Sale of Nets will set record
In a record sale for a U.S. sports franchise, the co-founder of Alibaba agreed to buy the remaining 51% of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center for about $3.4 billion, two people with knowledge of the details said Friday.
Joe Tsai already had purchased 49% of the team from Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in 2018, with the option to become controlling owner in 2021.
Instead, he pushed up that timeline for full ownership of a team on the rise.
Terms were not disclosed, but a source said that Tsai is paying about $2.35 billion for the Nets and nearly $1 billion in a separate transaction for the arena.
It will surpass the $2.2 billion that Tilman Fertitta paid for the NBA's Houston Rockets, and that David Tepper spent for the NFL's Carolina Panthers.
Tsai is the executive vice chairman of the Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant.
BASKETBALL
Houston forward P.J. Tucker has withdrawn from consideration for USA Basketball's World Cup roster, meaning 14 players remain in consideration for 12 spots.
Tucker withdrew Friday, citing a minor left ankle issue. He has twisted the ankle twice in the last several days.
The 34-year-old Tucker was the oldest player left in World Cup camp with the Americans. He had three points and three rebounds in the team's intrasquad scrimmage at Las Vegas on Aug. 9.
Bucks add two: Rayjon Tucker, a 6-foot-5 undrafted rookie out of Little Rock, and Jaylen Adams, a 6-foot-2 guard who spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks organization, will join the Bucks for training camp.
Both players are on Exhibit 10 contracts, which are one-year, non-guaranteed deals that ensure a training-camp invite.
Of the two, Tucker is likely the more familiar in Milwaukee considering he played for the Bucks' summer-league team in July. During five games in Las Vegas, Tucker made a strong impression by averaging 10.2 points.
BASEBALL
San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with a back injury that “most likely” will end his season, according to manager Andy Green.
The 20-year-old Tatis, a rookie-of-the-year candidate, is batting .317 with 13 doubles, 22 homers and 53 RBI in 84 games.
TENNIS
Top-seeded Ashleigh Barty reached the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open for the first time and moved closer to the No. 1 world ranking.
Barty overcame another challenging start for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Maria Sakkari in Mason, Ohio.
SOFTBALL
Aaron Gaedtke had a home run and three RBI to lead Waz's Elite to an 18-14 victory over KA / Spiderz in the Muni-All City title game at Sijan Field.