Brittney Griner plans to sign with the Atlanta Dream, ending her 11-year run with Phoenix
Brittney Griner plans to sign with the Atlanta Dream, marking the end of her 11-year career with the Phoenix Mercury. Griner announced the move in a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday night. Her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, confirmed to The Associated Press that the star center would sign a one-year deal with Atlanta. WNBA free agents can’t sign contracts until Feb. 1. Griner had spent her entire career with Phoenix since getting drafted No. 1 in 2013. The 34-year-old missed the 2022 season when she was detained for nearly 10 months in a Russian prison. She was freed in a prisoner swap.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Jayden Daniels to skip Pro Bowl Games
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Washington’s Jayden Daniels won’t be participating in the Pro Bowl Games this week. The NFL announced final rosters Tuesday that didn’t include any of those quarterbacks. New England Patriots rookie Drake Maye is replacing Jackson on the AFC roster, Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson is filling in for Allen and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield is filling Daniels’ spot. The Pro Bowl Games run Thursday through Sunday in Orlando, Florida, and include skills competitions and a flag football game.
Scottie Scheffler details his hand injury from making ravioli and is ready to get back to golf
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler figures the injury to his hand that kept him out of golf for a month could have been worse. The world’s No. 1 player went into detail about that fateful event making homemade ravioli on Christmas. He says he was at a rental house that didn’t have the right tools so he tried to cut the ravioli with a wine glass. It broke and shards went into his palm just below the middle finger. He practiced hard in Dallas last week to make sure he was ready for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his 2025 debut.
Lakers forward Anthony Davis exits against 76ers with abdominal muscle strain
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Anthony Davis left the Lakers’ game against Philadelphia in the first half with an abdominal muscle strain. Davis walked to the locker room with his right hand over his stomach when he left with 2:10 to go in the first quarter Tuesday. Davis had four points in 10 minutes before he was hurt. Davis averaged 26.3 points and 12.1 rebounds in 41 games this season for the Lakers. He had 42 points and 23 points on Monday in a victory at Charlotte.
Alyssa Thomas heading to Mercury from Sun in trade, AP source says
The Phoenix Mercury are finalizing a deal to acquire Alyssa Thomas from the Connecticut Sun. That’s according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly. The Sun will also send Ty Harris to Phoenix, while Connecticut will receive Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen and the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft. Thomas has played her entire career with Connecticut and helped the franchise reach the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022. Since the deal is a sign-and-trade, it can’t become official until Feb. 1.
Brea scores 18 to lead No. 12 Kentucky past No. 8 Tennessee 78-73
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Koby Brea scored 18 points to lead No. 12 Kentucky to a 78-73 victory over No. 8 Tennessee. Jaxson Robinson added 17 points as the Wildcats snapped a two-game skid. Otega Oweh scored 14 and Amari Williams had 10 points and 15 rebounds. Igor Milicic led the Volunteers with 19 points and nine rebounds. Chaz Lanier scored 15 and Zakai Zeigler added 13.
Lions agree to hire Broncos’ John Morton as OC and promote Kelvin Sheppard to DC, AP source says
The Detroit Lions have agreed to hire Denver Broncos assistant John Morton as offensive coordinator and promote Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator. That’s according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreements had not been announced. Detroit became the third team since 2010 to have both coordinators become NFL head coaches in the same offseason. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was hired by Chicago and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn left to lead the New York Jets.
Ex-Bears coach Eberflus returns to Cowboys to run the defense; Sorensen takes over special teams
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Cowboys are hiring former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator for his second stint on the Dallas staff. Eberflus returns to the Cowboys two months after the Bears fired him 12 games into his third season. The Cowboys also added special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen to new coach Brian Schottenheimer’s staff. The Bears hired Eberflus after his four-year stint as defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. He spent the previous seven seasons as linebackers coach in Dallas. Schottenheimer was hired last week to replace Mike McCarthy.
Bears hire Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator under new coach Ben Johnson
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have hired Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator under new coach Ben Johnson. Chicago also is keeping Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator as it looks to rebound after going 5-12 this season. The addition of Allen, 52, puts a former head coach on Johnson’s first staff in his new position. While his two stints as a head coach in the NFL were unsuccessful, Allen is an experienced defensive coordinator. He had that role in New Orleans for six seasons, and his unit was ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in 2020 and 2021.