Report: Wallace to join Hall

Ben Wallace, who was a four-time NBA All-Star and won a championship with the Pistons before a stint with the Bulls, will be part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction Class of 2021, ESPN reported Saturday.

The 2021 class will be announced Sunday. ESPN cited a source in its report.

Wallace signed a four-year, $60 million deal to join the Bulls in 2006 before being traded to the Cavaliers on Feb. 21, 2008. He averaged 9.9 rebounds and 5.9 points in 127 games with the Bulls and was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team in 2007.

He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times, led the league in rebounding twice and led the league in blocks once.

Wallace played for the Bullets/Wizards franchise in 1996-99, for the Magic in 19992000, for the Pistons in 2000-06 and 2009-12 and the Cavs in 2008-09.

During the induction ceremony Saturday for the Class of 2020, Michael Jordan accompanied Vanessa Bryant, who delivered an acceptance speech on behalf of her late husband Kobe, who died in a helicopter crash last year.

The nine-member class included other Chicago connections. Kevin Garnett was the national prep player of the year at Farragut in 1995 before going on to a 22-season pro career that included an MVP, an NBA championship and 15 All-Star berths, and Tamika Catchings starred at Stevenson before winning four Olympic gold medals, a WNBA MVP and a WNBA title in 15 pro seasons.

♦ LeBron James returned from a sixgame absence to score 24 points, Anthony Davis had 28 and the visiting Lakers beat the Pacers 122-115.

♦ Simeon grad Kendrick Nunn scored a season-high 31 points in the Heat’s 122-108 loss to the Bucks. Leading scorer Jimmy Butler (back) sat out for Miami.

MLB

Source: Pujols to join Dodgers

A person with knowledge of the deal says the Dodgers are signing veteran first baseman Albert Pujols to a major-league deal, the Associated Press reported.

Pujols, 41, left the Angels earlier this month after nearly 10 seasons. The oldest player in the majors hit .198 with five homers and 12 RBI for the Angels this season.

† Daniel Vogelbach of the Brewers broke up Ian Anderson’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh inning, but the Braves still won 5-1.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wolves end season with win vs. IceHogs

The Wolves capped their 27th season with a 3-1 victory against the Rockford IceHogs at their training facility in Hoffman Estates. Forwards Sean Malone, Jamieson Rees and David Gust scored for the Wolves (21-9-1-2). The Wolves won the Central Division, but there will be no Calder Cup playoffs. The 2021-22 season begins Oct. 15.

♦ Sam Burns has a one-shot lead going into the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas. Now it’s a race to beat the weather in Texas in the final round, with a good number of the players headed to the PGA Championship in South Carolina. The players will switch from twosomes back to threesomes going off the first and 10th tees soon after daybreak Sunday with heavy rain in the forecast. Burns shot a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke lead over K.H. Lee, who had a 67.

♦ Rinus VeeKay scored his first career IndyCar victory with a triumph on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.