Red Storm’s Taylor in transfer portal

Another productive member of Rick Pitino’s rotation could soon be leaving St. John’s.

Glenn Taylor Jr., who emerged as a Red Storm starter down the stretch last season, has entered the transfer portal, the 6-6 forward announced on Instagram.

“What a true blessing and honor it has been to have the opportunity to play for New York’s team,” Taylor wrote Tuesday night. “I want to give a huge thanks to Coach Pitino and the entire coaching staff for their tireless dedication in helping me elevate my game and helping me see another side of basketball.”

Taylor said he will keep “an open line of communication” with St. John’s while exploring his options.

The 21-year-old Taylor averaged 4.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a junior in 2023-24 after transferring last year from Oregon State. He started 21 of his 33 appearances with the Johnnies, averaging 17.5 minutes per game.

Taylor endured a roller-coaster season under Pitino. His playing time plummeted in February, including a stretch in which he played 10 minutes or fewer in six consecutive games.

But Taylor played a crucial role in the Red Storm’s Feb. 25 upset over No. 15 Creighton, leading the team with 10 rebounds over 32 minutes. He followed that performance with a team-high 17 points in a Feb. 28 road win over Butler. Peter Sblendorio

HORNETS’ CLIFFORD TO STEP DOWN

Steve Clifford is stepping down as coach of the Hornets after the season, the team announced.

Clifford informed the team of his decision on Wednesday. He plans to remain on in an advisory role.

Clifford is 45-112 in his two seasons of his second stint as coach of the Hornets and just 18-57 this season.

He is 337-457 in parts of 10 seasons as a head coach, most of them in Charlotte. He started as a head coach in Charlotte in 2013, then spent three seasons as coach of Orlando before returning to the Hornets.

Clifford’s contract was set to expire after the season.

BREWERS’ MEGILL IN SCARY FALL

Brewers reliever Trevor Megill, the older brother of Mets pitcher Tylor Megill, suffered a concussion in what seemed to be a food-poisoning-related fall, his manager said Wednesday.

Megill, 30, began dealing with the food poisoning on Saturday in New York, where the Brewers faced the Mets in a season-opening three-game series.

After returning to Milwaukee, Megill fainted inside a phone store, manager Pat Murphy said.

“Fell on the ground, hit his head,” Murphy said. “When he came to, he called our people and let them know. We evaluated him the next morning, and it was a concussion.”

On Wednesday, the Brewers placed Megill on the seven-day concussion list, retroactive to Sunday. Sblendorio

TEXAS’ JUNG OUT 8-10 WEEKS

Rangers third baseman Josh Jung will miss eight to 10 weeks after having surgery on his broken right wrist.

Jung originally was projected to miss six weeks, but the team said Wednesday the operation in Phoenix was more complicated than expected.

Jung was hurt when he was hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay reliever Phil Maton on a swinging strike in the ninth inning of the Rangers’ 9-3 win on Monday night. He was placed on the 10-day injured list and infielder Justin Foscus was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday.

MCMICHAEL IN HOSPITAL

Bears great Steve McMichael, who’s battling ALS, was taken to a hospital Wednesday because of a urinary tract infection, publicist Betsy Shepherd said.

Shepherd said he was being prescribed an antibiotic and was to return home that night. “(Wife) Misty McMichael and family thanks everyone for the prayers and concern,” she said.

The 66-year-old McMichael went public with an ALS diagnosis three years ago. He spent more than a week at a suburban hospital after being admitted into intensive care on Feb. 15 with a urinary tract infection. He was hospitalized one week after he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

McMichael was also treated for pneumonia and MRSA — a staph infection that can be difficult to treat because it is resistant to certain antibiotics — during his stay.

CHIEFS’ RICE: MY FAULT

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice said Wednesday that he was taking “full responsibility” for his part in a weekend wreck involving speeding sports cars that caused a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway and resulted in minor injuries to four people.

Rice was leasing a Lamborghini SUV that police said was speeding along with a Corvette on North Central Expressway on Saturday. The crash ultimately involved six vehicles, police said, and the occupants of the Lamborghini and Corvette left the scene without providing information or determining whether anyone needed medical attention.

Police have not released information about other people involved.