Pierce heads nominees
Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce and longtime player, coach and broadcaster Doug Collins lead the first-time nominees announced Tuesday for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Also making their debut as candidates are Michael Cooper, Howard Garfinkel, Lou Henson, Val Ackerman, Yolanda Griffith and Lauren Jackson. Finalists are scheduled to be announced in early March – in the timeframe of NBA all-star weekend, the Hall of Fame said, though it's unclear if an actual all-star event will take place – and those elected would be unveiled in early April, at the NCAA Final Four, if that happens as planned.
Other returnees to the ballot, the Hall said, include Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Richard Hamilton, Bob Huggins, Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, Jay Wright, Swin Cash and Becky Hammon.
The Class of 2021 Enshrinement ceremony is scheduled to take place in Springfield next September. The Class of 2020 ceremony, headlined by late Lakers star Kobe Bryant, was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been rescheduled for May 13-15 in Uncasville, Conn.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Auburn hired Boise State's Bryan Harsin as its coach late Tuesday, luring him away from his alma mater and into the powerful Southeastern Conference.
The 44-year-old Harsin is 69-19 with three Mountain West titles in seven seasons at Boise State, but winning in the SEC affords greater chances for playoff berths and national titles.
The Auburn job is also sure to bring a major pay raise, though contract details for Harsin weren't immediately available.
BASEBALL
The New York Mets and Noah Syndergaard agreed to a $9.7 million, one-year contract for next season, when the injured right-hander hopes to return from Tommy John surgery.
The Mets and Syndergaard avoided arbitration by settling on the same salary Syndergaard was set to make in 2020. He ended up earning $3,592,593 when the season was shortened to 60 games by the coronavirus pandemic.