Bucks’ Ham early target for Lakers
The Lakers were given permission to interview Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Times on Friday afternoon.
Long regarded as one of the top assistant coaches in basketball, Ham has been with the Bucks since 2018, winning a title with the team in 2021. He won a title as a player with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Ham is the first known target for the Lakers coaching job, a vacancy created when the team fired Frank Vogel following a 33-49 season.
— Dan Woike
The Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine made it clear he plans to explore the market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, calling it a “big decision” for him and his family.
ETC. Tennis great gets 21⁄2-year jail term
Tennis great Boris Becker was sentenced to 21⁄2 years in prison for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was convicted this month on four charges under the Insolvency Act and had faced a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
No. 1 Naomi Osaka kicked off her clay season with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win over qualifier Anastasia Potapova in the first round on the Madrid Open center court . ... Botic van de Zandschulp upset second-seeded Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-1 to reach the BMW Open semifinals in Munich. Van de Zandschulp next faces Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated the fourth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 (5), 6-2. Also advancing were Dane Holger Rune and German Oscar Otte.
Steve Stricker played his first round in 201 days and it seemed as though he was healthy as ever, opening with a five-under 67 to share the lead in the Insperity Invitational
in the Woodlands, Texas. Stricker is tied with Steven Alker and Ernie Els, who drove into a hazard and took bogey on the final hole. ... Jon Rahm faced the wind and handled it just as well in the Mexico Open, making eight birdies on his way to a five-under 66 that staked the world’s No. 2 player to a twoshot lead over Alex Smalley. ... Hannah Green took a three-stroke lead into the weekend in the LPGA Palos Verdes Championship, rebounding from consecutive bogeys in gusting wind to birdie the two late par fives in a five-under 66 at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari tweeted that assistant Jai Lucas is leaving the Wildcats to join the staff of first-year Duke coach Jon Scheyer . ... Maryland football coach Michael Locksley agreed to a new five-year contract that runs through the 2026 season . ... Conecticut women’s basketball player Caroline Ducharme had surgery on her left hip and is expected to be ready for the 2022-23 preseason . ... Penn State hired Boston College athletic director Patrick Kraft, 43, to be its next AD.
The Las Vegas Raiders declined the fifth-year options on all three of their 2019 first-round picks as the new regime doesn’t want to commit to players inherited on the roster.
General manager Dave Ziegler said the team will let defensive end Clelin Ferrell, running back Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram play out the final year of their rookie contracts instead of extending them through 2023.
The executive board of the NHL Players Assn. voted to form a search committee to find a successor to Donald Fehr, who has been its executive director since 2010. Fehr will remain in his position through the search, which is expected to last through the summer.
— Helene Elliott
An exercise rider died after being thrown from a horse at Keeneland’s training track. Callie Witt, 20, died Friday morning after being thrown from a 2-yearold horse, Keeneland track spokeswoman Amy Gregory confirmed to the Associated Press.