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sports Friday 1 July 2022
AP source: USC, UCLA in process of joining Big Ten

By RALPH D. RUSSO and untracked while the Big Ten
ERIC OLSON Network is the most estab-
AP College Sports Writers lished of the conference
UCLA and Southern Califor- networks.
nia are planning to leave USC and UCLA would be
the Pac-12 for the Big Ten taking a step up in football,
Conference in a surprising both in visibility and com-
move that could lead to petition.
another major realignment "Pac-12 After Dark" tele-
of college sports. vised games that kick off in
A person who has been the middle to late evenings
briefed on the discus- in most of the country have
sions between USC, UCLA made it difficult for the con-
and the Big Ten said the ference to get exposure.
schools have taken steps The Pac-12 has had teams
to request an invitation to in the College Football
join the conference. The Playoff just twice — Oregon
person spoke to The Asso- (2014 season) and Wash-
ciated Press on Thursday ington (2016).
on condition of anonymity Losing flagship schools like
because the schools' talks USC and UCLA would be a
with the Big Ten have not major blow to the Pac-12,
been made public. which has had a long and
The move would come as UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., right, tries to get by Southern California forward Isaiah Mobley dur- amicable relationship with
soon as 2024, after the Pac- ing the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on March 5, 2022, in Los Angeles. the Big Ten best exempli-
12's current media rights Associated Press fied by its Rose Bowl part-
contracts with Fox and nership. The Big Ten, Pac-12
ESPN expire, and increase stretch from the Atlantic to The Big Ten has expanded The move to the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Confer-
the size of the Big Ten to 16 the Pacific, build on previ- twice in recent years, with would greatly enhance ence last August formed
schools. ous expansion into the na- Nebraska joining in 2011 USC and UCLA's revenues. an alliance in the wake of
The decision by the Los An- tion's largest media mar- and Maryland and Rutgers The Pac-12 distributed only Oklahoma and Texas join-
geles schools — two of the kets and help the league in 2014. $19.8 million per school ing the SEC. The confer-
NCAA's most decorated keep pace with the SEC as USC and UCLA fit the Big in fiscal year 2021, by far ences said the 41 members
athletic programs — comes one of the most powerful Ten's academic profile. the least among Power 5 would take a collabora-
almost a year after Okla- entities in college sports. Both schools are among conferences. The Big Ten's tive approach to charting
homa and Texas formally Big Ten leadership, includ- the 65 members of the As- per-school distribution was the future of athletics. The
accepted invitations to join ing the council of presi- sociation of American Uni- $46.1 million, second only three conferences set up
the Southeastern Confer- dents and chancellors, versities, which is made up to the SEC's $54.6 million. scheduling arrangements
ence in July 2025. would still have to sign off of top research universities. The Pac-12 has had dif- in some sports and have
The Big Ten would become on extending an invitation All Big Ten schools except ficulty getting its confer- pooled resources to pro-
the first conference to to the two schools. Nebraska are members. ence television network mote athlete welfare.q

AP source: Kevin Durant asks for trade from Brooklyn Nets

By TIM REYNOLDS nix and Miami as two of pion, three-time Olympic
AP Basketball Writer his preferred destinations. gold medalist and two-time
Kevin Durant may be tak- The bombshell came just NBA champion — those
ing his quest for more titles hours before the NBA's free- rings coming with Golden
elsewhere. agent period for this sum- State, the team he was
Durant has requested a mer was set to begin. with before joining Brook-
trade from the Brooklyn Durant has played 14 sea- lyn. He has four years and
Nets, according to a per- sons, not including one nearly $200 million remain-
son with direct knowledge year when he sat out while ing on his contract, which
of the decision that un- recovering from a torn means that it may take a
doubtedly will have teams Achilles. He has averaged haul of players, draft picks
scrambling to put together 27.2 points in his career — or possibly both for a team
enormous offers for the pe- over that span, only LeB- to acquire him.
rennial All-Star. ron James, at 27.3 points Durant spent three seasons
The Nets have been work- per game, has averaged with Brooklyn, not playing in
ing with Durant to find a more. the first of those years while Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant reacts during the second half of an
NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday,
trade partner, and he has And even at his age — Du- he recovered from the Jan. 5, 2022, in Indianapolis.
multiple teams on his pre- rant will turn 34 on Sept. 29, Achilles injury. He averaged Associated Press
ferred list, according to the around the time training 29.9 points in 55 games last
person who spoke to The camps open this fall — he is season, after leading the contending for a champi- nated against COVID-19;
Associated Press on condi- still one of the best players U.S. to Olympic gold at the onship with a core led by he was ineligible to play in
tion of anonymity Thursday in the game, his 6-foot-1- Tokyo Games last summer. Durant, James Harden and home games for the major-
because neither the player frame making his jump shot Unless he changes his mind Kyrie Irving. ity of the season. Harden
nor Brooklyn revealed any almost unstoppable by any and stays, his departure That plan didn't come close wound up getting traded
details publicly. defender. will be a huge blow to the to reality. Irving missed to Philadelphia for Ben Sim-
ESPN first reported Durant's Durant is a 12-time All-Star, Nets. At this time last year, much of the year because mons, who didn't play at all
trade request, citing Phoe- four-time scoring cham- the Nets were banking on of his refusal to be vacci- last season. q