LeBron signs official Lakers contract

It’s official. LeBron is a Laker.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced the signing of LeBron James as a free agent Monday night, confirming the seismic shift created by the fourtime NBA Most Valuable Player’s decision to leave Cleveland for the 16-time champion franchise on the West Coast.

James’ representatives at Klutch Sports Group tweeted a photo of James signing his contract with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka. James’ agency already announced last week that the superstar had agreed to a four-year deal worth $153.3 million with Los Angeles.

The Lakers have missed the playoffs in a franchise-record five consecutive seasons, while James has played in the past eight NBA Finals with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning three titles.

The 33-year-old budding entertainment mogul immediately becomes the focus of the Lakers franchise and a possible foundation for the NBA’s next superteam, depending on whether James and the Lakers can persuade more superstars to join him in the next year or two.

Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, called James “the best player in the world” in a news release.

“He loves to compete and is an awesome leader who is about winning and making sure that his teammates are successful,” Johnson said. “The Lakers players are excited to have a teammate who has been to nine NBA Finals. It’s a huge step closer to returning the Lakers to the playoffs and to the NBA Finals.”

CAVS TOP PACERS » The Cavaliers toppd the Indiana Pacers, 93-88, in summer league play on July 9. Cedi Osman led with a game-high 25 points, six assists, and six rebounds. Eighth pick in the draft, Collin Sexton, scored 21 points and dished out four assists, while Billy Preston added 12 points. T.J. Leaf led the Pacers with 20 points and nine rebounds, and Alize Johnson added 16 points and seven rebounds.

Basketball

BRAWL BREAKS OUT » A video shows players and referees trading punches at a youth basketball game in an Atlanta suburb.

News outlets report the video has been shared on social media thousands of times. It shows the Sunday morning brawl in the game between Chicagobased R.A.W. Athletics and the Houston Raptors at the LakePoint sports facility in Emerson.

R.A.W. Athletics coach Howard Martin tells WSB-TV he thinks one of his players had complained to a referee about a call before he was ejected from the game. Martin says the player was walking toward the bench when the referee pushed him.

College football

COWAN RELEASED » Alabama has dismissed linebacker VanDarius Cowan from the team for violating unspecified team rules.

Coach Nick Saban announced the decision Monday in a statement, saying “each of us has a responsibility to represent the University of Alabama in a first-class way, and failure to meet those standards can’t be tolerated.”

Saban says Cowan violated team rules, but did not specify what rules.

Cowan played in seven games last season as a freshman. He made two tackles, both coming against Mercer.

Cowan was rated a five-star prospect out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, by Scout.com.