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    Zion Williamson’s Time Is Now

    LOS ANGELES — As a first-year guard with the Philadelphia 76ers a decade ago, Jrue Holiday was just hoping for playing time. But he can still remember the excitement he felt before his first games against luminaries like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal, whom Holiday found especially imposing in real life. “That was […] More

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    Sabrina Ionescu Comes Up Big in Moments On and Off the Court

    Monday was an eventful day for Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu, as the star point guard spoke at the memorial service for Kobe and Gianna Bryant in Los Angeles before traveling north to record a triple-double in a win at Stanford. The presumed No. 1 over all pick in this year’s W.N.B.A. draft, Ionescu is looking increasingly […] More

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    Michael Jordan: ‘When Kobe Bryant Died, a Piece of Me Died’

    With tears streaming down his face, Michael Jordan stood before an arena full of mourners Monday to reveal to the world that he and Kobe Bryant were “very close friends.” Public speaking engagements are rare for Jordan, but the Basketball Hall of Famer and owner of the Charlotte Hornets joined a star-studded lineup of eulogists […] More

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    Kobe Bryant’s Public Memorial Service Is Today

    LOS ANGELES — For the bulk of his career with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant turned Staples Center into his stage, fashioning basketball into performance art. He soared and scowled, endearing himself to fans who celebrated his competitive drive. It is not often that an athlete becomes synonymous with an arena, but Staples Center seemed to […] More

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    My Ritual With Kobe Bryant

    Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. The last time I was in an N.B.A. arena with Kobe Bryant, I didn’t manage to speak with him. It was one of the few times in nearly a quarter-century of covering Bryant that we […] More

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    U.N.L.V. Ends San Diego State’s Unbeaten Streak

    SAN DIEGO —Elijah Mitrou-Long scored 19 points, including two free throws with 11.5 seconds left, and U.N.L.V. handed No. 4 San Diego State its first loss of the season, a 66-63 defeat on Saturday, ending the Aztecs’ 26-game winning streak. San Diego State, which had been the only remaining undefeated men’s team, erased most of […] More

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    Kyrie Irving to Miss Rest of Season for the Nets

    Nets guard Kyrie Irving will have an operation on his ailing right shoulder and miss the rest of the regular season, Sean Marks, the team’s general manager, told reporters on Thursday. Marks said the decision had been made after Irving spent the “last few days visiting with a specialist.” Irving is expected to return in […] More