OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Cade Cunningham, one of the nation’s top basketball recruits, has chose to remain at Oklahoma State despite the program being banned from the 2021 postseason. Cunningham was impressed with the way Boynton approached him after the NCAA handed down its decision, saying he would help even if he chose to leave. Cunningham is likely a one-and-done player, so he is prepared for the possibility that he may never play a postseason game for the Cowboys. He said having his brother, Cannen, on the Oklahoma State staff played a secondary role in his decision to stay.
UNDATED (AP) — Stanford is dropping 11 sports amid financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The school announced it will discontinue men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling after the 2020-21 academic year. Stanford also is eliminating 20 support staff positions. Stanford projected a deficit of more than $25 million in the 2021 fiscal year and a shortfall of nearly $70 million over the next three years due to the pandemic. The school estimated the cost of sustaining the 11 sports permanently would exceed $200 million.
UNDATED (AP) — San Francisco 49ers postseason breakout star Raheem Mostert has requested a trade from the team after being unable to renegotiate his contract. Agent Brett Tessler made the request public after talks with the 49ers failed to lead to a new deal to replace the three-year contract Mostert signed in 2019 when he was still mostly a special teams standout. Mostert has a base salary of $2,575,000 this season and $2,875,000 next season as part of the deal he signed with San Francisco last year.
UNDATED (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Junior Guerra has returned to the team after missing the start of summer camp because of a positive coronavirus test. Guerra is one of four Arizona players to test positive and had not participated in summer camp since its start last week. Guerra said his first test for the virus was negative, but his second about 10 days ago was positive. He returned after testing negative twice in 24 hours. Guerra signed with the Diamondbacks last offseason after spending the previous four seasons in Milwaukee.
UNDATED (AP) — The Seattle Mariners say they had three positive tests for the new coronavirus among 122 individuals that received initial intake tests before the start of summer camp workouts last week. The team has not specified whether the three that tested positive were players, coaches or staff. The Mariners say all three are asymptomatic and are currently quarantined.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An array of injuries was largely responsible for the blight on the first five years of Byron Buxton’s major league career. The latest setback for Minnesota’s speedy center fielder was surgery last fall to repair labrum damage in his left shoulder. Buxton worked his way onto a rehabilitation track that would have had him ready for the original season opener on March 26. Having four extra months to heal and train due to the virus outbreak sure didn’t hurt. The Twins play the Chicago White Sox on July 24 to start the 60-game season.
ANNAPOLIS (AP) — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he believes the name of Washington’s professional football team “probably should be changed.” The Republican governor was asked on NBC’s “Today” show on Wednesday whether he believed the team should change its name from the Washington Redskins. The team’s home field is in Landover, Maryland, and Hogan grew up in the area as a fan of the team. When he ran for governor in 2014, he expressed support for the name. But on Wednesday he said the time is probably right to change the moniker, and he’s glad the team is having the discussion.