National Sports

Sports briefs

Porzingis

steps away

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis announced he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health due to an undisclosed matter. Porzingis did not reveal the nature of the issue in a message posted on his X account, and the 31-year-old didn’t make it clear as to whether he’ll resume playing.

He wrote his body didn’t not respond the way he anticipated while ramping up to return to play. The issue appears to date to last season when the Latvian missed significant time after being acquired by Golden State in a trade with Atlanta.

The Warriors, however, fully anticipated Porzingis to be ready for this season after signing him to a two-year, $40 million contract in late June.

Henderson

seeks answers

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson revealed he has spent several days in the hospital undergoing tests to determine the cause of unexplained neurological symptoms that have affected his strength and coordination. While the tests results have been what he called “reassuring” in coming back positive, the cause of the medical condition remains unknown, Henderson said in a lengthy post on his Instagram account.

The 24-year-old Henderson has not practiced since Oct. 29, when he was listed as having an illness, and was ruled out of playing in a 24-19 win over Miami on Sunday.

Aiyuk owes

$13 million

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- The NFL has told disgruntled receiver Brandon Aiyuk that he needs to repay the San Francisco 49ers about $13 million he previously received in bonuses as he tries to get reinstated to the team’s roster.

A person with knowledge of the situation says the league sent Aiyuk and the NFL Players Association a letter Thursday saying that he owes the 49ers the money based on bonuses he was paid after signing a four-year, $120 million extension before the start of the 2024 season.

Aiyuk and new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, met with the team Friday at the Niners’ business offices.

Antonio Brown

pleads guilty

MIAMI (AP) -- Former NFL star Antonio Brown has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm in connection with a 2025 shooting in Miami. Brown entered the plea to the reduced charge in state court in Miami on Friday.

The All-Pro wide receiver avoids prison time after initially being charged with attempted murder. Police said Brown grabbed a handgun from a security staffer and fired two shots at a man he had been in a fistfight with earlier.

Brown maintained he was defending himself from an attack as others were trying to steal jewelry from him. The 38-year-old spent 12 years in the NFL, most of it with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hurricanes

the underdog

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- If the No. 1 team in the country wins on Saturday night, some might call it an upset. A rarity awaits when No. 1 and unbeaten Miami visits No. 4 and once-beaten Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish opened as a 4.5-point favorite on many boards, and after the injury to star Miami receiver Malachi Toney the spread has grown to somewhere around seven points according to most sportsbooks.

The most recent instance of a No. 1-ranked team being an underdog by at least seven points is believed to have come in 2014, when Mississippi State was a touchdown underdog to then-No. 4 Alabama

Baskets for

wrong teams

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) -- Women’s basketball players from New Mexico State and Northwestern State each sank layups on the wrong end of the floor on Friday. One came when Emma Christiano of the Aggies stole an inbounds pass and coasted in for the easy score -- for Southern Utah.

The other came when Northwestern State’s Karma Wynn took a bounce pass and found herself wide-open under the basket. For good reason. That layup was part of Northwestern State’s 89-59 loss to Arkansas.

Cup Series

ratings down

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) -- While acknowledging sagging television ratings for the Cup Series, NASCAR is trying to “create as many avenues as possible” to attract new fans. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell, speaking two days before the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, said the sanctioning body is turning to YouTube and social media influencers in hopes of growing the series beyond its southern roots and moving further into international markets.

O’Donnell pointed to admission being up 5% across all races and attendance for kids 12 and up being up 12%. He blamed recent TV ratings on head-to-head matchups with college football and the NFL.

Garrett

might play

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Myles Garrett is expected to return to the field for the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Washington after missing the past seven games with a knee injury. Coach Sean McVay announced Garrett’s likely availability before the last practice of the week.

The Rams acquired the two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in a trade over the summer, but he has played in just one game for his new team. That was the Rams’ season-opening blowout loss to the 49ers in Australia.

Garrett was ineffective in that game and revealed afterward that he was limited by the knee injury.