Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — BASKETBALL Parker could miss Olympics

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker said he might miss the Olympics after revealing he almost lost his eye in a New York nightclub incident earlier this month. Parker was at the club when a fight broke out between musical artist Chris Brown and entourage members of hip-hop musician Drake. In an interview posted on his website Sunday, Parker said an additional round of medical tests last week found that a shard of glass had “penetrated 99 percent” of his left eye. The injury was initially thought to be a scratched cornea. “I can say today, I almost lost my eye,” he said. “I hallucinate. I just spent eight days trapped in my hotel. I was not allowed out to prevent infection. I was so afraid that I have not left my room. I asked myself many questions. I cannot believe that happened to me a month before the Games. Every two hours, I have five different products to put in the eye.” Parker, 30, would be the top player on a relatively strong French team at the Olympics. Without him, though, the French team has a less-imposing roster with NBA players Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw. Parker said he would decide on the Olympics after consulting with a New York eye specialist July 5. France begins play July 29 against the U.S. team. San Antonio would have a large say in whether he played in London, Parker said. “The Spurs are very worried,” he said. Parker averaged 18.3 points and 7.7 assists per game last season.

The Atlanta Hawks have hired Danny Ferry as president of basketball operations and general manager. Ferry, 45, is replacing Rick Sund, whose contract expires at the end of June. Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Monday that Ferry has the right character and experience to take over a team that lost to Boston in the first round of this year’s playoffs after making it to the second round three consecutive years. “Over the past nine years Danny Ferry has earned tremendous respect as a front office executive in the NBA,” Levenson said. Ferry comes to the Hawks after two years as vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs. As general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-2010, Ferry helped to build the team that advanced to the 2007 NBA Finals. The NBA Draft is Thursday and the Hawks have the No. 23 overall pick. The Hawks return six-time All-Star guard Joe Johnson (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks), center Al Horford, forwards Josh Smith and Marvin Williams, point guard Jeff Teague and backup center Zaza Pachulia.

FOOTBALL Jets DL injured

New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is expected to be ready for training camp next month after suffering minor injuries in a two-car crash early Saturday. New Jersey State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said Monday that Wilkerson was driving a 2011 Dodge Challenger northbound on the Garden State Parkway in Kenilworth, Union County.He attempted to change lanes and struck the rear left side of a 2011 Toyota Sienna carrying 11 people. Wilkerson’s vehicle flipped over and came to rest on its roof. A team spokesman said Wilkerson received stitches in one of his forearms after the accident, but is expected to join his teammates when the Jets report for training camp in Cortland, N.Y., on July 26. Wilkerson voluntarily came to the Jets’ training facility in Florham Park, N.J., on Monday to meet with team doctors. “The team is aware of the car accident Saturday morning and has been in contact with Muhammad,” the Jets said in a statement. Jones said three people in the minivan reported pain, but they declined treatment at the scene. Wilkerson, 22, was ticketed for careless driving and failure to maintain his lane, but police don’t believe alcohol was involved. A rookie last season, Wilkerson started all 16 games and compiled 49 tackles, 3 sacks and 1 safety.

A former Baylor basketball player is facing federal extortion charges for allegedly threatening to release “derogatory information” about Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Richard Khamir Hurd’s bond was set at $25,000 after his first appearance Monday in federal court in Waco, Texas. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Griffin, the Baylor quarterback who was the No. 2 overall draft choice of the Washington Redskins, was the target of the alleged extortion attempt. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities had not disclosed the detail. Court documents say Hurd contacted a representative from a St. Louis agency, threatening to publicize derogatory information about one of his clients unless he was paid a “substantial sum” of money.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released veteran quarterback Troy Smith, a former Ohio State player who won the 2006 Heisman Trophy. Smith signed with the Steelers earlier this year. He has also spent time with the Omaha Nighthawks (2011) of the United Football League, the San Francisco 49ers (2010) and the Baltimore Ravens (2007-2009). The Ravens drafted him in the fifth round (174th overall) of the 2007draft. Smith played in 20 NFL games with eight career starts. He led Ohio State to a 12-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in 2006 before the Buckeyes were beaten 41-14 by Florida in the BCS title game. Smith threw 54 touchdown passes in his college career, third best at Ohio State.

Missouri has unveiled its long promised plans to upgrade athletic facilities as it moves to the SEC. An athletics plan released by the school Monday calls for adding at least 6,000 seats at Memorial Stadium, which has a capacity of 71,004. The expansion would consist of 5,200 bleacher seats on the stadium’s east side and 800 to 900 premium seats, along with new restrooms, lounges and concession stands. Even with the addition, Missouri would still rank ninth in stadium size among the 14 SEC schools. Eight of those schools have stadiums that hold at least 80,000, with Bryant-Denny Stadium at Alabama and Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium topping 100,000.Missouri also wants to add more enclosed luxury suites on the stadium’s west side and expand a concourse at the stadium’s north entrance that would provide room for another possible seating increase in the future. The school is also seeking to improve its tennis and golf facilities as well as its softball and baseball stadiums. The projects would cost $72 million in 30-year debt financing through revenue bonds, although a plan summary suggests Missouri would recoup its entire investment through the sale of additional premium seats and luxury boxes.

BOXING

Golota faces deportation

Retired heavyweight Andrew Golota, 44, could be deported from the United States to his native Poland. Golota’s case is in court and his wife, Mariola Golota, told The Chicago Tribune that a decision is expected in September. Golota was a title contender with bouts against Mike Tyson in 2000 and two against Riddick Bowe in 1996 that ended in disqualifications for throwing low blows. He also won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Golota lives in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook as a legal permanent resident of the U.S., but a criminal background check was triggered when he filed paperwork to become an American citizen. Golota pleaded guilty in 2006 after a dozen firearms were found in his home. Golota’s firearm owner’s identification card was temporarily revoked at the time. He also pleaded guilty in Will County in 2003 to impersonating a police officer. Golota was accused of flashing an honorary New Jersey police badge when he was pulled over in the Chicago suburbs.

TRACK AND FIELD Coe, Bubka in hall

Sebastian Coe and Sergei Bubka are among the 24 inaugural members of the track and field governing body’s hall of fame. The decision to induct the two IAAF vice presidents was announced Monday. Coe is head of the London Olympics organizing committee. The Briton won 1,500-meter gold and 800-meter silver at the 1980 Moscow Games and repeated the feat four years later at Los Angeles. Pole vaulting great Bubka is the only athlete to have won six world championships in the same individual discipline, from 1983 to 1999. Bubka also took gold at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

MARATHON

Boston executive resigns

Guy Morse, who led the Boston Marathon into the prize money era and helped preserve it as the one of the world’s most prestigious 26.2-mile races, is retiring from the Boston Athletic Association after 28 years. Morse was race director of the Boston Marathon, the BAA’s signature event, for 15 years before spending 10 years as the organization’s executive director.