Tua weighing NFL Draft
Tua Tagovailoa said being assured he’d likely remain a high NFL draft pick could make “the biggest decision of my life” a little easier.
The Alabama quarterback still is weighing his options and going through rehab for the right hip injury that ended his junior season — and potentially his career with the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide. Once regarded as a potential No. 1 overall pick, Tagovailoa said Thursday that if he thinks he still will be a top-10 or top-15 pick, that might be too tempting.
“I think that’d be tough to pass up,” he said, sitting in a chair where the podium normally rests during Alabama news conferences. “But I think there’s a lot more to it than that in some aspects.”
Tagovailoa was injured when he was dragged down by two Mississippi State defenders Nov. 16. He had surgery two days later in Houston. He doesn’t have a timeline on when he will make that decision, saying it could come right before the deadline Jan. 20 for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft.
He started the rehab process in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday and is getting treatment at Alabama’s
athletic facilities while back in class. He said the medical staff was surprised at how well he did pushing against resistance with his right leg. Tagovailoa said he won’t be able to twist his hip as much inward but doesn’t think that will affect his football ability.
♦ Louisville’s Scott Satterfield is the ACC’s coach of the year, followed by Virginia’s Bronco Mendenhall and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.
♦ Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford reportedly will step down.
Woods six back of Reed
Patrick Reed made six birdies in his last 10 holes on his way to a 6-under-par 66 that gave him a three-shot lead (12-under 132) over Gary Woodland at the Hero World Challenge in Nassau, Bahamas.
Tiger Woods, playing for the first time since he won in Japan for his record-tying 82nd career victory on the PGA Tour, kept a clean card to match Reed’s 66 and remain six shots behind.
“I can drive the ball a little better because I can rotate, and I can putt the ball better because I can get down and read putts again,” said Woods, who had minor knee surgery in late August to repair cartilage damage. “Toward the end of the year, I couldn’t do that.”
Anthony sticking with Blazers
The Trail Blazers have guaranteed Carmelo Anthony’s contract for the rest of the season.
♦ Devin Booker scored a season-high 44 points to lead the Suns to a 139-132 overtime victory against the host Pelicans.
♦ Notre Dame reserve guard Robby Carmody will miss the rest of the season with a left ACL injury.
♦ Former sportscaster Kelli Tennant is seeking dismissal of her sexual-assault lawsuit against Kings coach Luke Walton, a court document shows. The dismissal form didn’t include any information about the reason for dismissal.
♦ The Flames have a deal for a new arena in downtown Calgary, a 35-year agreement that will keep the NHL club in the city for that time. The 19,000-seat arena is to cost more than $417 million. Construction is expected to begin in 2021, just north of the Saddledome.