NBA draft finally worth the longer wait for some players after moving to a two-day format
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA draft was completed on a second day in a second borough of New York, with the Toronto Raptors taking Jonathan Mogbo of San Francisco with the No. 31 pick. The league went to a two-day format this year instead of having its draft drag too late into the night. The second round was held Thursday at ESPN’s Seaport District studios in Manhattan after the first round took place as usual at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Ten players and their families attended, sitting in a room off the studio set, though the two players who were left in the green room at the end of the first round, Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and Johnny Furphy of Kansas, didn’t return.
Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, taken by Lakers with 55th pick in NBA draft
It was the dream that LeBron James first floated a few years ago, the notion of playing in the NBA alongside one of his sons. And it’s a step closer to reality now. Bronny James — the oldest son of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader — was drafted Thursday by the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that his father has played for since 2018. Bronny James was taken with the No. 55 overall pick, deep in the second round and with only three picks remaining in this year’s draft. The move doesn’t guarantee that father and son will play in a game together, but it certainly raises the possibility that it could happen in what would be an NBA first.
South African researchers test use of nuclear technology to curb rhino poaching
MOKOPANE, South Africa (AP) — Researchers in South Africa have injected radioactive material into to the horns of 20 rhinos as part of a research project aimed at reducing poaching. The idea is that radiation detectors already in place at national borders would detect the horns and help authorities arrest poachers and traffickers. The research, which has included the participation of both veterinarians and nuclear experts, begins with the animal being tranquilized before a hole is drilled into its horn and the nuclear material carefully inserted. This week, researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand injected 20 live rhinos with these isotopes. They hope the process can be replicated to save other animals vulnerable to poaching like elephants and pangolins.
Euro 2024: Penalty shootouts set to take center stage as psychology and new tactics come into play
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — The penalty shootout is a tense battle of wills over 12 yards (11 meters) that has increasingly become a huge part of soccer and an unavoidable feature of the knockout stage in the biggest competitions. Shootouts were added to the laws of the game in 1970 and have marred careers, spawned pizza adverts and helped to definitively secure a place for Lionel Messi in the pantheon of soccer greats. It’s why those who delve into the psychology and science of soccer are perplexed as to why this tiebreaker system has been overlooked by many teams especially in these data-driven times. Shootouts are likely to be a key part of Euro 2024’s knockout stage starting Saturday.
Here’s why the Olympics have a French connection (and it ain’t just Paris 2024)
PARIS (AP) — While the Ancient Olympics originated in Greece, its modern incarnation is very much a French affair. The Games were revived in the 1890s by a French nobleman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. He now holds a questionable legacy. For many years, French was the sole language of the Games. Paris is now preparing to host the 2024 Olympics 100 years since it last held them. And Paris is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Games and France’s cultural and historic connections with the Olympics. Coubertin envisioned the Olympics as a pacifist exercise that could foster international cooperation and peace. But he later corresponded with Hitler and resisted allowing women to compete.
Singer, songwriter, provocateur and politician Kinky Friedman dead at 79
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kinky Friedman, the singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist who also dabbled in Texas politics with a campaign for governor, has died. Friedman 79, died Thursday at his family’s Texas ranch near San Antonio, close friend Kent Perkins told The Associated Press. He had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for several years, Perkins said. Friedman led the alt-country band the Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, and sang with Willie Nelson in a career that earned him a cult following across musical and literary genres.
Marilyn Monroe’s former Los Angeles home declared a historic monument to save it from demolition
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans of Marilyn Monroe have won a battle to preserve her mark on Los Angeles and are a step closer to seeing a towering statue of the silver screen icon remain in Palm Springs. The Los Angeles home where Monroe briefly lived and died in 1962 was declared a historic cultural monument on Wednesday, while a Palm Springs planning commission decision boosted chances that a 26-foot-tall statue called “Forever Marilyn” will stay there. The historic designation follows a lengthy battle over the home. The current owners live next door and wanted to raze it. Their attorney asserts that remodels by 14 previous owners have left nothing reflecting Monroe’s time there.
After split with NYC July 4 hot dog competition, Joey Chestnut heads to army base event in Texas
NEW YORK (AP) — Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America’s Independence Day. That’s after a falling out with organizers of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York. Instead, the Indiana man will compete against soldiers in El Paso. At Fort Bliss in El Paso, he’ll try to eat more that the combined munching efforts of four army soldiers in 5 minutes. He says that if they each eat 10 hot dogs and buns, they’ll have a chance at beating him. He also says he won’t return to New York City contest without an apology from the event organizers.
The quack is back: NHL’s Anaheim Ducks reveal orange-heavy version of original ‘Mighty Ducks’ logo
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks are going back to a version of their original logo made famous by Disney’s “D2: The Mighty Ducks” movie. The NHL team unveiled an orange-heavy version of the goalie mask in the shape of a duck’s face as part of a rebranding effort that emphasizes its home in Orange County, California. Owners Henry and Susan Samueli said it is a chance to honor the franchise’s past while also focusing on the present and looking toward a bright future. The team used versions of a web-footed ‘D’-shaped logo since 2006 when the name was changed from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to the Anaheim Ducks.
Music Review: Johnny Cash’s ‘Songwriter,’ a collection of unreleased songs from 1993, is a journey
NEW YORK (AP) — In 1993, Johnny Cash was between record contracts — and just about to embark on an iconic collaboration with producer Rick Rubin that would span the last 10 years of his life, starting with 1994’s “American Recordings.” During that crucial time in his career, Cash immersed himself in crafting and recording original demos that showcased his songwriting prowess. Those songs, once set aside, will be released Friday as a complete album. The Associated Press’ John Carucci says in his review that this collection allows listeners to appreciate Cash as a performer, composer and lyricist, highlighting a unique intersection of his artistic journey.
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