Sooners to play game in Auckland

KIWI Matt Freeman’s University of Oklahoma Sooners are coming to New Zealand to play some hoops.

The Sooners are making an off-season tour down under that will include a match in Auckland against a New Zealand Select lineup on August 6.

Oklahoma, which plays in the Big 12 conference in NCAA division one basketball, will also play three games in Australia, against the Sutherland Sharks on August 9, the Sydney Kings NBL side on August 10 and Cairns Taipans NBL lineup on August 13.

Auckland’s Freeman, who attended Westlake Boys High on the North Shore, will be a sophomore forward on the 2017-18 Sooners. He averaged 2.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.9 minutes over his freshman season in Oklahoma.

‘‘It’s going to be pretty special,’’ Freeman told Soonersports.com. ‘‘The amount of time I get to go home is very limited during the year, so any time I get to go home is meaningful.

‘‘It’s extra special that I’ll get to be there with my other family – getting to take everyone home that’s close to me here and show them where I’ve been brought up.’’

‘‘This tour couldn’t come at a better time,’’ said Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger. ‘‘The opportunity for our young team to travel abroad is monumental in developing our group for the upcoming season while allowing us to grow together by travelling to another part of the world.’’

Meanwhile, after being quiet for the first five-plus days of free agency, the Knicks went all-in on bringing back a player from their recent past.

The Knicks signed restricted free agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr to a four-year, US$71 million ($97.5m) deal, said his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

The Knicks hope those wrinkles will make the Hawks blink and not match the offer sheet. Atlanta have two days to match it. They received it on Friday, according to Bartelstein.

This was a surprising move, given that the Knicks had been inactive in free agency. People who spoke to the Knicks said they were looking to sign young players on short deals. Hardaway is only 25, but that is a significant investment and could lead to other moves.

First, the Knicks would have to renounce the rights to Derrick Rose to make room for Hardaway’s salary if the Hawks don’t match it. Also, it’s unclear what Courtney Lee’s future as a Knick would be. The Knicks signed him to a four-year, US$50 million deal last season. - with Newsday