HOT CORNER

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: A National Labor Relations Board regional official decided that Dartmouth players are employees of the school, clearing the way for an election that would create the first labor union for NCAA athletes. All 15 members of the Dartmouth men’s basketball team signed a petition in September asking to join Local 560 of the Service Employees International Union, which already represents some other employees at the Ivy League school in Hanover, New Hampshire. Unionizing would allow players to negotiate salary and working conditions, including practice hours and travel.

WOMEN’S PRO BASKETBALL: Former WNBA MVP and eighttime All-Star Nneka Ogwumike signed with the Seattle Storm. Ogwumike, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft, was the 2016 league MVP and spent the first 12 seasons of her WNBA career with Los Angeles. Ogwumike announced last month she would not return to the Sparks and ended up signing with one of their Western Conference rivals. Ogwumike, 33, averaged 19.1 points and 8.8 rebounds last season . ... The Phoenix Mercury acquired 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper from the Chicago Sky for Michaela Onyenwere, Brianna Turner and four draft picks.

MEN’S PRO BASKETBALL:

76ers center Joel Embiid will be evaluated in four weeks after he had surgery for a left knee injury. The 76ers did not release a timetable on Embiid’s return, but there is no doubt, given the nature of the meniscus injury, that he will miss a significant amount of time.

OLYMPICS: The Paris Olympics organizing committee expressed surprise that the salary of its president reportedly is being investigated by the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office. French media reported that the investigation into Tony Estanguet’s pay was handed to Paris police last week, less than six months before the Olympics open. The financial prosecutor’s office declined to comment. Paris organizers said they have not been contacted by investigators and could not confirm a probe is ongoing.

PRO BOXING: Oleksandr Usyk said he doesn’t judge Tyson Fury for sustaining a cut while sparring, forcing their heavyweight unification fight to be postponed from Feb. 17 to May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.“It happens, it’s boxing,”Usyk said. It is the second time the fight has been delayed after a date in December fell through.