Syracuse University men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim’s coaching career is over after 47 years, all with the Orange. The college announced his retirement Wednesday hours after the Orange lost in the ACC tournament, finishing the season 17 and 15. Boeheim had faced increasing questions about his future in recent years. The 78-year-old wouldn’t say if he planned to retire as late as Wednesday afternoon’s post-game press conference.
"Ive just been lucky to be able to coach this long," Boeheim said.
Boeheim finishes as the second-winningest coach in history, having won the 2003 national championship. His teams made 35 trips to the NCAA tournament including four Final Fours, the last in 2016. When Syracuse honored its 2003 team over the weekend, Boeheim briefly took the microphone, thanking that team for the thrill of a lifetime. Syracuse says Adrian Autry will take over as head coach.
Texas Tech coach Mark Adams, who had been suspended recently for racially insensitive comments made toward his players, resigned shortly after the Red Raiders were eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday. Second-year assistant Corey Williams led the Red Raiders in their 78-62 loss to West Virginia. The incident involving Adams occurred in a meeting with a player, who wasn’t identified, Texas Tech said Sunday in announcing his suspension. The school said the coach “was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters.”
Georgetown and coach Patrick Ewing were blown out in the first round of the Big East Tournament amid speculation that the former Hoya great's tenure as coach will soon come to an end. Ewing's Hoyas lost to Villanova 80-48 at Madison Square Garden, the site of his greatest achievements as an NBA player and Georgetown coach. Ewing, who led the Hoyas to a surprising Big East Tournament championship in 2021, fell to 75-109 in six seasons as Georgetown coach. The school has made no official decision on Ewing's future, but the Hoyas have won a combined 13 games the last two seasons.
Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and made six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics beat the Portland Trail Blazers 115-93 to snap a three-game losing streak. Tatum’s 36th game this season with 30 or more points helped the Celtics avoid their first four-game losing streak. Derrick White added 21 points and five assists. The Celtics played without big man Robert Williams for the third straight game as he recovers from a strained left hamstring. Damian Lillard scored 27 points and had eight assists to lead the Blazers, who dropped to 14-20 on the road.
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant slipped on the floor during pregame warmups and was ruled out Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of left ankle soreness.The game was supposed to be Durant’s home debut with his new team. He has played in three games since being traded to the Suns, but all were on the road. Phoenix traded for Durant and T.J. Warren in a blockbuster deal in February, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and other draft compensation to the Brooklyn Nets.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least four more games. The team made that announcement Wednesday. Police say Morant won't face charges in Colorado related to the livestreamed video in which he appeared to be displaying a gun in a strip club. The Glendale Police Department says it looked into the video streamed on Morant's Instagram channel while the two-time All-Star appearing to hold a firearm and found no proof that a crime was committed. Glendale is an enclave surrounded by the city of Denver. The video was streamed from a club early Saturday, hours after the Grizzlies played in Denver. Morant has said he will get help while he is away from the team, without elaborating what he means.
Fred VanVleet tried to take a double breath before addressing reporters. But the Toronto Raptors guard was unable to suppress his frustration with referee Ben Taylor and his crew. VanVleet was extremely critical of Taylor after the Raptors’ 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night not only for being called for a technical foul, but for the disparity in fouls and free throws. VanVleet was called for his eighth technical of the season with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter. Paul George made the free throw to put the Clippers up 65-57.
Dallas Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic says he's unsure how he injured his left thigh or how serious it might be. Doncic had to leave the Mavericks' 113-106 loss in New Orleans during the third quarter because of pain that he says was affecting his ability to run and jump. He came into the game averaging a team-leading 33.3 points and left after scoring 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Doncic says he hopes an MRI that he could undergo as early as Thursday will show that the injury is not serious and that he can recover quickly with ice and physical therapy.
WNBA
Brittney Griner’s return to the WNBA will tip off ESPN’s coverage of the league’s 27th season when the Phoenix Mercury visit the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19 — opening night. Griner missed all of last season after being arrested at an airport just outside of Moscow on drug possession charges in February 2022. She was brought home in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange in December. The Mercury’s home opener two days after the opener will also be broadcast nationally as one of 25 regular-season games that ESPN will show on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2. The New York Liberty, who added former MVPs Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart, as well as Courtney Vandersloot, this offseason will be on national television nine times. Defending champion Las Vegas will appear seven times.
OLYMPICS
A group of 42 retired Canadian Olympians are urging their country’s Olympic leaders to take a stand against Russians participating in next year’s Paris Games. In a statement, the Olympians argue that refusing Russian participation is not simply a matter of denying them a chance to compete because of their passport, it is also a rejection of the war and a recognition of the role sports plays in geopolitics. Signing the statement was a who’s-who of Canadian Olympic greats and gold medalists, including Hayley Wickenheiser, Jenn Heil, Alex Bilodeau and Beckie Scott. Russian and Belarusian athletes have been largely excluded from international competition since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February. The IOC is seeking a pathway back for those athletes.
GOLF
Tiger Woods’ girlfriend wants to nullify a nondisclosure agreement following a six-year relationship with the professional golfer. Court records show that Erica Herman filed a complaint seeking declaratory judgment on Monday in Martin County, Florida. The couple had been living together in the area just north of Palm Beach County. Woods and Herman haven't publicly announced the end of their relationship, which began in 2017. According to the complaint, a trust controlled by Woods is attempting to silence Herman with a nondisclosure agreement she signed while working as an employee of Woods. The complaint argues that the NDA should be nullified under a federal law that prohibits an NDA from being enforced when sexual assault or sexual harassment is involved.
Padraig Harrington is headed for the World Golf Hall of Fame. The three-time major champion from Ireland is part of a six-member class that was elected Wednesday. The induction will be next year at Pinehurst, North Carolina, during the U.S. Open. Two-time major champion Sandra Palmer is the only other living player who was elected. The other inductees include the late Tom Weiskopf and the late Beverly Hanson, a three-time major champion in women's golf. Johnny Farrell, known for his 1928 U.S. Open win over Bobby Jones, was elected. The panel also voted in the remaining 13 founders of the LPGA Tour. Six previously were inducted and the other seven were nominated for the ballot as a group.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC- SHOHEI OHTANI
Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani is arguably the game's best player anywhere. But in Japan, he's more than just a baseball player. He's an antidote for many in his native country. Japanese culture and politics seem more tenuous than a few decades ago. The economy is stagnant. The birthrate is among the world’s lowest. The rivalry with China is never from from people's minds. In this environment, the return of Ohtani to play for Japan in the World Baseball Classic is playing huge. As one fan puts it, his achievements “have had a positive influence on all Japanese people.”
NFL
Daniel Jones turned one decent season into a mega-money contract that raises the standard in the NFL. Once the New York Giants gave Jones a deal worth $160 million over four years — $82 million is reportedly guaranteed for the first two seasons — the price tag went up for quarterbacks around the league. Way up. If Jones can join Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and six others in the $40 million-per-year club after a breakout season in which he threw just 15 touchdown passes and ran for seven more, how much money will more accomplished QBs get paid?
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