Former FIBA chief dies
Borislav Stankovic, the former longtime International Basketball Federation secretary general responsible for bringing NBA players to the Olympics, has died, the governing body said. He was 94.
Stankovic was at the helm of FIBA from 1976 to 2002 and was a member of the International Olympic Committee.
During his leadership, he was credited with working toward building bridges between East and West during the Cold War and working closely with the then-NBA Commissioner David Stern in the late 1980s and early '90s to bring world basketball into the modern era.
That resulted in American professional players participating in the top-level national team competitions, starting at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
For his contributions to the game, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
BASKETBALL
UAB hired former Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy to lead its basketball program.
The Blazers announced Kennedy's return to his alma mater Friday. A two-time Southeastern Conference coach of the year and the Rebels' winningest coach, Kennedy remains the second-leading scorer in UAB program history.
He spent the past two years as a commentator for ESPN and the SEC Network. Kennedy received a six-year contract through the 2025-'26 season.
Kennedy replaces Robert Ehsan, who lasted four seasons as the Blazers head coach.
Kennedy led Ole Miss to the SEC Tournament title in 2013 with a 27-9 record and took the Rebels to two NCAA Tournament appearances.
HOCKEY
The Milwaukee Admirals signed defenseman Matt Donovan to a two-year American Hockey League contract extension that runs through the 2021-22 season.
Currently in his second season with the Admirals, Donovan has recorded 16 goals and 51 assists for 67 points while playing in 122 games.
Predators sign Harper: The Nashville Predators signed forward Patrick Harper to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Harper, 21, just finished his senior season at Boston University matching his career high with 37 points and a career-best 14 goals. The 5-foot-7, 150pound forward finished 15th in the NCAA among all skaters averaging 1.16 points a game.
The Predators drafted Harper in the fifth round at No. 138 overall in the 2016 draft.