NBA
Silver’s most pressing change is the NBA age limit
NEW YORK – Even as the NBA prepares for a draft that could be headlined by freshmen, Commissioner Adam Silver remains committed to keeping them in college.
So much so that NCAA President Mark Emmert was invited to discuss his involvement with owners.
Silver is moving cautiously on potential changes to areas such as the lottery format and playoff structure but makes it clear that raising the draft age limit to abolish the so-called “one and done” is one of his priorities.
Freshmen Jabari Parker of Duke and Andrew Wiggins of Kansas are expected to be top-five picks in June, but Silver believes teams are taking those players young because of the system in place and not because it’s their preference.
The age limit requiring American players to be 19 and a year out of high school was implemented in 2005, creating a system where players simply would go to college for a year and then declare for the draft. Silver and predecessor David Stern long have spoken about the desire to increase the limit to 20.
But no change, which would have to be discussed with the union, was made during the last round of collective bargaining in 2011.
College Basketball
Tulsa puts its faith in Haith; Missouri needs a new coach
TULSA, Okla. – Tulsa hired Frank Haith of Missouri as its men’s basketball coach Friday, landing a major-conference head coach to lead the Golden Hurricane’s transition from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference this summer.
The 48-year-old Haith said the move came quickly. He was contacted Thursday and particularly was interested by Tulsa’s upcoming move to the home of national champion UConn and teams such as Cincinnati and Memphis.
Haith was 76-28 at Missouri, which plays in the SEC. He replaces Danny Manning, who left for Wake Forest after two seasons in Tulsa.
Blue Devils’ Hood kicks the tires on the NBA draft
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke sophomore Rodney Hood is entering the NBA draft.
The 6-8 Hood averaged 16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists after sitting out last year following his transfer from Mississippi State. He was part of a 1-2 scoring punch with freshman Jabari Parker, who declared for the draft Thursday as a strong candidate for the No. 1 overall pick.
Golf
Fieger wins flood-postponed Senior PGA Professional
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Gene Fieger won the Senior PGA Professional National Championship on Friday, closing with a 3-under 69 for a six-stroke victory.
The 53-year-old Fieger, the PGA director of golf at Hideout Golf Club in Naples, Fla., finished at 13-under 275 at PGA Golf Club and earned $20,000 in the event postponed in October in Virginia because of flooding and rain. The top 35 earned spots in the Senior PGA Championship on May 22-25 at Harbor Shores in Michigan.
Don Berry (70) finished second.
MLB
Pirates acquire a floundering Davis from the Mets
NEW YORK – The New York Mets traded slumping first baseman Ike Davis to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league pitcher Zack Thornton and a player to be named.
The Mets announced the move just minutes before they played Atlanta on Friday night. Davis was on the field during batting practice earlier in the day.
The 27-year-old was hitting .208 with one home run and five runs batted in in 12 games for the Mets. He was platooning with Lucas Duda and Josh Satin at first base.
Davis hit 32 homers for the Mets in 2012 but fell off sharply last year.
Thornton was 2-0 with a 1.23 earned-run average in four relief appearances at Triple-A Indianapolis. The 25-year-old righty originally was signed by Oakland.
Associated Press
