Ex-NBA star's son decides to leave Stanford, join Cal
Mark Madsen won't be the only former Stanford player in the Cal men's basketball program next season.
Andrej Stojakovic, the son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic and a former top-25 recruit, told ESPN he will transfer to Cal after spending his freshman year with the Cardinal.
Stojakovic averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds over 32 games as a freshman under Jarod Haase, who was fired following his eighth season. Stanford hired former Washington State coach Kyle Smith, but Stojakovic was one of several key players to leave the program.
The 6-foot-7 Stojakovic, a native of Sacramento, also considered Kentucky and North Carolina, according to recruiting site On3.com.
Stojakovic shared the news on social media.
“The stories and experiences he was able to share with my dad the first time meeting, we kind of bonded over each other's goals,” Stojakovic told ESPN of Madsen, who visited him the first week after he entered the portal. “What he wants to accomplish for his team, but his vision for myself. He truly believes in me.”
Stojakovic also cited the success of Jaylon Tyson, a fellow former top recruit who became the Bears' top scorer last season after transferring from Texas Tech. Tyson declared for the NBA Draft earlier this month after averaging 19.6 points per game last season.
NFL
— Michael Nowels
ATTENDANCE RECORD >> The NFL draft has a new attendance record after more than 700,000 fans flooded downtown Detroit for the three-day event. Motown beat Music City's three-day attendance record of 600,000 set in 2019, when fans filled Broadway in Nashville.
The NFL did not charge fans to attend the event, though the visitors and area residents were expected to generate more than $160 million in economic impact at sold-out hotels, packed bars and restaurants, and retail stores in the heart of downtown. Green Bay is next year's host. CHIEFS ISSUE WARNING >> The Kansas City Chiefs plan to explore options that include leaving Arrowhead Stadium
after voters in Jackson County, Missouri, soundly rejected a sales tax initiative that would have helped to pay for renovations to the 52-yearold building.
The Chiefs and Royals, whose Kauffman Stadium shares the Truman Sports Complex with the football stadium, have relied on a threeeighths cent sales tax for upkeep. The franchises wanted to extend that tax with the Royals using their share for a new downtown ballpark and the Chiefs envisioning an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead.
More than 58% of voters rejected the sales tax initiative after the campaign was met with criticism from all sides.
Golf
BYU TEAMMATES TAKE LEAD >> Former BYU teammates Patrick Fishburn and Zach Blair shot a 12-under 60 in better-ball play Saturday to take the third-round lead in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour's only team event. At 23-under 193, Fishburn and Blair had a one-stroke lead over Luke List and Henrik Norlander, with the Irish duo of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry — tied for the lead after each of the first two rounds — two strokes back.
STEELE LEADS >> Three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele shot an 8-under 64 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the LIV Tour's Adelaide tournament at The Grange Golf Club. Steele, 41, had a 36-hole total of 14-under 130. Danny Lee was a stroke behind after a 67. TIED IN LOS ANGELES >> Grace Kim stumbled to a 5-over 76 on Saturday in the LPGA Tour's JM Eagle LA Championship — and still held onto a share of the lead. Four strokes ahead entering the day after rounds of 64 and 66, Kim was tied with fellow Australian Hannah Green, the defending champion who saved par with a 12-footer on the par-3 18th for a 70. They were at 7-under 206.
Tennis
NADAL WINS >> Rafael Nadal beat 11thranked Alex de Minaur 7-6 (6), 6-3 in the second round of the Madrid Open on Saturday, avenging a straight-set loss to the Australian less than two weeks ago.
Gymnastics
DOUGLAS RETURNS >> Gabby Douglas, who became the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around title when she triumphed in London in 2012, competed for the first time in eight years on Saturday at the American Classic.
Douglas, 28, posted a score of 50.65 in the all-around. Douglas qualified in multiple events for the U.S. Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, next month. She will get another chance to qualify for the all-around competition at nationals when she takes the floor at the the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 18.
Douglas last competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she helped the Americans claim a second straight gold in the team competition. She took an extended break from the sport but never officially retired. The itch to come back returned while watching the 2022 U.S. Championships, and she's spent the better part of the last two years training in the Dallas area with an eye toward trying to make the five-woman U.S. team that will be heavily favored to win gold in Paris this summer.
Motorsports
TRUEX WINS >> Ryan Truex won the Xfinity Series race Saturday at Dover Motor Speedway for the second straight year, giving the younger brother of Martin Truex Jr. the only NASCAR victories of his career.
Truex went back-to-back at the Monster Mile to give him two wins in 194 career starts over the three national series. The No. 20 Toyota pulled away over the final two laps in a race that went eight laps over its scheduled 200-lap finish. Truex, who does not have a full time ride, made just his fourth start this season.