Page 26 - Florida Sentinel 3-26-21

Sports
Frank Vogel: LeBron James’ Injury Could Influence Lakers’ Roster Moves
LEBRON JAMES
Solomon Hill Issues Statement After Backlash For LeBron James Play
LeBron James grimaces as Solomon Hill crashed to his right leg during a loose- ball scramble.
Solomon Hill issued a statement on Twitter Saturday after receiving negative atten- tion for his play that injured LeBron James.
The Atlanta Hawks forward collided with James during the second quarter of Satur- day’s game against the Lakers. Hill rolled into James’ right ankle, causing LeBron to leave the game. James under- went an MRI and has since been determined to have a high ankle sprain.
Hill defended himself and assured everyone that nothing he did was intentional.
Few objective observers would look at the play and think Hill was trying to injure James.
Dennis Schröder On Lakers Extension Talks: ‘I Want To Be A Laker
LeBron James sat on the bench wearing a walking boot and black hooded sweat- shirt, not able to play but able to talk. While the Lakers will sorely miss his voice on the floor — along with his scor- ing, play-making, rebounding and, well, everything else he does — his presence sug- gested a sense of solidarity.
James, 36, hasn’t always traveled with the team when injured for a road game. He stayed home when he sat out against Sacramento, and he also missed trips during the 2018-19 season after tearing his groin. But after suffering
a high ankle sprain on Satur- day afternoon, James and the medical team made the split decision for James to join the group.
Still, coach Frank Vogel suggested that won’t always be the case during his “indef- inite” absence.
“I think those decisions will be made in the coming timeframe that he’s gonna be out,” Vogel said. “Obviously there’s always benefits with him being around but I do think with him gonna be out for a while that there’s value in him taking a mental break.”
Dennis Schröder is not one to hold back what he’s thinking.
He once offered the blunt assessment of Dwight Howard, his former team- mate, that the center only tried hard against his former team. He raised a few eye- brows when he first was traded to the Lakers and said he expected a starting role: “I did this off the bench stuff al- ready in two years with OKC.”
So it’s at least a little credi- ble when Schröder says he wants to be a Laker for a long time. If he was unhappy, you’d
DENNIS SCHRÖDER
be hearing about it.
“When something is not
going the right way, I’m going to say it – in a respectful way,” he said Thursday. “But I’m straightforward too, so every- thing really is just perfect here so far.”
For A Long Time’
Barkley Is 'Sick And Tired' Of Student-Athletes
Getting Told 'Free Education Is Nothing'
Hornets Rookie
Charles Barkley on Sat- urday night highlighted the value of getting a free educa- tion as student-athletes in col- lege basketball launched their fight in hopes of compensat- ing from their names, images and likenesses (NIL).
Barkley disagreed with people who say that getting free education was nothing.
"Education, to me, that’s my biggest gripe. When these people on television talk about who should get paid or not ... I get sick and tired of people telling these young kids get- ting a free education is noth- ing," he said during the NCAA Men’s Tournament broadcast on TBS.
"That’s total BS in my opinion. The NCAA got some issues and they’re not perfect, but to tell kids especially young Black kids that getting a free education is nothing is ridiculous and stupid."
Barkley has been a pro- ponent of highlighting the im- portance of the free education part for young student-ath- letes.
He made the same point in an interview with Graham Bensinger in April 2016.
"I do this little science ex-
periment when I speak at schools. Let’s say I’m at a white school. I ask how many kids want to play pro sports. Less than 10 per- cent raised
LaMelo Ball Out Indefinitely With Fractured Wrist
LAMELO BALL
The Charlotte Hornets suf- fered a 22-point loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sat- urday night, but it turns out the result might be the least of their worries. On Sunday, the team announced that rookie LaMelo Ball, has suffered a fractured wrist and is offi- cially out indefinitely. How- ever, he is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Ball is in the process of re- ceiving a second opinion on the diagnosis and potential treatment options, but at least for now it appears his debut campaign has come to an end. Ball will reportedly meet with a hand specialist in New York.
their hand. They say they want to be doctors, lawyers, engi- neers. But when I speak at predominantly black schools 90 percent of kids want to play sports," he said in that inter- view.
"There are a couple that say they want to be doctors which makes me really proud. Our kids are brainwashed if they think they can only play sports or be entertainers. You gotta a better chance to be a doctor or a lawyer than play- ing in the NBA. There are 400 players in the NBA. What are the chances you are going to be one of the 400 players in the world? I’m not trying to bash their dreams, I wish everybody can do it, but you also have to be realistic. You are not going to play in the NBA; who are we kidding."
CHARLES BARKLEY
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