Former GM admits LeBron wasn’t easy to work with
David Griffin was not fond of his time with LeBron James, when Griffin was the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers and James was in the background calling the shots.
Griffin, the vice president of basketball operations with the New Orleans Pelicans, told Sports Illustrated in a magazine article published Thursday that his days in Cleveland were pressurepacked and “miserable.”
“Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun,” Griffin told SI. “Literally the moment we won the championship I knew I was going to leave. There was no way I was going to stay for any amount of money.”
Griffin said part of the rub for him and others in that position is James will get all the credit and zero blame.
“That’s not fun for people,” Griffin said. “They don’t like being part of that world.”
Griffin said his relationship with James was fine. But the pressurized atmosphere sapped his appreciation for the game to the point of literal exhaustion. And while James was laser-focused those days on bringing a title to Cleveland — a promise he fulfilled — Griffin was not afraid to say he doesn’t see the same fire from James in Los Angeles.
“There wasn’t a lot else for him,” Griffin said. “I don’t think he’s the same animal anymore about winning.” NBA VETERAN STEPHENSON TO PLAY IN CHINA » Well- traveled NBA veteran Lance Stephenson has agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to published reports.
Stephenson, a 28- year- old swingman, spent the 2018-19 season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Golf
IM, AN SHARE WYNDHAM LEAD » Former Cal golfer and U. S. Amateur champ Byeong Hun An and Sungjae Im shot career-low rounds of 8-under 62 to share the first-round lead at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Both players carded eight birdies and no bogeys on a low-scoring day when 128 of the 155 players finished at even par or better at the Sedgefield Country Club, site of the final PGA Tour event before the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Four players are one shot back, including Rory Sabbatini, who is looking for his first tour win since 2011 — a 217-start drought. Patrick Rodgers, Johnson Wagner and Mackenzie Hughes also posted rounds of 63. BUHAI LEADS WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN » Ashleigh Buhai took the first-round lead at the Women’s British Open, seeking to become the second South African female major winner, while South Korea’s Jin Young Ko started well in a quest to win back-to-back majors.
Buhai, without a top-25 finish at a major, found herself in uncharted territory after notching eight birdies in a 7-under-par 65 at Woburn in Milton Keynes, England.
She led Danielle Kang and Shibuno Hinako by a stroke, while local favorite Charley Hull was among a group two behind.
Four days after winning the Evian Championship in France, Ko continued her sizzling form with a 68, while defending champion Georgia Hall shot 69. MAN NAMED BY MEDIA REPORTS AS OLESEN ARRESTED AT AIRPORT » A man named by British media outlets as European Ryder Cup golfer Thorbjorn Olesen was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday. London police confirmed an arrest, without naming the man.
“Officers based at Heathrow Airport arrested a 29 year- old man on an in-bound flight on suspicion of sexual assault, being drunk on board an aircraft and failing to comply with the orders of cabin crew,” they said in a statement to Reuters.
“He was taken into custody and subsequently released under investigation.” ATKINS SHOOTS 62 TO LEAD ELLIE MAE CLASSIC » Matt Atkins carded an 8-under 62 to take the firstround lead at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward. Atkins is coming off a more eventful couple of weeks than most; 13 days ago he and his wife Jill welcomed their first child, Audrey Claire Atkins. Matthew NeSmith sits a shot back, while San Jose State’s Mark Hubbard is two shots back. Stanford grads Maverick McNealy (65) and Joseph Bramlett (66) are in the hunt.
Skating
ASHLEY WAGNER SAYS COUGHLIN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED HER IN 2008 » Olympic bronze medalist and three-time U. S. figure skating champion Ashley Wagner said she was sexually assaulted by former figure skater John Coughlin in June 2008.
Wagner, 28, said the incident occurred after a party at the U.S. team’s figure skating camp in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wagner was 17 years old at the time, while Coughlin was 22.
Wagner, who wrote a first-person story for USA Today Sports on the incident and also shared her story on social media, said she was asleep in bed at the home where the party occurred when Coughlin got into bed with her. She said Coughlin then kissed and groped her.
Coughlin died by suicide on Jan. 18 at the age of 33.
College football
LEGENDARY DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR WILL STEP DOWN AT VIRGINIA TECH » Bud Foster’s long run on the sidelines at Virginia Tech is coming to an end. The 60-yearold defensive coordinator said this upcoming season will be his last as an assistant coach. Foster arrived in 1987 and was elevated to defensive coordinator in 1996. COACHES PICK CLEMSON NO. For the first time ever, Clemson is ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll. The defending national champion received 59 of 65 first-place votes in the poll. Alabama — which lost to the Tigers in last season’s national title game — is ranked No. 2 and received the other six first-place votes.
SEC foe Georgia slots in at No. 3, with Oklahoma and Ohio State rounding out the top five.