Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

Kobe Bryant, 41, the legendary basketball star who spent 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, was killed when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed and burst into flames Sunday morning amid foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas, sources told the Los Angeles Times.

Bryant’s death stunned Los Angeles and the sports world, which mourned one of basketball’s greatest players. Sources said the helicopter took off from Orange County, where Bryant lived.

The crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road, south of Agoura Road, according to a watch commander for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Four others on board also died.

Bryant excelled at Lower Merion High in Ardmore, Pa., near Philadelphia, winning numerous national awards as a senior before announcing his intention to skip college and enter the NBA draft. He was selected 13th overall by Charlotte in 1996, but the Lakers had already worked out a deal with the Hornets to acquire Bryant before his selection. Bryant impressed Lakers General Manager Jerry West during a pre-draft workout session in Los Angeles.  Less than three weeks later, the Lakers traded starting center Vlade Divac to the Hornets in exchange for Bryant’s rights. Bryant, whose favorite team growing up was the Lakers, had to have his parents co-sign his NBA contract because he was 17 years old.

The 6-foot-6 guard made his pro debut in the 1996-97 season opener against Minnesota; at the time he was the youngest player ever to appear in an NBA game. He started in only a handful of games during his rookie season, coming off the bench in support of Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones. However, coach Del Harris played him more as the season progressed, allowing Bryant to showcase the skills that made him a top candidate for rookie of the year. Those skills were also on display when Bryant won the 1997 NBA slam dunk competition.

Bryant continued to improve during his sophomore season in the league, averaging 15.4 points per game. However, his breakout came in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season when he started in all 50 games after the Lakers traded away Van Exel and Jones.

Bryant and leading scorer Shaquille O’Neal quickly morphed into one of the most lethal scoring and defensive combinations in the league. Together, with coach Phil Jackson guiding them, they led the Lakers to three consecutive championships (2000-02) as Bryant began to cement his place as the game’s top player.

Despite coming together to win some of the most closely fought playoff series in Lakers history, friction started to develop between Bryant and O’Neal. Tension between the two stars continued to build during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons as the Lakers failed to capitalize on their status as top contenders for the NBA title. Making matters worse, Bryant was arrested in July 2003 on allegations of sexual assault.

The charges were eventually dropped, but Bryant’s reputation took a hit.

After the Lakers lost to Detroit in the NBA Finals with a star-studded team that included Karl Malone and Gary Payton, O’Neal was traded to Miami and Jackson’s coaching contract was not renewed. As the team’s undisputed leader, Bryant signed a seven-year contract to remain with the team.

Bryant summed up the tensions between him and O’Neal after the Lakers won the NBA title in 2009: “We’re great as individuals, but . . . it’s probably the first dynamic duo that had two alpha males on one team. We managed to make it work for three championships.”

Bryant posted some of the best offensive numbers of his career over the next three seasons, but the team struggled, failing to make the playoffs in 2005 before suffering consecutive first-round defeats to Phoenix in ’06 and ’07. Jackson returned to the team for the 2005-06 season, and Bryant went on to lead the league in scoring that season with a career-best 35.4 average. He scored 40 points or more in 27 games and became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964 to finish with 45 points or more in four consecutive games. His biggest single-game achievement came Jan. 22, 2006, against Toronto when he scored a career-high 81 points, second most in NBA history. Earlier that season, on Dec. 20, 2005, he scored 62 points in 33 minutes through three quarters of a game against Dallas; he had outscored the entire Mavericks team, 62-61, entering the final quarter, in which Bryant did not play. Bryant continued to impress during the 2006-07 season, scoring 50 or more points in a team-record 10 games and averaging 31.6 points a game to capture his second NBA scoring title.

“He is the No. 1 player in the league, by far,” Washington gaurd Gilbert Arenas said in 2006. “With a player like him, he just wants that challenge. He’s just that fierce competitor. He doesn’t want to get out-showed. He’s the one who everybody’s afraid of.”

Bryant’s 2007-08 NBA MVP season got off to a tumultuous start after he reportedly demanded to be traded. He was reportedly unhappy with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Jackson."I would like to be traded,” Bryant said during a radio interview. “Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there’s no other alternative. It’s rough, man, but I don’t see how you can rebuild that trust. I just don’t know how you can move forward in that type of situation.”

Bryant eventually backtracked on his trade demands and posted perhaps his best all-around season, leading a team re-energized by Pau Gasol’s arrival from Memphis in February 2008 to a first-place finish in the Western Conference. The Lakers embarked on a memorable playoff run before losing to Boston in the Finals. Later that year Bryant went on to win a gold medal with the U.S. team at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

With Bryant pleased about the direction the team was heading, he guided the Lakers to back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. He was named the NBA Finals MVP both years as the team once again ascended to the top of the NBA.

Ongoing soreness in Bryant’s knee and ankle coupled with the team’s heavy reliance in him played a role in the Lakers’ championship run coming to an end in 2011. Bryant posted his lowest points per game totals since the 2003-04 season as he dealt with the aftereffects of offseason arthroscopic knee surgery. He went on to win his fourth NBA All-Star Game most-valuable-player award but fell short of his ultimate goal of winning a sixth NBA title. Bryant also became the youngest player in NBA history to amass 27,000 career points.

Bryant finished third in league scoring in 2011-12 despite dealing with ongoing knee and ankle issues. In January 2012, he scored at least 40 points in four consecutive games, which included a 48-point effort against the Phoenix Suns.

Following the team’s acquisition of Dwight Howard in August 2012, the Lakers were regarded as a favorite for the NBA title. However, friction between Bryant and Howard started to develop as the team struggled. Despite this, Bryant led the NBA in scoring for much of the first half of the season and surpassed NBA great Wilt Chamberlain for fourth all-time in league scoring. But Bryant’s season came to a disappointing end when he suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon against the Golden State Warriors on April 10. The injury and subsequent surgery prevented Bryant from playing in the early portion of the 2013-14 season.

Bryant, who signed a two-year, $48.5-million contract extension with the Lakers before the start of the 2013-14 season, did not return from injury until December. He played in only six games before suffering a lateral tibial plateau fracture in his left knee. The injury forced him to miss the remainder of the season as the Lakers limped to a 27-55 record, missing the playoffs for only the second time since Bryant joined the franchise.

He retired from the NBA but began a new career in Hollywood.

In 2018, he won an Oscar along with director Glen Keane for the animated short film “Dear Basketball.”

Just last night, Laker LeBron James passed Bryant for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Rainbows toast the 100th basketball season

On Thursday night, several former players, coaches and staff members gathered to toast the ’Bows’ 100th basketball season. The festivities will continue during Saturday’s game against UC Davis. There will be displays of memorabilia throughout the Sheriff Center, with tributes to past players during timeouts and at halftime.

“This has been a year-long celebration,” coach Eran Ganot said. “We have special game events to honor it.”

Ganot, who has a passion for history, marveled at the growth of a program, whose first game was a 14-13 victory over McKinley High in 1912. Through the first two decades, the ’Bows played mostly against high school, military and club teams, with opponents such as Department Hospital, All Chinese Athletes and Goeas Beauts.

Their first collegiate opponent was Washington, 1938. World War II led to a four-season hiatus in the 1940s. The program was revived for the 1946-47 season, which concluded with eight consecutive games on the mainland.

The ’Bows gained popularity in the 1950s, under head coaches Al Saake and Ah Chew Goo. Home games were played at Bloch Center, at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and a gym on UH-Manoa’s upper campus near where Sinclair Library is now located. Next to the on-campus gym was an open-air “locker room” where teams dressed under the Manoa mist. At halftime, the teams gathered under a stage in the gym.

During that era, a local kid, Willie Lee, was at the end of the bench until summoned at the end of blowout games. The 6-foot-6 Lee developed a sky hook and became one of the ’Bows’ top post players. During that time, Bill Allen also became a prolific scorer after focusing solely on basketball. (Legend has it Allen lost his airport job when a cart he was steering ran into an airplane.)

The program reached the next stage when it hired an island son, Ephraim “Red” Rocha, as head coach in 1963. The Hilo High graduate had a standout career at Oregon State before becoming Hawaii’s first NBA Draft pick. With an injury resulting in a protruding pinkie, one of Rocha’s hands formed a natural shaka sign. It was Rocha who would put together the first great UH team — the Fabulous Five — that earned appearances in the 1971 NIT in New York City and 1972 NCAA Tournament.

After that, the program produced an Olympian (Tom Henderson), two dynamic Carters (Reggie and Anthony), a “Helicopter” (Erin Galloway), a “Real Deal” (Trevor Ruffin), and a player who answered to “Savo.”

After missing two free throws that forced overtime, Predrag Savovic hit six in the extra period to spark a UH victory. Asked how he can turn misses into hits, Savovic said: “I am Savo.” The next game, there were “I am Savo” signs at the four corners of the arena.

Along the way, there was head coach Riley Wallace’s coat-tossing protests; celebrated reserves George Ritter and his fans, “Ritter’s Sitters,” and Luke “Rudy” Meyers; Ruffin’s last-second shot and Tes Whitlock’s ESPY-nominated winner (he called his 3-point shot “Trey-cy”), and the bench squad known as “Hawaii Five-0” that inspired the 2016 NCAA run.

Kawika Hallums was the first to coin UH’s road upset of BYU as being “better than statehood.” Alika Smith said the stunner over then No. 2 Kansas was “better than the invention of the plate lunch.”

“Everything,” Ruffin said of what his UH career meant. “One of of the best experiences of my life, including the NBA.”

-- by Stephen Tsai

***

Celebrating 100 Seasons - Hawaii Men's Basketball's Top 10 Moments (video)

2020 NFL Draft

1/7/20 - Tua turning pro

Tua Tagovailoa and Vavae Malepeai top All-Decade Team

The argument — or debate, if emotions are left to the side — about the best offensive player of an entire decade could last a lifetime.

After all, how does a one-time state champion at quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, rate above a one-time state-champion at running back, Vavae Malepeai? If the selection for this All-Decade team is solely on leadership, the nod goes to Tagovailoa simply because QB is the man.

Over his three seasons as Saint Louis’ field general, Tagovailoa exploded with a seasoned group, then felt the weight on his shoulders as the leader as a junior, and then evolved into a new version of himself as a senior.

The statistical wow factor was still there, but the management of key situations became another part of Tagovailoa’s mastery. It was needed. In his senior year, still without a state title, Saint Louis had just begun to reassert its dominance on defense. Tagovailoa, battling injuries as the team’s leading rusher during his career, didn’t need to dominate, didn’t need to make all the big plays anymore. He still did much of the time, but scaling back and letting his maturing teammates carry more of the burden led to a Crusaders state title in the Open Division.

Malepeai was an alpha warrior as much as Tagovailoa on the gridiron. Mililani’s offense depended heavily on his durability, versatility and talent. The read-option offense gave Malepeai plenty of work. Through big games, injuries and high expectations, Malepeai continued to set the tone with his blend of power and breakaway speed.

Saint Louis had a talented group of pass catchers, a very good offensive line, but as the dynasty was reborn, offensive coordinator Ron Lee notes that it wasn’t a supremely dominant unit around Tagovailoa. At Mililani, the balance of the offense with QB McKenzie Milton — who also has a case as the All-Decade top offensive player — and WR Kalakaua Timoteo, plus a sterling O-line and plenty of depth, made the Trojans an offensive juggernaut.

Between editor/prep historian Jerry Campany, writer Billy Hull and yours truly, two of us leaned to Tagovailoa and one preferred Malepeai. Tua over Vae? That’s the call here, even if it is just by the slightest of nods.

David Stern

David Stern, the NBA commissioner during the most successful period in league history, has died, the league announced Wednesday. He was 77.

Stern died as a result of the brain hemorrhage he suffered three weeks ago. His wife, Dianne, and their family were with him at his bedside, the NBA said.

Stern was commissioner for three decades and shepherded the league into the global market. He helped expand the game on the backbone of the NBA's star players, highlighted by the Dream Team's impact at the 1992 Olympics.

The NBA itself grew under Stern. Seven teams joined the league, and six relocated. Stern also helped in the creation of the WNBA, which had its inaugural season in 1997, and the NBA Development League, now known as the G League, providing countless opportunities for players to pursue careers playing basketball in the United States that previously weren't available.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern. The WNBA will be forever grateful for his exemplary leadership and vision that led to the founding of our league," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. "His steadfast commitment to women's sports was ahead of its time and has provided countless opportunities for women and young girls who aspire to play basketball. He will be missed."

Stern's tenure overlapped with two of basketball's all-time greats, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Stern became commissioner in February 1984, the year Jordan entered the league. Stern stepped down from his post three decades later in 2014, the year after James won his second NBA title.

James paid tribute to Stern on Instagram, writing in part, "Thank you for your commitment to the beautiful game of basketball that has changed so many young adult/kids lives and more importantly your vision to make our game become WORLDWIDE was a vision only you could make happen! You did just that. Making our game the greatest sport in the world!"

Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets, echoed those sentiments.

"Without David Stern, the NBA would not be what it is today. He guided the league through turbulent times and grew the league into an international phenomenon, creating opportunities that few could have imagined before," Jordan said in a statement. "His vision and leadership provided me with the global stage that allowed me to succeed. David had a deep love for the game of basketball and demanded excellence from those around him -- and I admired him for that. I wouldn't be where I am without him. I offer my deepest sympathies to Dianne and his family."

Magic Johnson, a key member of the 1992 Dream Team, praised Stern in a series of tweets for how he responded after Johnson announced his retirement in 1991 after revealing he had HIV.

"David Stern was such a history maker. When I announced in 1991 I had HIV, people thought they could get the virus from shaking my hand," Johnson tweeted. "When David allowed me to play in the 1992 All Star Game in Orlando and then play for the Olympic Dream Team, we were able to change the world."

Larry Bird, whose on-court rivalry with Johnson helped spark the league's growth, was another member of the Dream Team who helped grow the game's popularity internationally.

"There are no words that can really describe the far-reaching impact of Commissioner Stern's brilliance, vision, fairness and hard work over so many years," Bird said in a statement. "When you think of all that he accomplished worldwide on behalf of thousands of players, so many fans, all of the jobs he created for team and arena employees and all of the people that benefited from the many layers of growth in the sport and industry that David spearheaded and then passed on to others, there is no doubt Commissioner Stern lifted the NBA to new heights and he will be greatly missed by all of us."

Stern was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Serena and LeBron named athletes of the decade

Serena Williams dominated the decade, on the court and in conversation.

There were, to begin with, the dozen Grand Slam single titles — no other woman had more than three over the past 10 seasons — and the 3 1/2 years in a row at No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

And then there was the celebrity status that transcended tennis, making everything she did and said newsworthy, whether it was the triumphs and trophies and fashion statements or the disputes with tournament officials, the magazine covers or the Super Bowl ad with a message about women's power, the birth of her daughter or the health scare that followed.

Still winning matches and reaching Grand Slam finals into her late 30s, still mattering as much as ever, Williams was selected by The Associated Press as the Female Athlete of the Decade on Saturday after a vote by AP member sports editors and AP beat writers.

***

He left Cleveland for Miami, finally became a champion, went back to his beloved northeast Ohio, delivered on another title promise, then left for the Los Angeles Lakers and the next challenge. He played in eight straight finals. No NBA player won more games or more MVP awards over the last 10 years than he did. He started a school. He married his high school sweetheart.

“That’s all?” LeBron James asked, feigning disbelief.

No, that’s not all. Those were just some highlights of the last 10 years. There were many more, as the man called “King” spent the last decade reigning over all others — with no signs of slowing down.

James is The Associated Press male athlete of the decade, adding his name to a list that includes Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky and Arnold Palmer. He was a runaway winner in a vote of AP member sports editors and AP beat writers, easily outpacing runner-up Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

2019 Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Football

12/24/19 - Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii 38, BYU 34
12/7/19 - Mountain West Championship: Hawaii 10, Boise State 31
11/30/19 - Hawaii 52, Army 31
11/29/19 - Photographer shoved to the ground by Rolovich
11/23/19 - Hawaii 14, San Diego State 11, Hawaii wins Mountain West West
11/16/19 - Hawaii 21, UNLV 7
11/11/19 - Cordeiro named Mountain West offensive player of the week
11/9/19 -  Hawaii outshoots San Jose State 42-40
11/2/19 - Fresno State comes back to beat Hawaii 41-38
10/26/19 - Hawaii races past New Mexico 45-31
10/22/19 - Melquise Stovall kicked off team
10/19/19 - Air Force runs away from Hawaii 56-26
10/12/19 - Hawaii 37, Boise State 59
9/28/19 - Hawaii dominates Nevada 54-3
9/21/19 - Central Arkansas 16, Hawaii 35 (highlights)
9/14/19 - Hawaii 20, Washington 52
9/7/19 - Oregon State 28, Hawaii 31
9/5/19 - Warrior replacements have outperformed
8/24/19 - Arizona 38, Hawaii 45
8/23/19 - Ferd Lewis predicts 7-6
8/23/19 - Ryan Meskell seeks the perfect balance
8/23/19 - Ro Farris was ready to sign
8/23/19 - Jeremiah Pritchard's cultural journey
8/23/19  - Kaimana Padello turns the corner
8/23/19 - Solo Vaipalu was good early
8/23/19 - Fred Holly was a little rebellious
8/23/19 - JoJo Ward knew the route
8/23/19 - Chevan Cordeiro has the dog in him
8/23/19 - Cole MacDonald is there to help
8/20/19 - University of Hawaii television schedule
7/23/19 - Kaimana Padello is the ambassador
7/23/19 - MWC Media Day - Hawaii media guide released
7/23/19 - Hawaii picked for fourth in MWC West
7/21/19 - Cole McDonald's tattoo / position-by-position preview
5/24/19 - It could be Hawaii vs. BYU on Christmas Eve
5/11/19 - Mark Blocker, Lawndale (California), joining Hawaii's team
4/12/19 - Eliki Tanuvasa granted hardship waiver and will be allowed to play for Hawaii
4/8/19 - Nalu Ferguson, DB (Kahuku) signs with Hawaii
4/5/19 - Former coaches attend practice
3/29/19 - Spring practice: five storylines
3/26/19 - Spring ball: position-by-position
3/19/19 - Shawn "Kamali'i" Akina headed to Hawaii
2/6/19 - Signing Day / Rolovich comments / the second wave
2/5/19 - Hawaii has a challenging 2019 schedule
2/5/19 - Tavion Allen, DB (Scottsdale CC), Djuan Matthews, DL (Blinn College) to sign with Hawaii
1/31/19 - Caden Hilborn, DL/OL (Highland High, Salt Lake City, Utah) commits to Hawaii
1/18/19 - Boone Abbott, QB (American Fork High, Utah), accepts offer from Hawaii
1/15/19 - Grey Ihu (Pac-Five) joins Warriors
1/13/19 - Chance Kalaugher will switch from basketball to football
1/11/19 - Parker Higgins (Kaiser) transfers to Hawaii from Arizona State
1/9/19 - Rolovich agrees to two-year contract extension
1/6/19 - Eliki Tanuvasa (Saint Louis) comes home
1/2/19 - Moussa leaving for Junior College
12/31/18 - Warriors looking ahead

2019 High School Football

12/22/19 - de Laura and Herbig top All-State team (see section W of print replica)
12/19/19 - Signing Day: Jayden de Laura (Washington State), Alaka'i Gilman (Stanford), Faaope Laloulu (Oregon), Jordan Botelho (Notre Dame), Nick Herbig (Wisconsin), Roman Wilson (Michigan)
12/3/19 - St. Louis to play in GEICO State Champions Bowl Series in Las Vegas
11/29/19 - St. Louis downs Kahuku 45-6 to win fourth consecutive state title
11/1/19 - no. 1 St. Louis holds off no. 2 Punahou 21-14 to win ILH championship
10/26/19 - Kahuku knocks off Mililani 7-3 to win OIA Open title
10/11/19 - no. 2 Punahou 3, no. 3 Mililani 0
9/28/19 - no. 5 Campbell held off by no. 2 Punahou 21-31

9/27/19 -  no. 1 St. Louis pulls away from no. 3 Mililani 54-21

9/21/19 - Mililani overpowered by St. John Bosco 10-42
9/20/19 - no. 1 St. Louis gets by no. 2 Punahou 25-19
8/30/19 - St. Louis defeats Bishop Gorman 31-19 at Aloha Stadium
8/30/19 - Mililani comes back to beat Liberty (Nevada) 34-22
8/9/19 - no. 3 Campbell falls to no. 4 Mililani 26-30 as Malosi Sam runs for 259 yards in 43 attempts
8/2/19 - St. Louis reloads
8/1/19 - Despite exodus, Punahou still has talent
7/31/19 - Campbell is a machine on offense
7/30/19 - Mililani has a tough schedule
7/28/19 - Kamehameha is going to play fast-break football
7/29/19 - Kahuku hoping to stay healthy
7/27./19 - Waipahu continues to ascend
7/26/19 - Lahainaluna endure change at top
7/25/19 - Hilo ready to make another title run
7/24/19 - Iolani aims to be special
7/23/19 - St. Louis ranked no. 11 in MaxPreps poll
3/7/19 - St. Louis to play Bishop Gorman at inaugural Aloha Football Classic

Russia banned from Olympics

LAUSANNE/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia was banned from the world’s top sporting events for four years on Monday, including the next summer and winter Olympics and the 2022 soccer World Cup, for tampering with doping tests.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) executive committee acted after concluding that Moscow had planted fake evidence and deleted files linked to positive doping tests in laboratory data that could have helped identify drug cheats.

The decision was a huge blow to the pride of a nation that has traditionally been a powerhouse in many sports but whose reputation has been tarnished by a series of doping scandals.

“For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport,” WADA President Craig Reedie said after a meeting of WADA’s executive committee in the Swiss city of Lausanne.

He said in a statement Russia’s actions had demanded a robust response and added: “That is exactly what has been delivered today.”

NBA player heights: then and now

Not sure it counts as trivia, but a fact that would surprise most fans is that many of today's star players are nowhere near as big as they claim to be. Modern players frequently add more than 2 inches to their actual height. In addition, players from the 1960s and 1970s are much bigger than you've been led to believe. Players from those eras frequently have their heights and weights listed at less than what they actually were.

Players from the past were measured in their bare feet and rounded down. Players from the modern era are measured in their shoes and rounded up, if they're measured at all. Players from the past preferred to be thought of as shorter than they actually were so that they'd get credit for their basketball talent, not just for being tall. Players from the modern era, want to appear to be as tall as they can. It makes them seem more imposing, which translates into more money!

Here are a few examples.

***

And where's that photo of Yao next to Shaq, Kareem, Ralph Sampson?

Here it is.  Well I guess it was Ralph Sampson, Dwight Howard, Hakeem, and Elvin Hayes (all Rockets).

Here's Yao vs. Shaq.  The first photo has him look much taller than Shaq.  The older photos less so.

Ah, I see I posted on this six years ago, but now all the links are dead.

O.J. Simpson, Jim Brown, Walter Payton on NFL All-Time team

Jim Brown and Walter Payton are unanimous choices at running back for the NFL’s All-Time Team.

As part of its celebration of its centennial season, the league announced Friday night the first portion of the squad. A 26-member panel is selecting the team.

Also chosen were two coaches, Paul Brown and Bill Belichick. Eight more coaches will be selected over the next month.  [umm... Vince Lombardi anyone?]

Joining Brown and Payton in the backfield are fellow Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith, the career rushing leader; Marion Motley; Barry Sanders; Steve Van Buren; Gale Sayers; Earl Campbell; Lenny Moore; O.J. Simpson; Eric Dickerson; and Dutch Clark.

“It is cool to be with the legend himself,” Smith said of joining Brown on the squad. “The man who inspired so many other players to come from behind him. He paved the way for many of us, his passing the torch to Walter and so many others. He set the standard pretty high.”

One hundred players will make the team.

2019-2020 NBA Preview

Stephen Curry knew roster change was inevitable.

That being said, Curry and the Golden State Warriors aren't changing their expectations.

The five-time defending Western Conference champions aren't the popular pick to represent their side of the league in this season's NBA Finals, understandable after losing the likes of Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala. But Curry said the Warriors will strive to remain what they've been during the last half-decade — "a team that's feared across the league."

"Look at every era of basketball," Curry said. "For a team to sustain this type of level of play and this greatness, it doesn't happen that often. And when you need to retool, it may look different, but the great teams, great players figure it out as they go."

Thing is, there are so many great players — and potentially great teams — in the West this season.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the prohibitive favorite to win the NBA title, at least according to oddsmakers in Las Vegas, after landing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Los Angeles Lakers still have LeBron James, and added Anthony Davis. Houston reunited James Harden with Russell Westbrook. Denver and Utah bring back strong cores. Portland might have the league's best backcourt.

"You just can't take it for granted," Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said. "It's really, really hard to win games in the NBA, especially the Western Conference, the way it is now."

Maybe harder than ever.

"We want to maintain the culture that we've built, but we want to make sure our players are put in the best position to succeed, and the last four years we pretty much knew exactly what that meant," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We don't really know what it means this year. That's why we have a lot of work ahead, but it's exciting. I'm looking forward to it."

Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said the West will be great for fans and the league — not so much for coaches, players and owners.

"Somebody is probably going to come in ninth and get fired when they shouldn't because they did a great job," D'Antoni said. "But that's the way it is."

A look at the West, in predicted order of regular-season finish:

Playoff Bound

1. Denver — The team few are talking about, for puzzling reasons. They're young, they already know how to win and the Nuggets' win total has risen in each of coach Michael Malone's first four seasons there. No reason to think that won't continue.

2. Houston — Harden is entering his 11th season. Westbrook is entering his 12th. D'Antoni is entering the last year of his contract. It sure seems like title-or-bust time in Houston, and the wide-open West could be for their taking.

3. L.A. Clippers — When George gets back from his recovery from shoulder surgeries to join Leonard on the new-look Clippers, this is going to be a team with frightening potential on defense. They'll peak toward the end, and could win it all.

4. L.A. Lakers — This is absolutely not to say they're the fourth-best team in the West. LeBron James knows it's all about April, May and June, and he certainly isn't going to care where the Lakers are seeded as long as they're in the playoffs.

5. Utah — Donovan Mitchell is just starting to come into his own, Rudy Gobert is still the defensive player of the year and Joe Ingles is better than people realize. The addition of Bojan Bogdanovic was big, as was adding Mike Conley — if healthy.

6. Golden State — The five-time defending West champs lost Durant, Iguodala and Shaun Livingston — plus won't have Klay Thompson for most of the season. But the Warriors still have Curry. Relax. They'll be fine.

7. Portland — This is way too low, but that's life in the West right now. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are elite, Terry Stotts is underrated and don't be surprised if the Blazers tweak the roster after Jusuf Nurkic returns to take a title shot.

8. San Antonio — LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan lead a team that features a young core of Lonnie Walker IV, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White. Oh, and Gregg Popovich is still there. Count the Spurs out at your own risk.

In the Mix

9. Dallas — Dirk Nowitzki is gone, but the new star-duo pairing of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis has enormous potential. The Mavs haven't won a playoff series since the 2011 NBA Finals, but this season will see them get closer.

10. Minnesota — Ryan Saunders' first full season will lead to improvement, but even a five-game leap to .500 won't get it done as far as a West playoff berth this season. But if Karl-Anthony Towns plays 82 games at his potential, who knows?

11. Sacramento — Rick Adelman took the Kings to their last playoff appearance in 2006. Luke Walton is the team's 10th different coach since; he has Harrison Barnes, De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley and Buddy Hield, yet still faces a tall task.

12. New Orleans — Zion Williamson's knee is already a concern, not a good sign for the No. 1 overall pick. Lonzo Ball's shot is better and J.J. Redick has never missed a postseason. But if Williamson isn't full-go, it may be tough sledding for New Orleans.

Facing Long Odds

13. Oklahoma City — There is a lot of talent on this team: Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams. If all goes right, the Thunder will contend for a spot. Or will they make more trades and collect more picks?

14. Phoenix — Devin Booker is entering his prime. But the Suns have averaged 22 wins during the last four seasons, are on their fourth coach — Monty Williams — in a span of 24 months and still seem overmatched in the loaded West.

15. Memphis — The Grizzlies' first-round pick in 2020 is top-six protected or else it conveys to Boston. The Celtics might not want to plan on getting this one. This year's goal for the Grizzlies? Simple: Get Ja Morant settled into his new job.

Other Things of Note

Leonard has a chance to win a ring with a third different team if the Clippers win the title. James and Danny Green would do the same if the Lakers win it all. The only players to win a championship with three different franchises: John Salley and Robert Horry.

San Antonio is bidding for a 23rd consecutive playoff appearance, which would give the Spurs outright possession of the NBA record. They're currently tied with Philadelphia with 22 straight playoff trips (the 76ers' franchise did it from 1950-71, that span starting when they were the Syracuse Nationals).

The league's general managers have wildly different views on which team will win the West. In NBA.com's annual preseason polling of GMs, six different West teams — the Clippers, the Lakers, Golden State, Houston, Denver and Portland — got at least one vote as the conference's best.

James has 993 games of 20 or more points, third-most in NBA history. When he gets to 1,000 of those, he'll be the last to hit that milestone for many years. Durant may be the next; he's got 720.

With Harden and Westbrook, Houston becomes the sixth team to have two players who each won an MVP in the last three seasons. Of the other five, four — the 1959 and 1960 Boston Celtics, the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers and the 2017 Golden State Warriors — won an NBA title. The other was the 1984 76ers.

***

OCTOBER 18, 2019 AT 10:59 PM

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, left, drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves' Robert Covington during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks were a couple wins from beating Toronto. The Philadelphia 76ers were maybe a couple bounces from doing it a round earlier.

Neither team was good enough to finish the job last season, but both think this is their time after Kawhi Leonard went back to the Western Conference.

That left the NBA champions weakened and the Bucks and 76ers looking like the favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals — where perhaps they’d have to deal with Leonard again.

The Bucks appeared headed there in 2018-19, right up until midway through the East finals. Milwaukee had the league’s best record at 60-22, with Antetokounmpo eventually winning MVP and Mike Budenholzer the Coach of the Year. But the Bucks couldn’t get another victory after taking a 2-0 lead over the Raptors, who won the next four games to reach the finals.

The Bucks think they addressed some of their weaknesses and are ready to take another run at it.

“I think everybody on this team wants to show that last year wasn’t just, you know, a year by accident that we just won 60 games,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think we had a great team. We got better but obviously there’s going to be a lot of teams that expect us. They know us now and they’re going to play hard.”

It took Leonard’s shot that bounced on the rim four times before falling in at the buzzer in Game 7 to knock out Philadelphia in the second round. The 76ers come back with Al Horford and Josh Richardson but without Jimmy Butler or JJ Redick, hoping they’ve given coach Brett Brown the right mix around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

“We know what the expectations are and we embrace it. It’s not just Brett, it’s all of us,” general manager Elton Brand said. “We’re in that position now where just getting to the first round, getting to the second round, those expectations are gone. We’re expected to win big and we embrace it.”

Leonard went to the Los Angeles Clippers but the Raptors still have Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam in their frontcourt that finally slowed down Antetokounmpo. He knows there will be many more teams gearing up to do the same starting next week.

“We’ve just got to be ready,” he said. “They’re not going to give us nothing. We’ve got to go out there and take everything that we want and we’ve got to earn everything that we’ve got to earn this year.”

A look at the East, in predicted order of finish:

PLAYOFF BOUND

1. Milwaukee — By bringing in Kyle Korver and Wes Matthews, the Bucks have surrounded Antetokounmpo with even more shooting to space the floor.

2. Philadelphia — Having Horford in Philadelphia removes one possible defender against Embiid.

3. Toronto — Gasol, Siakam and Serge Ibaka still make up an imposing frontcourt even without Leonard.

4. Boston — With Kemba Walker now in Kyrie Irving’s former spot, the Celtics should have better chemistry even with a little less talent.

5. Brooklyn — No Kevin Durant yet, but enough pieces around newcomer Irving to reach the postseason again.

6. Orlando — Magic hope to pick up where they left off after a strong finish in 2018-19.

7. Indiana — Will get Victor Oladipo back at some point, but losing Bojan Bogdanovic will hurt.

8. Miami — Couldn’t make a final playoff appearance in Dwyane Wade’s last season in South Florida but could in Jimmy Butler’s first.

___

IN THE MIX

9. Detroit — Need to come up with enough shooting from the backcourt to complement Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin in the frontcourt.

10. Atlanta — Hawks putting together good young core around one old player: 42-year-old Vince Carter.

11. New York — Couldn’t get any of the top free agents but signed enough veterans to improve last season’s NBA-worst team.

___

FACING LONG ODDS

12. Chicago — Bulls think they can make a leap but there’s a long way to go after losing 60 games last season.

13. Washington — Bradley Beal should put up big numbers — unless the Wizards trade him — but they won’t often lead to wins.

14. Cleveland — The development of Darius Garland could be key to John Beilein’s transition to life as an NBA coach.

15. Charlotte — Kemba Walker is gone and there’s not much talent left behind in Charlotte.

___

WHAT TO KNOW

Jumping Off Point

The deciding factor in the East could be how much either Antetokounmpo or Simmons improves from the perimeter. Both have relied on their ability to get to the basket to overcome a weak jump shot, but both worked on their stroke over the summer and hit from 3-point range in the preseason.

Sidelined Stars

Among the injured East players missing some or possibly all of the season: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn), Victor Oladipo (Indiana) and John Wall (Washington).

Record-Setting Season

Carter re-signed with Atlanta last month and will become the first player in NBA history to play 22 seasons.

Back to Boston

Irving originally said he planned to remain in Boston, but changed his mind and signed with Brooklyn after the Celtics’ disappointing season. His first trip back is scheduled for Nov. 27 for a nationally televised game on the night before Thanksgiving.

Make More Magic

Orlando engineered a 17-win improvement last season, tops in the NBA, to finish 42-40 and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Magic, who went 22-9 down the stretch, brought back 12 of the 17 players who appeared in a game for them in 2018-19.

***

[10/22/19] 100 bold predictions

[10/22/19] 10 bold takes

Stan Sheriff Center: Top Ten Countdown

10.  Women's basketball 1998: Vince Goo and Nani Cockett
9. Lakes brought Showtime to Hawaii
8.  Undefeated Wahine upset by Michign State on 12/8/95
2. Tes Whitlock's buzzer-bomb beats BYU
1.  Hawaii basketball upsets Kansas in 1997
The top 10 list

10/20/19 - Stan Sheriff Center an enduring testament

one foul shot

According to Zach Lowe, the NBA developmental league is experimenting with a new rule this season that could take some time off games when it comes to free throws.

Rather than having a player shoot two or three free throws, the league will instead allow players to shoot only a single free throw when fouled. That free throw will count for all of the points a player could have scored on the foul. If a player is fouled on a two-pointer, he would take one free throw for two points. These rules will be in place for most of each game but will revert back to traditional rules for the last two minutes and overtime of each game.

NBA player's heights to officially change

Marc Stein: “NBA teams were notified this week that they must certify and submit precise height and age for every play within the first week of training camp league sources tell New York Times Sports… For years some players have been listed as taller –– and some shorter –– than they really are. The league clearly wants to change that. Height will be measured with players’ shoes OFF, I’m told. Player weight will not be sought because that number fluctuates so often.”

Notable NBA insider Marc Stein, formerly of ESPN and now with the New York Times is reporting the NBA is implementing sweeping changes with how teams present the height of their players in media guides and websites, as the actual height of players has long been a running joke around the sport.

Most NBA fans believe the height listed on websites is the exact height of the player but those measurements are actually the height of the player with shoes ON and rounded up.

The age-old hoodwink has obviously been around pro and amateur sports for years, with players often getting one or two inches and 10-15 pounds tacked onto their build. The NBA is now looking to stop the often laughable deception.

With the average age of the league decreasing every year, you’re bound to see a handful of teenage players experiencing growth spurts as their bodies mature in the league, but some players have notably been displaying inaccurate heights for years.

Kevin Durant has been listed at 6’9” his entire career, but even Durant admits that he’s actually 7’0” tall and was using the shorter listing to not be stereotyped as a typical slow-footed and unathletic seven-foot big man.

Dallas Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea is billed at 6’0” on every media guide and website, yet Barea confessed that he’s actually 5’10”.

Allen Iverson has always been listed at 6’0” as well, even though people have argued for years that he was well under six feet tall.

Look for plenty of players to be exposed when rosters are finalized in the coming weeks before the season’s late October premiere.

NBA top players 2019-2020

ESPN's list

20.  Donovan Mitchell
19.  Bradley Beal
18.  Karl-Anthony Towns
17.  Kemba Walker
16.  Luca Doncic
15.  Ben Simmons
14.  Rudy Gobert
13.  C.J. McCollum
12.  Russell Westbrook
11.  Kyrie Irving
10.  Paul George
9.  Damian Lillard
8.  Joel Embiid
7.  Nikola Jokic
6.  Stephen Curry
5.  Anthony Davis
4.  James Harden
3.  LeBron James

Which leaves Giannis and Kawhi

SI's list

20.  Kemba Walker
19.  Blake Griffin
18.  Al Horford
17.  Draymond Green
16.  LaMarcus Aldridge
15.  Kyrie Irving
14.  Rudy Gobert
13.  Karl-Anthony Towns
12.  Russell Westbrook
11.  Jimmy Butler
10.  Damian Lillard
9.  Paul George
8.  Nikola Jokic
7.  Joel Embiid
6.  Anthony Davis
5.  James Harden
4.  Stephen Curry
3.  LeBron James
2.  Kawhi Leonard
1.  Giannis Antetokounmpo

Hugh Yoshida and Bob Nash named to Circle of Honor

HONOLULU – The Class of 2019 of the University of Hawai'i Sports Circle of Honor was officially enshrined at the third annual Green & White Celebration, Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center. The 37th class included national champion diver Emma Friesen, basketball great Bob Nash, former Athletics Director Hugh Yoshida, and longtime booster Carolyn Berry Wilson.

The plaques of this year's four inductees are among the 123 individuals and 12 teams anchored on the inner walls surrounding the main concourse of the Stan Sheriff Center. Friesen is only the second diver to be enshrined while Nash is the 13th basketball player but the only one to have played and coached for the Rainbow Warriors. Yoshida is the ninth Athletics Director to be inducted.

Attendees sampled food from various restaurants including 12th Avenue Grill, Da Spot, Holoholo Grill, Liliha Bakery, Sodexo, Karai Crab, Tikis Grill & Bar, and Town Kaimuki. In addition a silent auction featured trips, memorabilia, and gift certificates.

The event raised money for UH student-athlete success initiatives including cost of attendance, summer school and nutrition.

Brief biographies of the Circle of Honor Class of 2019 inductees are listed below:

Carolyn Berry Wilson is a successful philanthropist and passionate fan for UH men's basketball. She was instrumental in organizing UH Athletics' first $1 million endowment campaign to support men's basketball undergraduate and graduate scholarships and became a member of the University's Founder Club through her generous giving. The 2008 Charlie Ushijima Award winner also served on the board of 'Ahahui Koa Ānuenue, the school's primary fundraising organization, the UH Men's Basketball Booster Club and the UH Mānoa Chancellor's Advisory Council. In addition, the West Virginia native is also heavily involved in the local community serving on numerous boards including the Honolulu Symphony, Diamond Head Theater, and Chaminade University to name a few.

Emma Friesen won the 2008 NCAA Championship in the 1-meter diving event and was a four-time All-American, arguably the most decorated diver in program history She was also a six-time NCAA qualifier and four-time Western Athletic Conference champion in the 1-meters and two-time champion in the 3-meters. The Canadian was a two-time recipient of the Joe Kearney Award (2008 & 2011), given to the top female athlete in the WAC, and two-time WAC Diver of the Year. In 2008, she was one of three NCAA Diver of the Year recipients. The 2011 Jack Bonham Award winner is the UH record holder in the 1-meter event.

Hugh Yoshida became the first Athletics Director of Japanese-American descent in Division I athletics and spent nearly a decade as AD from 1993-2002. During his tenure, he was responsible for expanding the number of sports programs from 16 to 19; doubling the department's operating budget to $17 million; and spearheading the development of a six-year gender equity plan. In addition, he was instrumental in the funding of the Nagatani Academic Center while outsourcing the department's academic services to the College of Arts and Sciences, both of which saw the immediate rise in academic success of UH's student-athletes. His vision to expand the University's reach through television and radio resulted in the school's first million-dollar radio contract and expansive TV coverage throughout the country. Numerous facility upgrades were completed under his supervision including the completion of the Stan Sheriff Center and Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Bob Nash dedicated 31 years of his life to the Hawai'i men's basketball program, including two as a member of the famed "Fabulous Five" of the 1970s. He was named to numerous All-American teams and helped lead UH to its first NIT (1971) and NCAA Tournament (1972) appearances. Following his career, he was selected ninth overall in the 1972 NBA Draft, the highest UH draft pick in program history at the time. He held school records for rebounds in a game (30) and in a season (361) and averaged a double-double for his career (16.8 ppg and 13.6 rpg). Following his professional playing career, he spent 26 years as an assistant to coaches Larry Little, Frank Arnold, and Riley Wallace and three years as head coach (2007-10).

the New Aloha Stadium

[9/12/19]  Having the new Aloha Stadium ready for a 2023 football season opening is “eminently do-able, sensible and economical,” said the head of the company overseeing the project for the state.

In his first public comments on the planning for the facility, Stacey Jones, owner and a senior principal of Kansas City-based Crawford Architects, said, “What we’re allowing is a design and construction period of somewhere a little less than three years which, in our experience, is ample time to deliver the stadium plus whatever constitutes the first phase of development …”

Jones said, “I mean, there is an imperative, right, to get out of this old stadium as quickly as possible without being hasty about it. It doesn’t exactly fulfill the customer satisfaction requirements it did when it was built back in (1975). It has ongoing deferred maintenance problems and issues that are expensive to address and is getting more expensive. The longer it takes to build the new stadium the more expensive it becomes because of inflation and other demands.”

Aloha Stadium opened in 1975 but the price tag on remediation of rust and other issues has run several times the initial $37 million cost.

[9/9/19] Three preliminary options for the new Aloha Stadium

NFL deals 2019

9/17/19 - Giants replacing Eli Manning with rookie Daniel Jones as starter
9/7/19 - Antonio Brown signs with Patriots after being cut by Raiders
8/24/19 - Andrew Luck retires
4/27/19 - After drafting Kyler Murray, Arizona trades Josh Rosen to Miami for fiftth round pick
3/29/19 - Bears trade Jordan Howard to Eagles
3/19/19 - Bortles to sign with Rams
3/18/19 - Miami signs Ryan Fitzpatrick for two years, $11 million plus incentives (after trading Tannehill to Tennessee)
3/13/19 - Le'Veon Bell signs with Jets for four years, $52.5 million
3/13/19 - Jacksonville releases Bortles after signing Foles for four years, $88 million
3/12/19 - Giants trade Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland for first round pick, third round pick, and Jabrill Peppers
3/10/19 - Pittsburgh trades Antonio Brown to Oakland for third round and fifth round picks
3/7/19 - Denver trading Case Keenum to Washington
2/15/19 - Kaepernick and Reid reach settlement with NFL
2/14/19 - Kyler Murray draft projections
2/13/19 - Baltimore to trade Flacco to Denver for fourth round pick
2/11/19 - Browns sign Kareem Hunt
2/11/19 - Kyler Murray picking NFL over baseball
2/5/19 - Bengals hire Zac Taylor (Rams QB coach) as head coach
2/4/19 - Dolphins expected to announce Brian Flores (New England LB coach) as head coach
1/9/19 - Jets to hire Adam Gase as head coach
1/9/19 - Broncos hire Vic Fangio as new head coach
1/9/19 - Browns hire Freddie Kitchens as new head coach
1/8/19 - Bruce Arians comes out or retirement to coach Tampa Bay (replacing Dirk Koetter)
1/8/19 - Arizona hires Kliff Kingsbury as head coach (replacing Steve Wilks)

Michael Lorenzen and Babe Ruth

There have been two players in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run, play center field and earn the win as a pitcher in the same game. Babe Ruth was the first on June 13, 1921.

The Cincinnati Reds' Michael Lorenzen added his name to the list Wednesday, 98 years after Ruth set the standard for two-way players.

Lorenzen smacked his first homer of the season on a first-pitch cutter from Philadelphia Phillies reliever Blake Parker in the eighth inning, a two-run blast that sealed an 8-5 win at Great American Ball Park.

"It’s a fun stat," Lorenzen said. "I’ll have to ask, see what kind of contract Babe Ruth would’ve gotten in today’s game and take that to the Reds."

BJ Penn won't fight again (in the UFC)

UFC president Dana White told ESPN today that former two-division world champion and UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn will not compete again in the UFC.

White had previously agreed to let Penn, who is on a seven-fight losing streak, face Nik Lentz at an event later this year, but that is no longer happening.

“He won’t fight again, that’s it,” White told ESPN. “After what I saw in that video, BJ needs to, you know, he needs to focus on his personal life before he thinks about fighting.”

White is referring to recent video posted by TMZ in which Penn is shown getting into a street fight on the Big Island and getting knocked out.

Penn has also been caught on video fighting outside of a strip club on Oahu recently.

Minnesota sets homerun record

Of all the home run records that have or will soon fall in 2019, this might be the biggest.

The Minnesota Twins broke Major League Baseball's single-season home run record during Saturday’s 10-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Nelson Cruz was responsible for tying the record. His eighth-inning solo blast was No. 267 for Minnesota, which equaled the 2018 New York Yankees.

In addition to breaking the league record, the Twins are also on pace to go where no one thought an MLB team could possibly go.

Entering play on Saturday, they were on pace to slug an astounding 317 home runs this season.

With Major League Baseball hitters poised to surpass the collective home run record of 6,104 set in 2017, it's no real surprise that the team record has been eclipsed.

Miocic reclaims belt from Cormier

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Stipe Miocic waited over a year to face Daniel Cormier again, and his plan for the rematch didn't start to work until they were deep in the fourth round.

That's when the patient, determined firefighter from Cleveland finally got his revenge -- and suddenly reclaimed his UFC heavyweight title.

Miocic stopped Cormier with a barrage of punches in the fourth, taking back his championship belt with a comeback victory at UFC 241 on Saturday night.

Miocic (19-3) lost the first two rounds on every judge's scorecard in his rematch with the 40-year-old Cormier (22-2). After making some progress in the third, Miocic steadily came forward through Cormier's blows in the fourth and finally hurt the champion with a punch to the body.

Miocic then landed several powerhouse right hands to Cormier's head, buckling his knees and eventually forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight with 51 seconds left in the fourth round. The 6-foot-5 behemoth leaped onto the wall of the cage and celebrated with fans still stunned by the fight's sudden turn.

"I saw some weakness in that third round," Miocic said. "And then in that fourth round, I caught him with that right hand. Thank God, because he's tough."

Miocic reigned as the UFC's heavyweight champion for 26 months, and he defended his belt a UFC-record three consecutive times before Cormier dethroned him in July 2018 with a first-round stoppage victory. Despite Cormier's decisive victory, Miocic campaigned for a rematch and eventually received it when Cormier said he "deserved it."

Cormier's quick hands were the difference early in the rematch. The 5-foot-11 Cormier also picked up his much larger opponent and slammed him onto the canvas during the first round, showing off the elite athleticism lurking in his dad bod.

"He got hit with everything but the kitchen sink, and he managed to stay in the fight," UFC President Dana White said of Miocic.

Aloha Stadium top 10 memories

When the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys meet on Saturday, it will be nearly 43 years to the day since the only other time NFL teams played a preseason game at Aloha Stadium. A crowd of 36,364 showed up on Aug. 21, 1976 to see the 49ers edge the Chargers 17-16.

When tickets quickly sold out for this Saturday’s exhibition, it seemed a good time to rank the biggest games in the history of Aloha Stadium, which has been open since 1975. So the Star-Advertiser sports staff voted on the most memorable sports events ever staged at the 50,000-seat Halawa facility.

Not surprisingly, seven of the top 10 are University of Hawaii football games. Just one of the top 10 — the Major League Baseball series between the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals — is not a football game.

More than half of the voters chose UH’s victory over Washington to cap the 2007 undefeated regular season as No. 1. That game had importance (the win put the Warriors in the Sugar Bowl) and drama (Ryan Mouton’s last-minute interception sealed a comeback victory).

“It was surreal, and honestly if it weren’t for Gerard Lewis tipping the pass I wouldn’t have been able to make a play on the ball.” said Mouton, who grew up in Texas as a Cowboys fan. “Being able to have that sellout crowd and have them behind us the entire game as we completed the comeback is one of the best feelings ever. I can still hear the roar of the fans and I have this picture that I keep of all the fans cheering and raising their hands after I caught that interception.”

1. PERFECTION

Dec. 1, 2007 (49,566)

Hawaii 35, Washington 28

It was a fitting end to Hawaii’s 2007 football season. As they had four times earlier in the season, the Warriors fell behind early or had to come back late. This time, the Huskies — UH’s only regular-season opponent from a major conference — took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. But Colt Brennan, who would finish third in the Heisman Trophy voting, threw five touchdown passes, four to Jason Rivers. The fifth was to Ryan Grice-Mullins with 44 seconds left.

Washington then got to the Hawaii 4. But after Solomon Elimimian stopped Jake Locker for a 2-yard loss, Ryan Mouton intercepted Locker’s pass in the end zone with three seconds left.

The victory propelled Hawaii — the only unbeaten Division I (FBS) team — to its first and to this date only New Year’s Day bowl game

2. FINALLY

Oct. 28, 1989 (46,841)

Hawaii 56, BYU 14

More than a decade of futility against the Cougars ended emphatically. The Rainbows scored on their first five possessions, with Garrett Gabriel completing 14 of his first 15 passes.

Gabriel threw for a then-school-record 440 yards, and Chris Roscoe caught eight passes for 158 yards as UH deviated from its usual flexbone running offense.

“We knew how the defense was going to line up and it was nothing tricky,” Gabriel said.

Hawaii amassed 622 yards against BYU, which had won the previous 10 meetings of the Western Athletic Conference teams.

“We could have scored 70 points tonight,” said UH safety Walter Briggs, who intercepted two Ty Detmer passes.

5. BCS BUSTER

Dec. 8, 2001 (46,958)

Hawaii 72, BYU 45

Both teams came into this game feeling disrespected — BYU because it was undefeated and feeling left out of the BCS picture, the Warriors because BYU seemed to be looking past them. Plus, UH was 8-3 and shut out of the bowl picture completely.

Hawaii was much, much better at proving its point. Nick Rolovich continued his torrid late-season run, throwing eight touchdown passes to total 20 in his last three games. Freshman Chad Owens ran wild, returning both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, and totaling an NCAA-record 342 return yards.

Pisa Tinoisamoa’s crushing goal-line tackle of quarterback Brandon Doman as the first half ended with Hawaii leading 31-10 deflated BYU’s hopes for a comeback. When Craig Stutzmann punted the pigskin into the stands after his TD reception made it 52-24, there was really no need to put another ball in play — even with nearly 19 minutes left.

The fact that a sizzling Hawaii team with a 9-3 record had no bowl in which to play led to the creation of the Hawaii Bowl.

2019-2020 University of Hawaii basketball

8/8/19 - Ahmed Ali to transfer to Hawaii from Washington State

Jimo (aka Jimmer)

[1/30/17] Jimmer Fredette is a sensation again. He hadn’t expected this to happen, certainly not in Shanghai, where he signed to play for one of the Chinese Basketball Association’s worst teams. But then came the 40-point nights, Shanghai’s unexpected rise from the bottom to the top and another group of fans halfway around the world was chanting his name.

“Jimo. Jimo. Jimo.”

There is no Chinese way to say “Jimmer,” his translator told him. They are using the word that sounds closest.

It means “lonely,” the translator added.

At first, Fredette was disappointed.

“I thought, ‘Lonely? That’s kind of depressing,’ ” he told The Vertical.

But the translator went on to explain that the conversion from Mandarin to English is not perfect, that the fans were not chanting “lonely” but rather something like “loneliness master” or “loneliness god.” They were saying he stood at such a high level, alone at the top, that he had no enemies. He was, in a sense, the very best.

It shouldn’t be a shock that he has become a sensation in Shanghai, averaging a league-leading 37 points per game. His story in America was always larger-than-life. Why wouldn’t it be the same in China? While he is hardly the first NBA player to go there and score lots of points, he is one of the few who has made a difference in his city. He has done more than make baskets. He has helped turn one of the CBA’s worst teams into the best. And many must have wondered if that were possible.

The Shanghai Sharks have not been good for a long time, making the playoffs just three times since winning the league in 2002. Last season, they finished in a three-way tie for 10th in a 20-team league. Financial problems almost drove them out of business in 2009, surviving only when Yao Ming stepped in to run the franchise. That the Sharks are now 25-6 and tied for first with only a handful of games left in the regular season is something of a miracle. A big reason for that turnaround is Fredette.

*** [3/16/17 posted]

Jimmer named MVP in China / what now?

*** [11/9/17]

Jimmer is averaging 38.6 in China (good for third place)

*** 6/1/18

Jimmer would love another chance at the NBA (after another year in China)

[7/10/19] Jimmer's NBA career begins and ends in Sacramento

[7/10/19] Jimmer signs two-year contract with Greek team Panathinaikos

Yankees sign The Martian

In the tight-knit world of baseball in the Dominican Republic, the legend of the kid spread quickly. He was a switch-hitter with world-class speed, an arm nobody would challenge and the body of a man. Someone called him El Marciano, and the nickname stuck. The Martian, it meant. Because there was no way he was from this world.

The praise for Jasson Dominguez started when he was barely a teenager, and it abounds still. And come this Tuesday, when he is expected to formalize a deal with the New York Yankees that includes a $5 million signing bonus, the 16-year-old center fielder instantaneously will become the most fascinating prospect for the game's most storied team, his debut next year eagerly anticipated by those who haven't seen him as well as by those who have.

Michelle Wie taking the rest of the year off

JUPITER, Fla. >> Michelle Wie says she’ll take a break for the rest of the year to try to get healthy.

Wie had surgery on her right hand in October and tried to return in February, completing one tournament. She sat out a month and returned to the LPGA Tour’s first major and to her hometown event in Hawaii, both times missing the cut. After withdrawing from the U.S. Women’s Open, the 29-year-old Wie played in the Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National and shot rounds of 84-82.

In a tweet today, Wie says, “After doing everything I could to play this year, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off from competitive golf.” She says that will be her best chance to “finally get healthy.”

2018-19 Hawai‘i Athletics Season In Review

The 2018-19 University of Hawai'i athletics season featured success from its student-athletes and teams both on the playing field and in the classroom. The year was highlighted by seven team and nine individual postseason appearances.

Post-season appearances (Team):

The Rainbow Warrior football team qualified for the 2018 SoFi Hawaiʻi Bowl, its 12th all-time bowl appearance and second in three seasons under head coach Nick Rolovich.

The women's volleyball team earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament for their 37th overall and 26th consecutive appearance.

The Rainbow Wahine basketball team received an automatic bid into the Women's National Invitation Tournament after finishing as the Big West runner-up in the conference tournament.

The beach volleyball team became one of just five teams to appear in all four NCAA tournaments.

The coed sailing team advanced to its sixth ICSA Coed National Championships in the last seven years. It was UH's 18th all-time bid into the national championship.

The women's water polo team earned the Big West's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament after winning the BWC Tournament. It marked the program's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2015.

The men's volleyball team earned the Big West's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament after capturing the 2019 BWC title. It was the Rainbow Warriors sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, and third in the last five years.

[and more]

NBA Awards 2018-2019

The NBA’s elite turned up in Los Angeles to see Shaquille O’Neal rap and the NBA’s major awards handed out, capping off a wild year in the league.

Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert (over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George)

Coach of the Year: Mike Budenholzer (over Nick Nurse and Doc Rivers)

Sixth Man of the Year: Lou Williams (over Montrezl Harrell and Domantas Sabonis)

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam (over D'Angelo Russell, De'Aron Fox, Derrick Rose)

Rookie of the Year: Luca Doncic (over Trae Young and Deandre Ayton)

where's the rest?

Most Valuable Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo (over Paul George, James Harden)

***

jaw-dropping moments

NBA Mock Draft 2019

6/20/19 - NBC mock draft 7.0

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

7.  Chicago - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
13. Miami - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
14. Boston - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

6/19/19 - Yahoo mock draft 5.0

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
5.  Cleveland - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
6.  Phoenix - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

7.  Chicago - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
13. Miami - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
14. Boston - Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky

6/18/19 - Consensus Mock Draft

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke

9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France

10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas

11.  Minnestoa - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga / Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga
12.  Charlotte - Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga

13. Miami - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

14. Boston - Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia / Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky

6/15/19 - CBS Mock Draft (after Anthony Davis trade)

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  New Orleans - D'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt

7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina

8.  Atlanta - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France
10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnestoa - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
12.  Charlotte - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
13.  Miami - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
14.  Boston - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

6/11/19 - CBS Mock Draft

1.  New Orleans - Zion Williamson, PF, Duke
2.  Memphis - Ja Morant, PG, Murray State
3.  New York - R.J. Barrett, SF, Duke
4.  Los Angeles Lakers - Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt
5.  Cleveland - Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech
6.  Phoenix - De'Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia
7.  Chicago - Coby White, PG, North Carolina
8.  Atlanta - Cam Reddish, SF, Duke
9.  Washington - Sekou Doumbouya, PF, France
10.  Atlanta - Jaxson Hayes, C, Texas
11.  Minnesota - P.J. Washington, PF, Kentucky
12.  Charlotte - Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina
13.  Miami - Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana
14.  Boston - Brandon Clarke, PF, Gonzaga

Alika Smith to coach at Waiakea

Word got around quickly on the Big Island.

Then, Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15 guard Kelsie Imai was called in for a meeting. Imai, Keeli-Jade Smith and Bethany Honma, Waiakea’s co-captains, met with their new coach.

Imai didn’t know a thing about Alika Smith, but she’ll learn soon enough that Smith led his previous team at Kalaheo to three boys basketball state titles. Smith replaces Brandon Kauhi, who was released shortly after the girls basketball season ended in February. Waiakea finished fourth statewide after winning the BIIF.

“We’ve been bugging our AD (Tom Correa) for the longest time. He said, ‘Stop asking already.’ But we want to have a good senior year,” she said. “We found out (Tuesday).”

Even months before Smith was hired by Waiakea to coach the girls basketball program, he mentioned to a reporter that he would apply for the job. It was so unexpected, it sounded like he was kidding. Why would a state-championship coach and (almost) lifelong resident of Oahu move to another island?

Smith coached at Hawaii Hilo for one season, after his playing career at Hawaii, and before his assistant coaching gig there. The former All-State guard and All-Western Athletic Conference performer was one of two finalists for the Waiakea position.

Over the weekend, a youth coach from East Hawaii noted that Smith was a finalist. Smith was at a tournament in Hilo watching his son play for a local club team. Smith denied that he had applied then.

Word got around by Tuesday night that Waiakea had selected Smith. Smith declined to comment. On Wednesday morning, Correa said the school was not prepared to make an announcement.

Waiakea ended a title drought by winning the BIIF last season under Kauhi, who was then released from his position. The Warriors hadn’t won the league since 2008, when Konawaena emerged as the dominant program. They reached the state semifinal round in ’18 and lost in the quarterfinals in ’19.

The Warriors won state championships in ’85 and ’86. Ten of the 14 players from last season’s team will return, including Imai.

The Smith family has a legacy matched by none in father-son state titles. The late Pete Smith guided the Mustangs to crowns in 1985, ’95 and ’01 at Kalaheo. Son Alika went 24-4 in one season at Punahou, then guided Kalaheo to a Division II title in ’12, and then the Mustangs took the ’13 state championship with a 60-54 overtime win over Maryknoll.

Two years later, the Mustangs edged ‘Iolani 53-45 for another state crown. Smith was released by Kalaheo after that season after he refused to sign a contract based loosely on the Positive Coaching Alliance principles. (PCA is a national non-profit organization which provides training workshops to coaches, parents, and administrators of schools and youth sports organizations and focuses on positive character building).

Smith has not coached in high school since.