WNBA freezes start of season
The WNBA has postponed the start of its season because of the coronavirus pandemic, with no indication when play would begin.
The league was scheduled to open training camps April 26 and the regular season was set to begin May 15. The WNBA will still hold a “virtual” draft April 17.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement the league will “use this time to conduct scenario-planning regarding new start dates and innovative formats.”
The WNBA, which was set to begin its 24th season, is the longest running professional women’s sports league.
Every other major sports league has been put on hold due to the virus.
Basketball HOF
HOF SET TO ANNOUNCE 2020 CLASS » A unique Hall of Fame class will be announced Saturday in a unique way.
Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are all expected to be officially announced as part of the 2020 class of enshrinees by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which typically reveals its annual selections at college basketball’s Final Four. This year, with sports shut down because of the global coronavirus pandemic, the announcement will be televised from ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut with some elements of the show taped ahead of time.
Bryant, Duncan and Garnett, with a combined 11 championships and 48 All-Star seasons between them, are all first-time finalists and locks to be in this class. Only six players in NBA history have been selected to 15 or more All-Star Games — and Bryant, Duncan and Garnett are three of them.
College basketball
DAYTON’S TOPPIN, OREGON’S IONESCU WIN NAISMITH TROPHY » Dayton forward Obi Toppin has been awarded the Naismith Trophy as college basketball’s most outstanding player.
Toppin was named the Naismith Trophy winner on Friday, adding to an award collection that includes national player of the year by The Associated Press.
Toppin had a breakout sophomore season for the third-ranked Flyers, averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shoot
ing 63%.
Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu won the women’s award.
Ionescu, who won AP All-American honors three times, shattered the NCAA career triple-double mark with 26 and became the first player in college history to have 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.
Ionescu averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds with eight triple-doubles as a senior this season.
Horse racing
NEW PREAKNESS DATE UNCERTAIN BUT INFIELD PARTY CANCELED » The Preakness is looking for a new date this year and has decided to cancel the infield party that is a staple of the Triple Crown race normally held on the third Saturday in May.
The owners of Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland Jockey Club said in a statement that the outbreak
of the coronavirus around the country has caused officials to delay the race and cancel InfieldFest 2020.
The Preakness was scheduled to be held on May 16. The Kentucky Derby has already been moved from May 2 to Sept. 5, and it’s possible the Preakness could follow suit and be held in mid-September.
Golf
US WOMEN’S OPEN POSTPONED » The U.S. Women’s Open in Houston is moving from the end of spring to the middle of December.
The USGA said the rapid developments of COVID-19 has led the Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club to be postponed. Instead of being held June 4-7, the new date is Dec. 10-13.
That would be the latest a major championship is played, and the first time an official LPGA Tour event was held entirely in December since 1966.
Pro football
49ERS SIGN BENJAMIN, COMPTON
TO ONE-YEAR FREE AGENT DEALS » Wide receiver Travis Benjamin and offensive lineman Tom Compton have signed one-year deals with the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
Benjamin is a ninth-year pro who has caught 19 touchdown passes and returned four punts for scores in his eight NFL seasons in Cleveland (2012-15) and with the Chargers (2016-19). His 2019 season was cut short by a thigh injury.
Also a ninth-year pro, Compton is joining his sixth team in the last six seasons. After playing for Washington from 2012-15, Compton played in Atlanta (2016), Chicago (2017), Minnesota (2018) and for the Jets last year. BUCCANEERS RE-SIGN BACKUP QB GABBERT » The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have re-signed free agent backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert to a one-year contract.
The 10th-year veteran spent all of last season on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder during the preseason.