance at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. ___ Lionel […]
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — As the NBA sought to resume the season, players had to weigh whether playing basketball aided or distracted from their calls for social justice reform. Those discussions are starting again. With the second round of the postseason set to begin Thursday when Toronto plays Boston, players from both teams […]
ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record and gracefully left his mark as one of baseball’s greatest all-around players, died Friday. He was 86. The Atlanta Braves, Aaron’s longtime team, said he died peacefully in his sleep. No cause was given. […]
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry’s tireless work off the basketball court campaigning for social justice, supporting women’s causes and even interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci about the coronavirus pandemic is drawing acclaim from civil rights leaders. The NAACP has given him its Jackie Robinson Sports Award. And, for the first time, […]
Gymnast Simone Biles made history on May 22nd as the first woman to ever land a Yurchenko double pike during the U.S. Classic competition. She’s entered territory that no woman has ever stepped in, and has no plans of stopping here. The Yurchenko double pike is a move that is considered so convoluted that, until […]