Irving donates to tribe’s youth
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will use a $110,000 donation by Celtics star Kyrie Irving for drug-abuse prevention and youth programs.
The All-Star guard visited the Dakota reservation in Fort Yates, N.D., this month for a naming ceremony into the Lakota tribe. He was given the name Little Mountain. His late mother was enrolled in the tribe before being adopted as a youth.
Tribal spokeswoman Danielle Finn said Irving donated the money to the tribe with the stipulation it support the reservation’s youth.
Irving, or Little Mountain, said during his visit he considers the tribe “family for life.” He also has supported the tribe’s battle against the Dakota Access oil pipeline . . . .
The Phoenix Suns completed a fourplayer trade that sends guard Brandon Knight and forward Marquese Chriss to the Houston Rockets for forward Ryan Anderson and guard De’Anthony Melton.
Anderson could be the starting power forward for Phoenix. He averaged 9.3 points last season and has two years left on a four-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Rockets in 2016. Knight figures to see time as a backup to Chris Paul in Houston.
The trade leaves Phoenix searching for a starter at the point guard position with no one on the roster ready to assume that responsibility.
The 6-foot-10 Chriss, the eighth overall pick out of Washington in 2016, averaged 7.7 points last season. Melton was a second-round pick out of USC this year . ...
The Memphis Grizzlies waived center Dakari Johnson after acquiring him from Orlando last month. The 7-foot Johnson started six of 31 games as a rookie last season with Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies acquired Johnson, who was let go by the Thunder, from Orlando in a trade July 23 . ...
Oklahoma City waived forward Kyle Singler. The 6-foot-8, 228-pound Singler started 22 games and averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 13.6 minutes . . . .
Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is facing charges he broke the cellphone of a fan who tried to take video of him about 3 a.m. outside a Manhattan pizzeria yesterday. Smith, 32, turned himself into police and was released with a summons to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.
Colleges: Meyer defends self
Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer is pushing back on the reasons for his three-game suspension with claims that don’t fully square with details laid out in the investigation that led to his punishment.
Meyer tweeted a statement yesterday that he intended to clarify what he calls incorrect media reports about his suspension.
Meyer was banned three games for mismanaging former wide receivers coach Zach Smith, who was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, Courtney Smith. Meyer says it’s not accurate that he was suspended because he “knew about or condoned Zach Smith’s alleged domestic abuse.”
Investigators say Meyer knew about several allegations against the coach before the coach was fired. The report also said Meyer didn’t think there was enough to report Smith’s issues to compliance officers.
Meyer also added: “I did not lie at Big Ten Media Days” when he told reporters he didn’t know about accusations against Smith.
Investigators said they do not believe Meyer “deliberately” lied, but said they can’t rule it out and that he clearly intended to not disclose details about Smith’s issues to media.
Ohio State officials didn’t immediately have comment.
Golf: Olesen eyes Ryder Cup
Thorbjorn Olesen was in a strong position to secure the final qualifying place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team at the Made In Denmark tournament in Arhus, Denmark.
Only a victory by Matthew Fitzpatrick or Eddie Pepperell can deny Olesen the last automatic spot on the Europe team via the world points list, but the English players were far off the lead after the second round at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club.
Pepperell shot a 3-under 69 and was 5 under overall, eight strokes behind leader Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa. Fitzpatrick shot 68 and was a stroke further back.
They both need big weekends to deny Olesen a first-ever Ryder Cup appearance. Olesen shot 69 and was on the cut mark at 2-under 142 . ...
Georgia Hall shot a 9-under 63 for a 15-under 129 total to take a 3-stroke lead in the Cambia Portland Classic in Portland, Ore., and break the tourney’s 36-hole record.
Minjee Lee was second, following her opening 64 with a 68. Marina Alex, the first-round leader after tying the course record with a 62, had a late bogey in a 71 to fall into a tie with Megan Khang at 11-under . ...
Miguel Angel Jimenez and Kirk Triplett shot 6-under 64 to share the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champion’s Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta.
Misc.: Gymnastics troubles
USA Gymnastics parted ways with recently hired coach Mary Lee Tracy because Tracy tried to contact Aly Raisman, one of Larry Nassar’s most outspoken sexual abuse victims.
Only three days after being hired as the program’s elite development coordinator, Tracy posted on social media yesterday that she was asked to resign after trying to contact Raisman to apologize in the hopes “we could work together to make our sport better and learn from all the mistakes of the past.”
USA Gymnastics said in a statement that Tracy inappropriately contacted Raisman, who is suing the federation and was critical of Tracy’s hiring because the coach previously defended Nassar.