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SPORTS Friday 28 OctOber 2022
Nash hopeful Nets’ Simmons regains ‘joy of playing the game’

By STEVE MEGARGEE mons hadn’t played a
AP Sports Writer game since the 76ers’ East-
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brook- ern Conference semifinals
lyn Nets coach Steve Nash loss to the Atlanta Hawks in
says he wants to see Ben June 2021. He didn’t play
Simmons regain “that joy of last season due to mental
playing the game” as the health concerns before his
three-time All-Star tries to trade to Brooklyn, as well as
bounce back after missing his back issue.
all of last season. He underwent back sur-
Simmons hasn’t scored gery in May.
more than seven points in Simmons’ teammates are
any of Brooklyn’s first four encouraging him as he
games as the Nets have works his way back from
staggered to a 1-3 start. the long absence.
He had four points, nine as- “He has the skills to be a
sists and five rebounds in great professional,” Nets
28 minutes on Wednesday guard Kyrie Irving said.
night as the Nets fell 110-99 “He’s done it in the past,
to the Milwaukee Bucks. and he hasn’t played in
The Nets are counting on two years. You guys keep
Simmons to make a suc- coming in here and asking
cessful return from back me like, ‘What about Ben?
surgery as they attempt Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Brooklyn Nets’ Ben Simmons (10) go after the What about Ben? He hasn’t
to contend in the East- ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, in Milwaukee. played in two years. Give
ern Conference. They ac- The Bucks won 110-99. him a … chance.”
quired Simmons at the Associated Press The Nets are prepared to
trade deadline last season Nash said before Wednes- He fouled out of two of after the Bucks game. offer him that chance.
in a move that sent 10-time day’s game. Brooklyn’s first three games. Nash said he just wants to “We’re just here to give him
All-Star James Harden to Simmons, the No. 1 overall The Nets host the Dallas see Simmons playing hard, positive affirmation while
the Philadelphia 76ers. pick in the 2016 draft, said Mavericks on Thursday fast and aggressively. The he’s out there and just
“Ben and I work every day he’s feeling better with ev- in the first of four straight coach said he isn’t worried let him hoop,” Irving said.
at this, trying to give him the ery game. That’s not ap- home games. if Simmons makes mistakes “While he’s hooping and
confidence to go out there parent from his statistics “I definitely feel each game early on in his comeback, getting back into it, we’re
and be aggressive and try thus far. I’m progressing a little bit in as long as he’s showing going to have to really jell
to get back to at least the He’s averaging 5.3 points, terms of my physicality and that energy. as a team in order to learn
feeling of joy on the court,” 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds. aggression,” Simmons said Before this season, Sim- how to win as a group.”q

NCAA approves new guidance on player endorsement deals

By RALPH D. RUSSO chairman of the D-I board. handle finances, taxes and Winter said. ing coaches, can be part
AP College Sports Writer “As we continue to rein- stuff like that,” sports law at- The last time the NCAA pro- of fundraising for collec-
The NCAA’s Division I Board force current NCAA rules, torney Mit Winter said. “But vided guidance to mem- tives, booster-funded or-
of Directors approved on we expect to offer further (schools) can’t be provid- bers it was to clarify rules ganizations that provide
Wednesday new guidance guidance in the future on ing any service that’s going related to booster-funded opportunities for athletes
to members on name, im- what should and should not out and helping the ath- collectives, their roles in to profit from their names,
age and likeness activi- be done when engaged in letes actually find deals un- providing NIL deals to ath- images and likenesses. But
ties, clarifying how schools, these activities.” less that service is available letes and recruiting. coaches and school staff
coaches and staffers can The NCAA spelled out nu- to all students.” The latest guidance said members cannot donate
be involved with athletes’ merous activities that were The NCAA’s interim NIL school personnel, includ- directly to collectives. q
endorsement and sponsor- permissible and impermis- policy falls back on existing
ship deals. sible. rules and makes it imper-
The latest clarifications to Broadly, the NCAA said missible for NIL deals to be
the NCAA’s interim NIL poli- schools can not be in- used as recruiting induce-
cy create no new rules, but volved in sourcing, nego- ments or pay-for-play or
are intended to give ath- tiating or facilitating NIL performance-based com-
letic departments a better deals for their athletes. pensation.
idea of what types of sup- Services related to NIL Schools also must adhere
port fall outside existing by- deals, such as legal review to state laws regarding NIL
laws. of contracts, can only be compensation for athletes.
“The NIL landscape is con- provided if those same ser- Dozens of states have NIL
stantly evolving, and the vices are available to the laws, some that already
Board of Directors decided entire student body. prohibit schools from facili-
it was important to offer “The only services that tating deals for athletes.
further guidance with re- schools are really allowed “But a lot of the state laws
spect to a number of key to provide for athletes un- allow facilitation of deals
questions that have arisen der this new guidance are and some were even Signage at the headquarters of the NCAA is viewed in
recently,” said Georgia educational services: How amended to take out pro- Indianapolis, March 12, 2020.
President Jere Morehead, to build your brand. How to hibitions on facilitation,” Associated Press