LITTLE ROCK — BASKETBALL
Uncle: Wright found dead
The uncle of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, 34, said Wednesday that police have told the family the athlete who had been missing for 10 days has been found dead. Curtis Wright told The Associated Press that police called the player’s father, Herb Wright, Wednesday afternoon with the news he had died. Sgt. Alyssa Macon-Moore of the Memphis Police Department wrote in an e-mail to the AP that police were investigating the death of an unidentified man. Asked if the man was Wright, she wrote they could not confirm the victim’s identity Wednesday night. The Commercial Appeal in Memphis cited a police source as identifying the body found in a field in southeast Memphis as Wright’s. Wright was last seen July 18 when he was expected to fly out of town. His family filed a missing person report July 22. Wright played 13 years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, SacramentoKings and most recently the Cleveland Cavaliers with 17 games in the 2008-2009 season. Wright left the University of Memphis early for the NBA, and the Clippers made him a lottery pick with the No. 7 selection overall. He averaged 8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 778 career games.
Kevin Coble, one of Northwestern’s top players, has chosen to skip his senior season after sitting out with a broken left foot last year. The team’s leading scorer and rebounder for three years, Coble was injured in a preseason practice and had surgery. Coble, who plans to graduate with a political science degree in December, averaged 14.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 81 games and ranked 14th on the Wildcats’ career scoring list with 1,203 points.
BASEBALL
Lee to stay in Chicago
Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has rejected a trade to the Los Angeles Angels, saying he prefers to finish the season with his team. Lee, 34, says he “really kind of agonized over” the decision, but that he decided the best thing for himself and his family was to stay in Chicago. Lee, who has a no-trade clause, also says he plans to play beyond this season and would like to do it with the Cubs. Cubs ManagerLou Piniella says he was “very pleased” to hear that Lee was staying with the team. Lee is hitting .248 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI.
The St. Louis Cardinals purchased the contract of right-hander Mike MacDougal from Class AAA Memphis. MacDougal was 2-0 with 1save and a 3.86 ERA in 8 games for Memphis, after starting the season in the Washington Nationals’ system. MacDougal saved 20 games for the Nationals last year and was an All-Star for the Kansas City Royals in 2003. He’s 14-21 with a 4.09 ERA in 10 seasons, including a stint with the Chicago White Sox. The Cardinals optioned right-hander Fernando Salas to Memphis to make room for MacDougal.
San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson, who leads the majors with 30 saves, has been fined by major league baseball for wearing orange cleats during Tuesday’s 6-4 victory over the Florida Marlins. The shoes, a gift from Nike and presented to Wilson at the All-Star Game, apparently violated the league’s dress code. It was the first time Wilson has worn them in a regular-season game. Baseball rules require all players on a team to wear uniforms that conform to his teammates.
Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland was suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for inappropriate and aggressive conduct during the bottom of the third inning of Monday night’s 5-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The manager was ejected during an argument in which Leyland said he accidentally sprayed second base umpire Marty Foster with sunflower seeds.
FOOTBALL
Player accused
Oklahoma State safety Victor Johnson, 20, will face a possession of a controlled substance charge in addition to the accusation of obstructing a police officer leveled against him after his arrest early Saturday morning. Police responded to a complaint about a suspicious odor at his apartment. An affidavit filed by a school police officer alleges that Johnson initially refused to let police search his apartment, but a bag of marijuana was found after officers obtained a search warrant. Johnson also is due for a hearing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
BASKETBALL
Pitino: Extortion suspect initiated sex
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A woman accused of demanding millions to stay quiet about a tryst with Rick Pitino initiated the sex by whispering to him and unzipping his pants when he got up to leave an empty Italian restaurant, he testified Wednesday.
The Louisville coach’s testimony marked the first time he’s talked publicly in detail about his July 2003 encounter with Karen Cunagin Sypher, the meeting that led to her trial this week on extortion charges. Pitino’s portrayal of Sypher, 50, as the aggressor came after several witnesses said she was flirty and persistent when she approached Pitino at the restaurant.
Pitino, 57, obliged her request to say happy birthday to her son on her cell phone. When she returned later, Pitino said, he bought her a drink. They lingered to talk after the restaurant had closed and the owner had gone home.
As he got up from the table, the married father of five said Sypher whispered something.
“Some unfortunate things happened,” Pitino said. “She opened up my pants.”
“Did you have sex that night?” assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford asked.
“Yes, very briefly,” Pitino said.
The two have said they had sex at the table.
Sypher is charged with extortion, asking for cash, cars and a house to stay quiet about the sex. She has pleaded not guilty, claiming Pitino sexually assaulted her. Police and prosecutors have said her assault claim lacked merit.
Pitino said after he and Sypher left the restaurant together, she asked for basketball tickets. Pitino agreed and made the arrangements.
A few weeks later, Sypher, then known as Karen Wise, called and said she was pregnant.
Sypher said she had no health insurance, Pitino said, so he offered $3,000. He thought the money was for counseling and medical needs, but Sypher later said she had an abortion, Pitino said.
Threats to reveal the fling came nearly six years after it took place, Pitino said.
On Feb. 26, 2009, he listened to a cell phone message of a man’s voice describing details of the encounter at the restaurant and calling it a violent assault, Pitino told the jury.
“He mentioned the word rape. I got very sick to my stomach,” said Pitino, who added that he felt threatened and frightened.
Jurors earlier heard testimony from Lester Goetzinger of Louisville, who acknowledged making the calls in exchange for sexual favors from Sypher.
Pitino also testified he received a handwritten note from Sypher in March 2009 that asked for cars, housing and money.
Sports, Pages 18 on 07/29/2010