NBA
LOS ANGELES (AP)Russell Westbrook signed with the Los Angeles Clippers after he cleared waivers on Wednesday afternoon.
The nine-time All-Star was waived by the Utah Jazz on Monday. He cleared waivers because no team has the salary cap space to take on the remaining $47 million he was owed on his expiring contract.
There is an outside chance Westbrook could practice Thursday if he passes his physical. The Clippers – fourth in the Western Conference with a 33-28 record – host Sacramento on Friday in their first game after the All-Star break.
The move keeps Westbrook in Los Angeles. He is from the area, was a standout at UCLA and played less than two seasons for the Lakers before being traded to the Jazz on Feb. 10 as part of a three-team deal.
The 15-year veteran is averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.
Westbrook is reuniting with Paul George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City. George had lobbied the front office to add a point guard.
SOCCER
FRISCO, Texas (AP) – Alex Morgan and Mallory Swanson scored and the United States defeated Brazil 2-1 on Wednesday night to win the SheBelieves Cup for the fourth straight year.
Japan, which defeated Canada 3-0 in the earlier match at Toyota Stadium, was runner-up in the four-team, round-robin tournament. All four SheBelieves Cup teams will play in Women’s World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand.
Morgan’s curling goal sailed out of reach of Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena. Morgan now has five goals all-time in SheBelieves matches.
It was Morgan’s 14th goal since the birth of her daughter in 2020, giving her the national team record for most goals as a mom.
Swanson scored in the 63rd minute, her fourth goal of the tournament and seventh overall goal this year, matching her total of all of last year.
Swanson, formerly Mallory Pugh, married Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson in December.
GOLF
A federal judge has ruled the PGA Tour can add Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and its governor, Yasir al-Rumayyan, as defendants in its countersuit in the ongoing legal fight with LIV Golf.
The ruling Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman was the second setback in the last week for Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which has accused the PGA Tour of monopolistic actions as the rival league gets started.
LIV Golf’s second season kicks off Friday at a Mexican beach resort south of Cancun.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen last week ruled the Public Investment Fund, which owns 93% of LIV Golf, and al-Rumayyan are required to give testimony and produce documents related to the antitrust lawsuit.
Now their involvement deepens as defendants in the countersuit.
Lawyers for PIF and al-Rumayyan had sought to quash subpoenas claiming sovereign immunity. They are expected to appeal van Keulen’s decision that their involvement falls under the commercial activity exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act.
The dispute centers around LIV’s argument that PIF and al-Rumayyan were investors, while the PGA Tour says documents obtained during the discovery process indicate they were actively involved in attracting players to join the league and thus breach contracts with the PGA Tour.
WNBA
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Chiney Ogwumike re-signed with the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday.
The two-time WNBA All-Star enters her seventh season in the league and fourth with the Sparks.
Los Angeles acquired Ogwumike before the 2019 season in a trade with Connecticut. She reunites with former Sun coach Curt Miller, who’s preparing for his first season coaching the Sparks.
Ogwumike has averaged 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and one steal per game in her career. She was taken first in the 2014 draft by the Sun and won Rookie of the Year that season.
Ogwumike’s sister, Nneka, is expected to also re-sign with the Sparks soon.
Off the court, Ogwumike recently signed a contract extension with ESPN, where she serves as a co-host of ”NBA Today” and as an analyst on ”NBA Countdown.”