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SPORTSFriday 15 July 2016
Spurs make it official,
sign forward Pau GasolÂ
NBA basketball players Carmelo Anthony, from left, Chris Paul, The 2002 Rookie of the Year
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James speak on stage at the ESPY was drafted with the third
Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, overall pick in 2001 and
in Los Angeles. immediately dealt by At-
Associated Press lanta to Memphis, where
he spent his first six-plus
LeBron James leads seasons. He joined the Los
Angeles Lakers and won
call to end gun championships there in
2009 and 2010. He signed
violence at ESPYs with the Bulls in 2014.
Also Thursday, the Spurs
BETH HARRIS he said. In this April 9, 2016, file photo, Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol said they had signed:
AP Sports Writer Golden State star Stephen (16) grabs a rebound from Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan — Dejounte Murray, their
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeB- Curry thanked the quar- Thompson (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game top draft pick this year. The
ron James won five tro- tet for their message while in Chicago. 6-foot-5 guard out of Wash-
phies, including best male accepting the night’s first Associated Press ington was the 29th overall
athlete and best NBA play- award for record-breaking pick after averaging 16.1
er, at the ESPY Awards on performance. He hit 402 SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The unselfish player, he should points and 4.5 assists in his
Wednesday night when 3-pointers during the regu- San Antonio Spurs have fit right in with Gregg Popo- lone season with the Hus-
frivolity gave way to a lar season. signed Pau Gasol, beefing vich’s ball-moving system, kies. Murray is averaging
James-led call to end gun James won male athlete up a front line that will be and the Spurs’ reputation 11.0 points, 6.2 rebounds
violence and racial profil- and championship perfor- without Tim Duncan next for resting players for the and 1.0 assists in 24.8 min-
ing. mance for the third time in season for the first time in playoffs had to be appeal- utes through five games in
The show honoring the his career and his fifth tro- 19 years. ing to Gasol. the Summer League.
year’s best athletes and phy as top NBA player. He The 7-foot Gasol has won There were a number of — 7-foot center Dewayne
sports moments opened shared the team and best two NBA titles and is a six- suitors lining up for him, in- Dedmon, 26, who aver-
on a somber note, with moment awards with his time All-Star. Gasol is one of cluding Portland, Minneso- aged 4.4 points and 3.9 re-
James and fellow NBA stars Cavaliers teammates, who six players in NBA history to ta and Toronto. The Timber- bounds in 12.2 minutes dur-
Carmelo Anthony, Chris upset Golden State to de- reach 19,000 points, 10,000 wolves offered him a two- ing 58 games with Orlando
Paul and Dwyane Wade liver the first championship rebounds, 3,000 assists and year deal worth $36 million last season.
standing four abreast on for Cleveland in 52 years. 1,500 blocks along with Ka- to open negotiations, but — 6-foot-10 forward Davis
stage addressing the re- In accepting best moment, reem Abdul-Jabbar, Ha- Gasol wanted to play for Bertans, 23, who played
cent shootings of blacks by James brought teammates keem Olajuwon, Shaquille a team that was ready to the last two seasons with
white police officers. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love O’Neal, Kevin Garnett and contend for a champion- Laboral Kutxa in the Span-
“The urgency to create on stage, where he saluted Duncan, who retired earlier ship and he joins a Spurs ish league after three sea-
change is at an all-time Pro Football Hall of Famer this week. frontcourt that features sons in the Serbian league.
high,†Anthony said. Jim Brown for his early so- The Spurs did not release LaMarcus Aldridge and Bertans has been part of
Paul, the nephew of a cial activism in the hard- terms Thursday, but a per- Kawhi Leonard. the Latvian national team
police officer, recited the scrabble city. son with knowledge of the Over 1,055 career NBA since 2011.
names of several men who Breanna Stewart won best situation previously told The games, Gasol has aver- — Ryan Arcidiacono, the
have been killed. Wade female athlete on her third Associated Press that he aged 18.2 points, 9.5 re- 6-foot-3 guard who helped
urged a stop to racial profil- try, beating WNBA MVP has a two-year deal worth bounds, 3.3 assists and lead Villanova to the
ing, a shoot-to-kill mentality Elena Delle Donne and two more than $30 million. 1.68 blocks while shooting NCAA title last season and
and “not seeing the value Olympians, swimmer Katie The 36-year-old Gasol has .510 from the floor and .755 was named the Most Out-
of black and brown bod- Ledecky and gymnast Sim- been one of the league’s from the free throw line in standing Player of the 2016
ies.†one Biles. Stewart helped most talented and versa- 35.3 minutes. He has ap- NCAA Final Four after scor-
“Enough is enough,†he UConn win a fourth straight tile big men for the last 15 peared in 115 career play- ing 16 points and setting up
said. NCAA basketball champi- years. He spent the last two off games, averaging 16.9 the game-winning three-
James echoed Wade, not- onship before going to the seasons in Chicago and points, 9.6 rebounds and pointer in the champion-
ing, “We all feel helpless WNBA. averaged 16.5 points, 11.0 3.4 assists in 38 minutes. He ship game.
and frustrated by the vio- In her speech, Stewart rebounds and 4.1 assists has also helped Spain win — Bryn Forbes, another
lence.†called for equality for fe- this year, his game show- silver medals in the 2008 6-foot-3 guard who aver-
James urged his fellow pros male athletes. ing few signs of aging. An and 2012 Olympics. aged 14.4 points, 2.1 re-
to educate themselves “Female athletes don’t re- bounds and 1.5 assists in 28
and renounce violence ceive half the fame. I know minutes as a senior for Mich-
while using their resources everyone in this room loves igan State last season.q
and time to help strength- and supports women and
en and rebuild their com- girls in sports and wants to
munities. be a part of that change,
“We all to have do better,†right?†she said. q
