Sports

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets are projected to have approximately $40 million in salary cap space this coming offseason, but that doesn’t mean owner Michael Jordan’s club will be big players in free agency come July. Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak says the key for Charlotte’s focus

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The president of the International Boxing Association has offered financial support to boxers who defy a U.S.-initiated boycott of the upcoming world championships. IBA’s Russian president Umar Kremlev says the American and Irish officials responsible for the boycott are “worse than hyenas and jackals.” IBA says it “will pursue strong sanctions”

NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden apparently won’t be giving a pregame interview for the Super Bowl, which is being broadcast by Fox on Sunday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden had been “looking forward” to an interview with the little-known streaming service Fox Soul, but that Fox opted out.

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — An autopsy report shows that a former rugby player from South Africa who was shot and killed by Honolulu police suffered from a severe form of a brain disease. Commonly known as CTE, the degenerative disease is often found in American football players and other athletes

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto forward Pascal Siakam, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards and Sacramento guard De’Aaron Fox have been added to the player pool for the All-Star Game as injury replacements. Commissioner Adam Silver’s office announced the picks Friday. They were first reported by ESPN. Siakam, Edwards and Fox replace Golden State’s Stephen Curry, New

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer PHOENIX (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles have the advantage in the trenches, in receiving and running options and in the secondary in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. Philadelphia has built a team without any holes, which should set the stage for a repeat from five

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — The Chiefs have been here before, and on both sides of the outcome, and they know that winning the Super Bowl is a whole lot better than losing it. That experience alone is invaluable as they face the Eagles in the big game. But then you

LEXINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch will end a one-year break and return this season to drive in NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing. Busch won 102 races over 362 starts in the series and continued to drop down and race in the developmental level even as he became a champion at the Cup

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Two former Marines bonded by a kidney donation and their love of football are now headed to the Super Bowl. John Gladwell, a Kansas City resident and Chiefs fan, donated a kidney to Philadelphia Eagles backer Billy Welsh two years ago after Welsh, who lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was diagnosed

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SAO PAULO (AP) — The Brazilian Football Confederation has denied media reports that Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become the new national coach. Also, Ancelotti says he intends to see out his Madrid contract which has more than a year left. The Brazil job has been vacant

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish soccer club Valladolid has suspended 12 season ticket holders while it and authorities investigate their alleged use of verbal racist attacks against Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior. The incident occurred during Madrid’s 2-0 win at Valladolid on Dec. 30. Valladolid says it has been collaborating

ZURICH (AP) — It’s Lionel Messi vs. Kylian Mbappé again, this time for the FIFA Best Men’s Player award for 2022. Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain and France’s superstar forward head the three-player shortlist announced by FIFA eight weeks after leading their teams in an epic final in Qatar. Karim Benzema completed the top three in

LONDON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told a group of sports ministers there should be “no place” for Russian athletes at next year’s Paris Olympics while the Russian war in Ukraine continues. The International Olympic Committee is working on a plan to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes who have not actively supported the

By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The big day for marketers has arrived: The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest, glitziest stage. Big name advertisers from Netflix to Google paid as much as $7 million for a 30-second spot during the game Sunday night, seeking to capture the attention of the roughly

By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Super Bowl ads are more than just breaks between gameplay during the biggest sporting event of the year: They offer a glimpse of the country’s zeitgeist, along with how major industries are faring. This year, crypto ads and automakers are advertising less since those industries