Florida Sentinel Bulletin

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—Kobe Bryant had surgery Saturday on his torn Achilles tendon, ending his season with two games left in the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff chase.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti thinks Bryant will need six to nine months for recovery from the most serious injury of his 17-year NBA career. Given Bryant’s history of swift recovery from countless minor injuries, Vitti and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak both believe the 34-year-old guard could be back for their season opener in the fall.

Bryant fought back tears in the locker room moments after learning his tendon was torn, and he wrote a lengthy Facebook post about his injury early Saturday morning, saying his “frustration is unbearable.” “Why the hell did this happen ?!?” Bryant wrote. “Makes no damn sense. Now I’m supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that??”

He added: “Maybe this is how my book ends. Maybe Father Time has defeated me…Then again maybe not!” “One day, the beginning of a new career journey will commence. Today is NOT that day.”

NEW YORK — The NBA fined Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant, $25,000 on Friday for making a “menacing gesture,” when he pretended to slice his throat after throwing down a big dunk during the Thunder’s victory against the Golden State Warriors.

The play that led to Durant’s costly celebration occurred with about 1:45 left in the second quarter of Oklahoma City’s 116-97 win at Golden State. Thunder guard Russell Westbrook blocked Stephen Curry’s layup, and Durant corralled the ball and went in for a soaring dunk at the other end of the court. He then made throat-slashing gesture and crossed his hands in prayer.

Monday was be a key day for negotiations between the Cincinnati Bengals and free-agent linebacker James Harrison.

Reports Sunday said the team and player could come to a contract agreement. Harrison, 34, is looking for work after parting ways with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he made the Pro Bowl five times, put up 64 sacks and collected 29 forced fumbles in nine years.

Despite nearly claiming a national championship in 2013, Michigan Wolverines star Trey Burke is foregoing the upcoming season in Ann Arbor.

‘After talking it over with my family and coaching staff and weighing all my options, I have decided to enter the NBA Draft. I feel that is the right decision for me and my future. It has been a dream of mine to play in the NBA, and I feel excited and well prepared to take that next step in my career,’ [Burke said].

The 6’0” point guard averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists on the year, often coming up with huge steals or making big plays down the stretch to close out games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Eric Wright signed a one-year deal on Tuesday that will pay him $1.5 million next season, with a chance to make up to $3 million with incentives, the team announced.

Wright was suspended for four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy last season and had his grievance about his guaranteed salary denied. He lost $1.7 million in game checks during the four-game ban.

Wright was set to make $7.75 million in 2013, and that salary was no longer guaranteed due to that suspension causing the team to re-work his deal.

Wright started all 10 games in which he played for the team last season and finished with 39 tackles, one interception returned 60 yards for a touchdown, eight passes defensed and one fumble recovery. He spent the previous season with the Detroit Lions.

After helping the Nets relocate from New Jersey to his hometown of Brooklyn, rapper and entrepreneur Shawn Carter — better known as Jay-Z — will reportedly drop his stake in the franchise so that he can pursue a future representing NBA players as an agent.

A source reports that Carter’s Roc Nation Sports business will partner with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) on the new venture, which can’t be undertaken as long as he is affiliated with an NBA franchise in an ownership role, per league rules.

The process is expected to be completed in time for Roc Nation to compete for players entering the June NBA draft, but there’s no guarantee of the timing, sources said. Those within Roc Nation and the CAA alliance aren’t “chasing a clock on this,” one source said. “This isn’t about one draft, but taking the long view of the business.”

ATLANTA — Rick Pitino held court in a tunnel beneath the Georgia Dome, going on and on about the grittiest bunch of guys he’s ever coached. One of them sat in the corner of the locker room, a net around his neck, grinning away. The Louisville Cardinals vowed to finish the job for Kevin Ware.

Boy, did they ever. With their injured teammate cheering them on from the bench, Louisville capped its run through the NCAA tournament, coming back again from a 12-point deficit to beat Michigan 82-76 in the championship game Monday night.

“These are my brothers,” said Ware, still getting around on crutches after a horrific injury in the regional final. “They got the job done. I’m so proud of them, so proud of them.”

Ware is just getting started on what could be a yearlong recovery from a broken right leg, but he’s already got something no one can take away — a championship.

A former executive at Fox Sports filed a lawsuit against the network on grounds of racial discrimination.

Jerry Davis filed suit in a Los Angeles Superior Court Friday (April 5) claiming to have been overlooked for several promotions, and later fired—all for being Black. In February, Davis took a leave of absence, which the company turned into a permanent deal. Prior to getting pink-slipped, Davis filed a racial prejudice complaint against Fox Sports with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). He worked as director of Fox Sports’ music department for over 15 years. During that time, the position as VP of music came up four times, and Davis was overlooked each time.

The 52-year-old has a degree from U.C. Berkeley, and over 23 years of experience in the music industry, but asserts to have never been promoted within Fox. He goes on to accuse the company of not letting Black employees climb too high on the corporate letter. Davis is seeking damages on several counts, including unlawful discrimination, failure to prevent unlawful discrimination, wrongful termination, and emotional distress.

In addition to Fox Sports, Davis is suing Fox Cable Network Services, Fox Sports Net, and Fox Networks Group. The payout that he is seeking will be revealed during trial.

The NFL has released the preseason schedule, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have managed a competitive schedule for themselves. Full schedule: Preseason Week 1 (August 8-11): Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Preseason Week 2 (Friday, August 16, 20:00 PM): Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots. Preseason Week 3 (August 22-25): Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins. Preseason Week 4 (August 29-30): Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers.