(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 119, Memphis 109
Toronto 119, Detroit 118
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Montreal 6, Edmonton 2
Seattle 4, Philadelphia 3
San Jose 4, Washington 1
Vegas 7, Anaheim 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Kansas City 38, Philadelphia 35
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Northwestern 64, Purdue 58
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(LAS CRUCES, N.M.) — The New Mexico State University men’s basketball program has been suspended indefinitely amid an investigation into alleged hazing incidents the school’s chancellor said left him “heartbroken and sickened.”
The allegations surfaced Friday as the men’s basketball team was in Southern California preparing for a game against California Baptist University in Riverside, Dan E. Arvizu, chancellor of New Mexico State University said in a statement Saturday night. He said he immediately suspended the basketball program, canceled Saturday’s game and placed the coaching staff on paid administrative leave.
“We took this action after receiving reports of alleged hazing incidents within our men’s basketball team,” Arvizu said in his statement.
Arvizu said the players and coaching staff were called back to the school in Las Cruces and interviewed by university personnel specially trained to conduct investigations into hazing incidents.
“The most important job I have as Chancellor of the NMSU System is to ensure our students are safe and protected from harm,” Arvizu said. “That’s why I was so heartbroken and sickened to hear about these hazing allegations.”
Arvizu did not provide details of the incidents or say when they occurred. In his statement, Arvizu added, “hazing is a despicable act. It humiliates and degrades someone and has the potential to cause physical and emotional harm, or even death.”
“Sadly, hazing can become part of an organization’s culture left unchecked,” Arvizu said. “NMSU policy strictly prohibits hazing, in all forms, and it’s something we simply will not tolerate.”
Arvizu said the men’s basketball program will remain suspended “until further notice.”
School personnel were “recently informed of new allegations” involving the potential violations of school policy, the Las Cruces university said in a statement.
The New Mexico State University Board of Regents said in a statement that it “supports the action taken by the university leaders and is confident a full and thorough investigation will be conducted.” The board noted it was informed of the suspension Friday evening.
In a statement on the university’s website, the Board of Regents announced it will hold a closed-door meeting on Tuesday on matters that “may include discussion of personally identifiable information about individual NMSU students.”
The men’s basketball team competes in the Western Athletic Conference. In a statement to ESPN, the NCAA Division I conference said it is “continuing to monitor the situation at New Mexico State and at this time has no additional comment.”
The allegations are unrelated to a fatal shooting involving one of the men’s basketball team players that occurred in Albuquerque late last year, the school said.
On Nov. 19, forward Mike Peake was allegedly involved in a pre-dawn shootout on the University of New Mexico’s campus while in Albuquerque for a game against the school, New Mexico State University officials said.
Brandon Travis, 19, and three other University of New Mexico students allegedly lured Peake to the campus to assault him, New Mexico State Police said.
Travis allegedly confronted and shot Peake, 21, who returned gunfire, police said. Travis was pronounced dead at the scene, and Peake was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and conspiracy in connection to the shooting, and no additional arrests have been announced. The incident remains under investigation by state police.
That weekend’s Albuquerque game and a Dec. 3 rematch in Las Cruces were canceled, and Peake was suspended from the team.
In December, New Mexico State University announced it will launch an independent investigation into the events and university response involving the shooting.
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(PHOENIX) — Before fans flocked to Phoenix for this weekend’s Super Bowl, the city hosted another major football championship event featuring a different group of hard-hitting players.
The Wheelchair Football League held its second Super Bowl on Tuesday with a match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams.
The league, which was created by the NFL, the Bob Woodruff Foundation and Move United, is made up of athletes with disabilities who compete in wheelchairs, complete with uniforms and helmets of NFL teams.
Many of the players are veterans who were wounded abroad, and for some, like Alex Nguyen, a wide receiver and defensive back for the WFL’s Chiefs, the league has given them a new meaning in life.
“I guess finding sports kind of just turned it around a little bit for me,” Nguyen, who lost his leg while serving in Afghanistan, told ABC News. “Everybody’s got that fire that an able-bodied football player does.”
The league was founded in 2020 and now has 400 athletes in 11 teams across the country. Passes, receptions and throws take place on a 60-yard hard ground, in some cases a parking lot, and tackling is done by touching the upper part of the body.
Bart Salgado, a former Marine who plays for the WFL’s LA Rams, told ABC News there are plenty of times players crash into the pavement.
“Some guys can just get themselves back up. Some guys need a little bit of help,” he said.
The league’s fanbase has been growing throughout the years, according to Anne Marie Dougherty, the CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
“I saw the championship game last year, [and] I was like, ‘Wow those are some hard hits! OK!’ We’re here for it, those are some great throws,” she said.
Cam Jordan, a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints who attended this week’s championship game, agreed.
“These guys out here smashing into each other with reckless abandon. And I love the mentality,” he told ABC News.
One of the best parts of the league, according to the players, is the new community they’ve grown and the camaraderie they’ve created.
Even though the Chiefs defeated the Rams in the game 7-0, players on both teams said they were ready to celebrate with some post-game drinks.
“Yeah during the game. We might hate each other a little bit,” Nguyen said.
“But it’s just trash-talking and sportsmanship,” Salgado added.
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(NEW YORK) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has made a remarkable recovery in just a little over a month after he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In a new interview with Good Morning America, Hamlin said that his life was saved by Denny Kellington, the trainer who administered on-field CPR on Jan. 2 for nearly 10 minutes and restored the player’s pulse, before he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
“I owe Denny my life. Literally,” Hamlin told GMA’s Michael Strahan. “He loves to say he was just doing his job. But… that night, he was literally the savior of my life, you know, administering CPR on me.”
The 24-year-old was initially placed on a ventilator, but showed improvement and was discharged from the hospital nine days later. Hamlin’s collapse has sparked a greater conversation of cardiac arrest in young people and the importance of bystanders learning to perform lifesaving CPR.
Hamlin said that Kellington’s quick-thinking made all of the difference in a life-or-death situation.
“If it wasn’t for someone showing up that day with a clear mind and whatever’s going on in their personal life, just to put it aside and just to be present in the moment to actually be able to do their job correctly — that’s something I’m truly thankful for and I don’t take for granted,” said Hamlin.
Tune in on Monday at 7 a.m. ET on Good Morning America to see what Hamlin said about his recovery and what’s ahead, including his future in professional football.
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(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Orlando 115, Denver 104
Brooklyn 116, Chicago 105
Atlanta 116, Phoenix 107
Milwaukee 115, LA Lakers 106
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Detroit 2, Calgary 1
New Jersey 3, Seattle 1
Florida 4, San Jose 1
Tampa Bay 5, Colorado 0
Philadelphia 2 Edmonton 1 (SO)
Vancouver 6 N-Y Islanders 5
Vegas 5, Minnesota 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Purdue 87, Iowa 73
UCLA 62, Oregon St. 47
Gonzaga 99, San Francisco 81
Arizona 85, California 62
Loyola Marymount 78, Saint Mary’s 74
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cleveland 113, Detroit 85
Washington 118, Charlotte 104
Toronto 112, San Antonio 98
Boston 106, Philadelphia 99
Miami 116, Indiana 111
Sacramento 130, Houston 128
Minnesota 143, Utah 118
Dallas 110, LA Clippers 104
Portland 125, Golden State 122
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Rangers 4, Vancouver 3
Dallas 4, Minnesota 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Houston 80, Tulsa 42
Vanderbilt 66, Tennessee 65
West Virginia 76, Iowa St. 71
Providence 74, Georgetown 62
Creighton 75, Seton Hall 62
Alabama 97, Florida 69
Baylor 82, Oklahoma 72
San Diego St. 63, Utah St. 61
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(NEW YORK) — When LeBron James came into the NBA, he was laser focused on achieving several goals.
“I wanted to be the rookie of the year my rookie year, I wanted to [be named an] All-Star, I wanted to win championships, I wanted to be the MVP of the league, I wanted to be the Player of the Year,” James told ABC News’ Good Morning America in an interview last week.
What wasn’t on his list was breaking the all-time NBA scoring record, a feat the four-time MVP achieved Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing the former all-time scoring record of 38,387 points — and doing so in front of the man who held the record for 38 years: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“I never ever was like I want to break the all-time score. I never ever even thought about it and the fact that I’m like literally right here, it is mind-blowing,” James said.
James now has 38,390 points scored during his nearly 20-year career. He holds the record for all-time playoffs points and eighth in career assists.
On Jan. 31, GMA co-anchor Michael Strahan spoke to James before he took the court to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Madison Square Garden is James’ self-proclaimed favorite place. He said the “history” of the arena is what makes it so special to him.
“I think, not only what’s happened in this building over the years, but also the city,” James said. “I almost think it’s like a great Broadway show and I’m part of the cast.”
Though he hasn’t played for the Knicks — he says he came “very close” in 2010 — James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 before going to the Miami Heat in 2010, where he won his first two NBA championships. In 2014, James, an Ohio native, re-signed with the Cavaliers and led the team to a championship in 2016, breaking the Cleveland sports curse.
Now, James is with the Los Angeles Lakers, another legendary team, where he led the team to his fourth NBA championship in 2020.
When asked if breaking the all-time scoring record officially makes James the greatest NBA player ever, the star said he didn’t know.
“I don’t know if the record does,” he reflected. “The one thing I can tell you… I’ve always prided myself on saying, ‘I want to be.’ ‘I want to be the greatest to play this game,’ you know … and that came from a motivation to myself… my drive is to be the greatest of all time.”
On raising three kids and what he wants his legacy to be
While he leads the Lakers on the court, James has another big job at home: raising three kids — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — with his wife, Savannah.
“The best thing I’ve been able to guide my boys and my little girl is showing them the way and showing them you know about how to respect adults, how to be great in the community,” said James, who added his advice for his children is to lead with independence.
“At the end of the day, this is their walk in life, you have to be able to decide what journey you want to go. Mom and Dad are gonna give you the blueprint and you go from there,” James said.
Bronny, a high school senior and top draft prospect, is eligible for the NBA draft in 2024 and Bryce, a high school sophomore, in 2026, according to ESPN, creating a potential opening for James and his sons to play in the NBA together.
The 38-year-old player is only a few years shy of becoming the oldest active NBA player, but he said he’s not hanging up the crown just yet.
“No, I ain’t there yet, I ain’t there yet. My wife wishes I was there, though,” he said. “I tell her, ‘I got a little bit more time left.'”
Reflecting on his legacy, James shared what he wants to be remembered for both on and off the court.
“I want my legacy to be that all my teammates, and the people that played against me, know I play the game the right way and I competed at a high level. I never cheated the game … I never cheated a process,” he said.
“But for me off the floor, I think you know me [as] having my own school in my hometown, [meeting] inspiring kids all over the world, being active in politics at times or social injustice and things that go on in regular life. Those are the things that I hope people talk about as well because those are things that last forever,” he added.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LOS ANGELES) — The king stands alone.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James set the record for most career points in NBA history Tuesday, toppling Hall of Famer and fellow Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Late in the third quarter during their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James scored his 36th point of the night, for a career total of 38,388 points.
Abdul-Jabbar — who was in attendance at Tuesday’s game — set the record April 5, 1984, and increased the record total to 38,387 points by the time he stepped away from the game five years later. James, who doesn’t appear likely to retire in the next few years, could top 40,000 before all is said and done.
James scored 27 points on Saturday against New Orleans to pull within 36 points of the record. He played 40 minutes in the game, telling reporters in the locker room afterward, “I’m tired as hell.”
Abdul-Jabbar was in attendance at the Lakers’ game to see James surpass his record.
The record, once thought untouchable, had stood since Abdul-Jabbar’s retirement in 1989. In fact, when Abdul-Jabbar set the record in the spring of 1984 — passing Wilt Chamberlain — James wasn’t even born. And while Abdul-Jabbar has held the record for 39 years, Chamberlain only held it for 11 years.
Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone now stands third, but he was still nearly 1,500 points shy of the former Lakers center when he retired after 19 seasons in the NBA.
Kobe Bryant, with nearly 5,000 points fewer than James, stands fourth all-time, with Michael Jordan rounding out the top 5.
Four of the top 5 players on the list — all but Jordan — played for the Los Angeles Lakers at one point in their careers.
James entered the league in 2003, already a phenom after a legendary high school career earned him the top overall selection in the NBA draft, and immediately became a top scorer. In his rookie season, he averaged 20.9 points per game and only went up from there.
He only led the league in scoring once — his 30 points per game in 2007-2008 — but has averaged at least 27 points per game 12 times, including this season. His highest single-season total was 31.4 points per game in his third season.
He scored 23,119 points in 11 seasons in Cleveland, split between two stays; scored 7,919 points in Miami; and now has just over 7,300 points in his time with Los Angeles.
James, who has made the playoffs in 15 of 19 seasons, already held the record for most points in NBA history combining the regular season and the playoffs.
Ironically, James has never been known as a pure scorer. He’s fashioned his game more off Magic Johnson — part facilitator, part scorer. James also stands fifth in the NBA all time in regular season and postseason assists, behind only Chris Paul, Johnson, Jason Kidd and John Stockton. He’s unlikely to reach Stockton’s astronomical total, but could finish his career second all time.
“The scoring record was never even thought of in my head, because I’ve always been a pass-first guy,” James told ESPN in a sit-down interview in January. “I’ve always enjoyed seeing the excitement of my teammates.”
He added, “I don’t know how I’m going to feel until that moment”
Carmelo Anthony, who entered the league the same season as James, is second among active all-time scoring leaders, but he stands a full 10,000 points behind. Anthony, who has remained unsigned this season but hasn’t retired, is six months older than James.
Kevin Durant is third among active players with over 26,684 points, about 12,000 points behind James. Durant, 34, has scored just shy of 12,000 points in the last eight seasons combined.
James is under contract for two more seasons in Los Angeles. He has said the last thing on his list of goals is to play with his son, Bronny. The 18-year-old prospect is currently a senior in high school and deciding where to go to college in the fall.
Abdul-Jabbar played until he was 41, but he also played four seasons at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he won three NCAA titles and three national player of the year honors, while James went straight to the pros.
“I’ll be very happy for him,” Abdul-Jabbar told ESPN about James breaking his record in an interview before the season started. “The game always improves when records like that are broken, so LeBron should enjoy his achievement. He’s worked very hard to get this far and for him, he’ll get to wait and see who might be lucky enough to break his record if that’s gonna happen.”
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(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
New York 102, Orlando 98
New Orleans 116, Atlanta 107
Phoenix 116, Brooklyn 112
Memphis 104, Chicago 89
Denver 146, Minnesota 112
Oklahoma City 133, LA Lakers 130
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 2, Colorado 1 (OT)
San Jose 4, Tampa Bay 3 (OT)
NY Islanders 4, Seattle 0
Edmonton 5, Detroit 2
Vegas 5, Nashville 1
Anaheim 3, Chicago 2 (OT)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UConn 87, Marquette 72
Indiana 66, Rutgers 60
Virginia 63, NC State 50
Kansas St. 82, TCU 61
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(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Cleveland 114, Washington 91
Boston 111, Detroit 99
LA Clippers 124, Brooklyn 116
Chicago 128, San Antonio 104
Sacramento 140, Houston 120
Dallas 124, Utah 111
Milwaukee 127, Portland 108
Golden State 141, Oklahoma City 114
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Islanders 2, Philadelphia 1
Florida 7, Tampa Bay 1
New Jersey 5, Vancouver 4 (OT)
NY Rangers 5, Calgary 4 (OT)
Dallas 3, Anaheim 2 (SO)
Arizona 3, Minnesota 2
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas 88, Texas 80
Miami 81, Duke 59
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