CHICAGO -- Terrence Shannon Jr. faces rape and sexual assault charges in Kansas next month in a trial scheduled to begin two weeks before the 2024 NBA Draft.

• Illinois' All-American guard was briefly suspended last season when the allegations became public, but gained reinstatement when a judge ruled he was suspended without due process. Shannon was not available to the media upon his return and did not discuss the matter publicly until he was asked about his situation at the NBA Draft Combine on Tuesday afternoon.

  "I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine mentally. I'm controlling what I can control and that's handling things day-to-day and that's been working. Getting ready for my dream to play in the NBA," Shannon said.

  "I have a trial June 10. I can't really talk much about it but I'm looking forward to my day in court."

  Shannon, 23, is projected as a first-round pick but his status is obviously subject to NBA and team investigators who are working to learn more details about the alleged incident in Lawrence, Kan. Shannon was on a trip with friends and teammates to the University of Kansas before Illinois played the Jayhawks in a Friday night football game.

  The alleged incident occurred Sept. 9, 2023, at Jayhawk Cafe. A preliminary hearing was held in Douglas County (Kan.) and Shannon was ordered to appear at the trial.

  He said he'll be open and share his side with NBA teams who want to know what happened if his attorneys allow him to discuss it.

  After a temporary restraining order ended Shannon's suspension, he was allowed to rejoin the team and work back into the lineup. In the final 18 games of his career, he averaged 25.4 points and helped Illinois reach the Elite Eight in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

  Shannon said he wants to prove himself on the court after a stellar college career at Texas Tech and Illinois, where he played the past two seasons. But he's limited by a hamstring injury and not participating in full-court scrimmages or athletic testing during this week's event.

  "I feel like I'm the best two-way player in this draft," said Shannon. "I feel like I bring intensity, really high character, I compete at the highest level and I'm never going to take no days off."

  --Field Level Media

CHICAGO -- A few weeks ago, Reed Sheppard was wrestling with a "family decision" far from the stay-or-go variety for college freshmen at the end of the season.

• Circumstances and emotions were high. Kentucky head coach John Calipari exited stage left for Arkansas. Replacement Mark Pope just so happened to be a family friend, former Kentucky basketball player and his dad's college basketball teammate -- and roommate -- with the Wildcats.

  But feedback from the NBA pointed Sheppard in one direction -- the draft.

  A projected lottery pick with a sweet stroke and the size to score on multiple levels, Sheppard met with Pope and had regular discussions with his parents. Jeff Sheppard played point guard at Kentucky from 1993-98 and was the Most Outstanding Player in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. He left Lexington a two-time national champion. His mother, Stacey (Reed), also played basketball at Kentucky.

  Pope, in the midst of a mass roster exodus, says he pushed Reed Sheppard to the draft with both hands because of his place in the pre-draft rankings as a lottery pick and potential top-5 selection.

  Reed Sheppard brought a few gifts from his parents with him to the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. Like his dad's jumping ability.

  The younger Sheppard proved what most already knew on Monday with a lights-out shooting performance. Then he surprised more than a few when it came time for vertical jump testing.

  "I don't know if I was really expecting it. They must've messed something up," Sheppard said with a smile. "It was pretty cool seeing the 42 (inches) pop up there."

  Sheppard's 42-inch vertical, matched by three others on Monday night, was the best recorded by all prospects at the combine. Bronny James (Southern California) posted a notable 40.5-inch vert and Sheppard's SEC rival, Dalton Knecht (Tennessee), hit 39 inches.

  Sheppard, who shot 52 percent from 3-point range in his only season at Kentucky, measured 6-foot-3 and created as much buzz as any player at the combine. ESPN projects him as a top-three pick, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution put him in the mix to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Hawks.

  Not a bad platform for a 19-year-old ranked as the fifth-best incoming recruit at Kentucky this time one year ago.

  "We haven't really started to talking to teams yet, but I'm excited. I think that will be a really good experience," Sheppard said.

  Kentucky's last top-five draft pick was De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings, fifth overall, 2017).

  Sheppard's freshman stats are superior to a one-and-done guard and the 13th pick in the 2015 draft, Devin Booker (Suns).

  But Sheppard didn't want to talk comparisons, or where he could be drafted on Tuesday. Just over five weeks from the 2024 NBA Draft, the line to greet him on draft night appears to be forming starting at the top.

  "It's been an unbelievable week," Sheppard said. "You watch it growing up and it's like, 'Dang, I want to do that. I want to be there.' Being able to be here is really cool. This week, so far, it's been unbelievable."

  --Field Level Media

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for making what it called "an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture."

• The NBA said in its announcement that Gobert's gesture -- known as the "money gesture" -- "questions the integrity of the league and its game officials." The NBA also noted Gobert's previous history of improper conduct toward game officials.

  Gobert, 31, was fined $100,000 by the league on March 10, two days after making the same gesture during the waning moments of regulation in Minnesota's 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After unsuccessfully pleading his case following his sixth foul, Gobert made the "money gesture" in which he rubbed his fingers together, implying the officials were on the take -- resulting in a technical foul.

  Gobert made the same gesture on Sunday after being whistled for a foul during the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' 115-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal series.''

  The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 set for Tuesday night in Denver.

  Gobert earned his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award last week. He averaged 14.0 points and 12.9 rebounds in 76 games (all starts) this season, however he is contributing just 7.7 and 10.3, respectively, in three games in this series. He missed Game 2 for the birth of his son.

  --Field Level Media

Already ruled out for the rest of the postseason, New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson underwent a second left ankle surgery on Monday, per multiple media reports.

• Robinson, 26, suffered a stress injury to his surgically repaired left ankle last Monday in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Indiana Pacers. He will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.

  Robinson missed Game 4 of the first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers after initially reinjuring the ankle. He came back and played three games before being ruled out.

  In 31 games (21 starts) of an injury-marred sixth NBA season, Robinson averaged 5.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and a career-best 1.2 steals per game.

  Robinson missed 50 games after surgery on a stress fracture in December.

  He played five of the Knicks' six games in the first-round series against Philadelphia and averaged 3.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals.

  --Field Level Media

Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell has a left calf strain and will miss Game 4 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Monday night.

• Mitchell was listed as questionable on the team's injury report earlier Monday, and he did not participate in the open portion of the Cavs' morning shootaround, instead undergoing treatment on the calf.

  The team ruled Mitchell out less than an hour before tipoff.

  The Cavaliers trail top-seeded Boston 2-1 in the series and will try to even the series without their leading scorer. Mitchell was averaging 29.6 points per game over Cleveland's first 10 playoff games after posting a 26.6 ppg average in the regular season.

  Mitchell is also averaging 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this postseason.

  Cleveland big man Jarrett Allen (ribs) will miss his seventh straight game.

  --Field Level Media

A panel of NBA physicians has medically cleared Bronny James to be drafted, ESPN reported Monday.

• The three doctors on the league's Fitness to Play Panel evaluated and approved his participation in this week's pre-draft scouting combine in Chicago, per the report.

  The oldest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was preparing for his 2023-24 freshman season at Southern California when he suffered cardiac arrest at practice in July and subsequently underwent a procedure to address a congenital heart defect. He didn't make his college debut until Dec. 10.

  The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games (six starts) for the Trojans, shooting 36.6 percent from the field over 19.3 minutes.

  James announced in early April that he was declaring for the draft and entering the NCAA transfer portal. He faces a May 29 deadline to decide whether to remain in the June 26-27 draft or return to college.

  --Field Level Media

The NBA draft lottery is complete, the order of the top 14 picks is cemented and the Atlanta Hawks are on the clock.

• With about six weeks left before the draft begins June 27, Field Level Media takes a crack at projecting the lottery picks. There is no can't-miss star like Victor Wembanyama atop this year's draft board, but we may see a French big man go first overall for the second year running.

  1. Atlanta Hawks: Alexandre Sarr, F/C, Perth Wildcats

  The Hawks, who had just a 3 percent chance to win the No. 1 pick, now have every option in front of them. The answer, though, should be Sarr as a successor to Clint Capela. Tall, lean, mobile and talented as a ball-handler and passer, Sarr's most pressing task will be to bolster one of the league's worst defenses.

  2. Washington Wizards: Donovan Clingan, C, UConn

  Clingan isn't just any old college center. He's a 7-foot-2 monster in the interior with a 7-foot-7 wingspan who played a crucial role helping the Huskies win back-to-back national championships. His rim protection will make the Wizards' ghastly defense better and he'll be a persistent dunk threat teamed with Kyle Kuzma in the frontcourt.

  3. Houston Rockets: Zaccharie Risacher, F, JL Bourg

  This Frenchman's most notable trait is his 3-point shot, which he's connected on at ridiculous levels playing in his home nation's top league. Doing the same for Houston is another matter, but Risacher has the right build to fit in on the wing for a Rockets team that can take its time with him as it completes its rebuild.

  4. San Antonio Spurs: Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky

  Rob, meet Victor. Gregg Popovich will make sure you get along splendidly. Perhaps the best point guard in a class with several near the top, Dillingham offers the complete package on offense (15.2 points, 3.9 assists per game, 44.4 percent shooting from deep at Kentucky).

  5. Detroit Pistons: Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky

  Sheppard went from being the fifth-most hyped freshman in Kentucky's class to the consensus National Freshman of the Year. It helps to make more than half your 3-pointers and grab 2.5 steals a game. The Pistons tied for the fewest made 3-pointers per game and need a catch-and-shoot threat like Sheppard.

  6. Charlotte Hornets: Nikola Topic, G, Red Star Belgrade

  Topic's size (6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7, depending on your source), scoring and playmaking ability have powered his rise up draft boards this season. After dominating the Adriatic League, the 18-year-old projects as a major backcourt addition for any NBA team, but especially the Hornets, who need more playmaking guards especially considering LaMelo Ball's injury history.

  7. Portland Trail Blazers: Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite

  The 6-foot-11 Lithuanian-American offers a lot to Scoot Henderson and the Blazers. He averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 blocks per game in the G League regular season and comes from multiple generations of basketball pros, highlighted by his IQ.

  8. San Antonio Spurs: Dalton Knecht, F, Tennessee

  Knecht took the Southeastern Conference by storm as an offensive machine for the Vols and won league Player of the Year honors. He's already 23 years old, but the Spurs ranked 28th in 3-point percentage last year and Knecht offers a jolt in that department from Day One.

  9. Memphis Grizzlies: Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite

  Memphis may be getting a steal in Holland, once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick before an up-and-down G League season. At his best, Holland scores at will attacking the basket and is a threat as a passer and defender. The Grizzlies owned the worst scoring offense in the NBA, but they get Ja Morant back and Holland can give him another option.

  10. Utah Jazz: Cody Williams, F, Colorado

  Williams scored 11.9 points per game in his lone year at Colorado and shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range -- though he attempted fewer than two per game. The brother of Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams will bring great size on the wing (6-foot-8, 7-foot-1 wingspan) to the worst perimeter defending team of 2023-24.

  11. Chicago Bulls: Stephon Castle, G, UConn

  Part of the reason UConn managed to win another national title was that Castle so ably stepped into the point guard role as a freshman, but he can play either guard role. He facilitates, defends, hustles and drives to the rim, making him a great backcourt complement to Coby White -- especially if the Bulls bid farewell to Zach LaVine.

  12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Devin Carter, G, Providence

  The Thunder own this pick via the Rockets, yet they have no pressing needs. Why not help themselves to a guard prospect who can do a little of everything? Carter's stock soared as he averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 boards, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals this season.

  13. Sacramento Kings: Zach Edey, C, Purdue

  He's a controversial prospect for complex reasons, but don't overthink it: Edey is 7-foot-4, scores and rebounds everything he sees and -- most importantly for Sacramento -- protects the rim in a way Domantas Sabonis doesn't. The Kings aren't hard-pressed for an immediate starter, but someone of Edey's caliber spelling Sabonis should get coach Mike Brown's wheels turning.

  14. Portland Trail Blazers: Ja'Kobe Walter, G, Baylor

  For Portland's second pick in the lottery, Walter can provide something the Blazers desperately need: shot-making. Portland ranked dead-last in 3-point shooting (34.5 percent) and second-to-last in overall field-goal percentage (43.9 percent) last season.

  --Field Level Media

The lottery has been completed, the order has been doled out and the Atlanta Hawks beat the odds to come out on top, when they were granted the top overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.

• It is the first time the Hawks have won the top choice via draft lottery in franchise history. They had the No. 1 overall pick in 1975, via the New Orleans Jazz, and selected David Thompson.

  Triumphant Hawks general manager Landry Fields celebrated the reveal Sunday afternoon on live television as the team's onsite representative when the order of the top two selections was revealed.

  Fields flashed a toothy grin when the Washington Wizards -- who had the second worst record in the NBA at 15-67 last year -- were announced to have landed in the second spot, giving the top choice to Atlanta.

  The Hawks (36-46) had just a three percent chance at receiving the top choice, as opposed to a 65.91 percent chance at picking tenth overall. It is the fifth lowest odds all time for a team to wind up with the top selection in the lottery.

  The Houston Rockets will select third, while the San Antonio Spurs are at No. 4.

  Despite having the league's worst record at 14-68, and the best odds at winning the lottery, the Detroit Pistons fell all the way to the fifth choice.

  Rounding out the top ten will be the Charlotte Hornets (No. 6), Portland Trail Blazers (No. 7), Spurs (No. 8), Memphis Grizzlies (No. 9) and Utah Jazz (No. 10).

  The Chicago Bulls will pick 11th, while the Oklahoma City Thunder are 12th. The Sacramento Kings are 13th and the Trail Blazers are 14th.

  --Field Level Media

The Phoenix Suns named Mike Budenholzer as their next head coach on Saturday morning.

• Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Suns, however The Athletic reported that it was a five-year contract worth over $50 million.

  "We're excited to name Mike as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and bring him back to his home state of Arizona," Suns owner Mat Ishbia said. "Mike has proven himself to be among the most successful head coaches in the NBA. He is the right leader to take us to the next level and reach our championship goals."

  Budenholzer was hired for the role two days after Phoenix dismissed Frank Vogel. That move came on the heels of the Suns following up a 49-33 season by being unceremoniously swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Budenholzer, 54, is from Holbrook, Ariz. He was fired by Milwaukee in May 2023, just two years removed from leading the Bucks to an NBA title.

  "I am honored to be named head coach of the Phoenix Suns, the team I grew up watching," Budenholzer said. "I would like to thank Mat Ishbia, (CEO) Josh Bartelstein and (general manager) James Jones for the opportunity to lead this team. I'm grateful to have a talented roster of players who are ready to compete and play a style of basketball that will bring out the best in all of them, and bring them together as we compete for championships."

  A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Budenholzer posted a 271-120 record in five seasons with the Bucks (2018-23) and a 213-197 mark in five campaigns with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18).

  "Mike's exceptional basketball acumen, championship pedigree and his standing as one of the NBA's premier coaches will be invaluable as we compete for a championship," Jones said. "We're confident that under his leadership our team will reach new levels of success."

  One season into his latest tenure as head coach, Vogel helped Phoenix and a triumvirate of All-Stars -- Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and newcomer Bradley Beal -- challenge the 50-win mark despite injuries that disrupted the lineup regularly.

  Vogel replaced Monty Williams, who was fired at the end of the 2022-23 season following a loss in the conference semifinals and subsequently hired as the Detroit Pistons' head coach.

  Vogel, 50, has 480 career regular-season victories as head coach of the Indiana Pacers (2010-2016), Orlando Magic (2016-2018), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2022) and Suns. He led the Lakers to the NBA title at the end of the pandemic-interrupted 2019-20 season.

  --Field Level Media

Four teams enter the 2024 NBA Draft lottery on Sunday with better than 13 percent odds of landing the No. 1 pick, but the prize holds relatively modest value one year after Victor Wembanyama arrived from France.

• The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards share the top odds -- 14 percent -- ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers, who picked second and third behind the San Antonio Spurs last June. The Spurs scored the No. 1 pick, selected Wembanyama, and hold the fifth-best chance (10.5 percent) at getting the first overall pick in the 2024 draft via the lottery.

  The 2024 NBA Draft begins June 26, with the second round held the next day.

  Since the lottery rules changed in 2019, each of the four teams to win the lottery and No. 1 pick entered with 14 percent odds to land the pick. The first year under the competitive balance rules in 2020, the Timberwolves won the lottery and selected Georgia's Anthony Edwards.

  While any team in the NBA would've welcomed a chance to bring Edwards or Wembanyama on board, there's a bit of a red-headed stepchild narrative around the 2024 draft class.

  The order of draft selections for lottery teams -- the 14 teams not in the NBA playoffs -- will be assigned mid-afternoon (3 p.m. ET, ABC) on Mother's Day. Final positioning in the lottery was determined after the regular season based on record with the NBA settling tiebreaks involving teams with identical regular-season records.

  Detroit drafted first overall in 2021 (Cade Cunningham) and fifth in 2022 (Jaden Ivey) and 2023 (Ausar Thompson). The Pistons find themselves back in this position following a league-worst 14-68 finish to the regular season.

  Equal chances for the No. 1 pick belong to the Wizards. Washington last won the lottery in 2010, selecting Kentucky point guard John Wall.

  The Hornets picked first once -- in 1991, when they selected UNLV's Larry Johnson -- but have drafted outside of the lottery only once in the past 23 years. Charlotte selected Brandon Miller No. 2 overall in 2023 and LaMelo Ball with the third pick in 2020.

  Greg Oden was the Trail Blazers' pick at No. 1 in 2007 and Portland hasn't been back in the top spot since. Point guard Scoot Henderson went at No. 3 to Portland in 2023. Kentucky shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe (seventh overall, 2022) and Lehigh guard CJ McCollum (10th overall, 2013) were the only other top-10 draft picks for the franchise since Oden.

  Sporting the best record in the West in the regular season and playing in the conference semifinals, trade-happy Oklahoma City maintains two chances in the lottery as owed compensation in previous swaps with the Utah Jazz (6 percent chance at No. 1 pick) and Houston Rockets (1.5 percent odds at No. 1 pick). Because of pick protections placed on the trade, the Thunder would receive Utah's selection only if it's Nos. 11-14.

  Likewise, the pick from Houston is protected -- meaning the Rockets can push the trade to next year -- if it's in the top four.

  The Spurs could score a second lottery pick as part of the return due from the Toronto Raptors for acquiring Jakob Poeltl.

  --Field Level Media

The NBA fined Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle $35,000 on Friday for "public criticism of the officiating and questioning the integrity of the league and its officials."

• Carlisle said the Knicks were receiving preferential treatment as a big-market team following Indiana's 130-121 loss to host New York in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. New York holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 3 on Friday night in Indianapolis.

  "Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle said. "They deserve a fair shot no matter where they're playing."

  ESPN reported Thursday that the Pacers are asking the NBA office to review 78 plays that they contend were called improperly by officials in the first two games of the series.

  After Game 1, Carlisle said officials had made 29 wrong calls or incorrect non-calls in the game, won 121-117 by New York. After what the Pacers believed were 49 similar instances in Game 2, the team decided to submit the plays to the NBA, per ESPN.

  The Knicks will receive the videos for review, too.

  "I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after Game 2. "New York can get ready. They'll see 'em too. I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot. There's not a consistent balance and that is disappointing."

  Carlisle, 64, is in his 22nd season as an NBA head coach.

  --Field Level Media

The Phoenix Suns plan to hire Mike Budenholzer as their next head coach on a contract that is expected to approach $10 million per year, The Athletic reported Friday.

• The Athletic also reported that lead assistant coach David Fizdale is expected to move to a new front office role.

  The reports come one day after Phoenix dismissed Frank Vogel as its head coach. That move came on the heels of the Suns following up a 49-33 season by being unceremoniously swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

  Budenholzer, 54, is from Holbrook, Ariz. He was fired by Milwaukee in May 2023, just two years removed from leading the Bucks to an NBA title.

  A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Budenholzer posted a 271-120 record in five seasons with the Bucks (2018-23) and a 213-197 mark in five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18).

  One season into his latest tenure as head coach, Vogel helped Phoenix and a triumvirate of All-Stars -- Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and newcomer Bradley Beal -- challenge the 50-win mark despite injuries that disrupted the lineup regularly.

  Vogel replaced Monty Williams, who was fired at the end of the 2022-23 season following a loss in the conference semifinals and subsequently hired as the Detroit Pistons' head coach.

  Vogel, 50, has 480 career regular-season victories as head coach of the Indiana Pacers (2010-2016), Orlando Magic (2016-2018), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2022) and Suns. He led the Lakers to the NBA title at the end of the pandemic-interrupted 2019-20 season.

  --Field Level Media

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss Game 3 of the second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers Friday due to a strained left hamstring.

• Anunoby was injured late in the third quarter of New York's 130-121 home victory on Wednesday. He scored a personal playoff-high 28 points before exiting the contest.

  The Knicks are 26-5 with Anunoby in the lineup -- including 6-2 in the postseason -- since acquiring him from the Toronto Raptors in late December. New York leads the Pacers 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

  Anunoby is averaging 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in the playoffs for New York.

  Star guard Jalen Brunson was listed as questionable with right foot soreness for the game in Indianapolis. He was injured in the first quarter on Wednesday and returned for the start of the second half. He finished with 29 points.

  Brunson had scored at least 40 points in each of the previous four games. That made him just the fourth player to accomplish that feat. Jerry West (six in 1965) holds the record.

  Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton (back spasms) also is listed as questionable.

  --Field Level Media

Frank Vogel is out as head coach of the Phoenix Suns after a 49-win regular season was overshadowed by a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

• "As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership including myself, Josh Bartelstein and ownership would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made," Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones said in a statement Thursday. "After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank's hard work and commitment.

  "We are here to win a championship and last season was way below our expectations. We will continue to evaluate our operation and make the necessary changes to reach our championship-caliber goals. We all take accountability, and it's my job, along with Josh and ownership, to build a championship team."

  One season into his latest tenure as head coach, Vogel helped Phoenix and a triumvirate of All-Stars -- Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and newcomer Bradley Beal -- challenge the 50-win mark despite injuries that disrupted the lineup regularly.

  He replaced Monty Williams, who was fired last season following a loss in the conference semifinals and hired as the Detroit Pistons' head coach.

  ESPN and The Athletic reported former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer -- on the bench when Milwaukee beat Williams and the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals -- was the favorite to take over in Phoenix.

  Vogel, 50, has 902 career regular-season victories as head coach of the Indiana Pacers (2010-2016), Orlando Magic (2016-2018), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2022) and Suns.

  --Field Level Media

Former NBA player Glen "Big Baby" Davis was sentenced to 40 months in prison and three years supervised release by a federal judge on Thursday for his role in defrauding the league healthcare plan of more than $5 million over four years.

• Davis is the fourth prominent former player sentenced in the case after they were found guilty of the scheme in which at least 20 people aided in submitting or falsifying claims to the NBA healthcare plan.

  Davis submitted a total of $132,000 worth of claims, almost all of which were proven fraudulent by prosecutors using cellphone geolocation data and related travel expenses.

  He also was ordered to make a payment of $80,000 in restitution with financial management classes and drug testing mandatory as conditional terms of his eventual release.

  A second-round pick in 2007 out of LSU, Davis was part of the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics and last played in the league with the Clippers in 2015.

  Davis, 38, was found guilty in November of health care fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements and conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud. He faced sentencing Thursday with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

  Davis is the fifth NBA player sentenced in connection with the scheme joining Terrence Williams, Keyon Dooling, Alan Anderson and Will Bynum. Williams was the ringleader behind the plan and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Bynum was given an 18-month sentence for making false statements to the health and welfare plan.

  Dooling, a former vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, was sentenced to 30 months and Anderson received 24 months in prison for their roles. Dooling was ordered to forfeit $449,250 and make restitution payments totaling $547,495.

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended four games without pay for forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators and an inappropriate interaction with a reporter, the NBA announced Thursday.

• Beverley's actions took place during and after the Bucks' 120-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first-round series last Thursday. That loss eliminated the Bucks from the playoffs.

  Beverley, 35, is now a free agent.

  In the final minutes of last Thursday's game, a fan reportedly was heckling players from behind the Milwaukee bench. Beverley threw a basketball at the fan, however he missed and hit a woman in the head.

  That's when another fan picked up the ball and tossed it to Beverley, who aggressively threw it back. Beverley appeared to exchange words with the fan, with teammate Jae Crowder attempting to calm him down.

  On an episode of his podcast, "The Pat Bev Podcast," Beverley expressed remorse for his actions.

  "I will be better," Beverley said during the episode, which was released Wednesday. "I have to be better, and I will be better. That should have never happened. Regardless of what was said, that should have never happened. Simple as that."

  But it was that very podcast that caused even more controversy following last Thursday's game. Beverley refused to field a question from ESPN's Malinda Adams since she wasn't a subscriber.

  "You subscribe to my pod?" Beverley asked Adams. "You can't interview me then, no disrespect."

  Beverley apologized for that one, too, saying he told Adams that "it was never my intent to disrespect you."

  Beverley averaged 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 73 games (13 starts) split between the Philadelphia 76ers and Bucks this season. He has contributed 8.3 points, 4.1 boards and 3.4 assists in 666 career games (518 starts) with seven different NBA teams.

  --Field Level Media

Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns was named the NBA Social Justice Champion for the 2023-24 season on Thursday.

• He will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy for his "dedication to pursuing social justice and upholding Abdul-Jabbar and the league's decades-long values of equality, respect and inclusion," the league announced.

  Towns, 28, was recognized for his efforts to expand voter rights in Minnesota, where he played a critical role in the passage of a bill to restore the right to vote to thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals.

  "It is a great honor to be named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion," Towns said. "I am proud to have played a role in the passing of Minnesota's Restore the Vote bill and I will always be committed to supporting social justice causes as that is part of my DNA."

  A $100,000 donation will be made on Towns' behalf to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities.

  "Karl-Anthony Towns has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing social justice through his tremendous advocacy work not only this past year, but throughout his whole career," said Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner and chief operating officer.

  Other finalists for the award were Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), CJ McCollum (New Orleans Pelicans), Lindy Waters III (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Russell Westbrook (Los Angeles Clippers).

  The NBA's first Social Justice Champion was Carmelo Anthony in 2020-21, followed by Reggie Bullock (2021-22) and Stephen Curry (2022-23).

  On the court, Towns earned his fourth All-Star selection in 2023-24 and averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 62 games (all starts) for the Timberwolves. Minnesota currently has a 2-0 lead in its Western Conference semifinal series against the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

  --Field Level Media

The Indiana Pacers are asking the NBA office to review 78 plays that they contend were called improperly by officials in the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks, ESPN reported Thursday.

• The Knicks head into Game 3 Friday in Indianapolis with a 2-0 series lead.

  After Game 1, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said officials had made 29 wrong calls or incorrect non-calls in the game, won 121-117 by New York. After what the Pacers believed were 49 similar instances in Game 2, the team decided to submit the plays to the NBA, per ESPN.

  The Knicks will receive the videos for review, too.

  "I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after Game 2, in which he was ejected late in his team's 130-121 defeat. "New York can get ready. They'll see 'em too. I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot. There's not a consistent balance and that is disappointing."

  Carlisle, in his 22nd season as an NBA head coach, said the loud crowd at Madison Square Garden also played into the referees' decisions.

  "Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle said. "They deserve a fair shot no matter where they're playing."

  While Carlisle was just as angry about non-calls, the box score shows 17 fouls were called on the Pacers in Game 3, with 14 against the Knicks. New York made 18 of 22 shots from the foul line, while Indiana was 10 of 17.

  But it also shows that New York shot 57.0 percent from the field, with the Pacers shooting at a 51.6 percent clip. Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton wasn't ready to blame the refs.

  "Let's not pretend like that's the only reason we lost; we just didn't play good enough," Haliburton said. "They outplayed us."

  --Field Level Media

Boston Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee agreed to become head coach of the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.

• Lee, 39, will continue in his role on the Boston bench until the team is eliminated from the playoffs before replacing Steve Clifford in Charlotte, the team said.

  The Hornets were 21-61 and Clifford, who twice served as head coach of the franchise, will remain with the organization in a front office role.

  Lee was hired by president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson in a reunion with the Hornets. They were both in the Atlanta Hawks' organization at the outset of their NBA careers. Lee spent five years as an assistant coach for former Hawks (2014) and Milwaukee Bucks (2018-22) coach Mike Budenholzer and was hired to be an assistant coach on Joe Mazzulla's staff in 2023.

  "We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets," Peterson said. "His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success. Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas."

  Lee agreed to a four-year deal, according to ESPN.

  "The opportunity to be the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets is a dream come true," Lee said. "I want to thank Rick Schnall, Gabe Plotkin and Jeff Peterson for the trust they are placing in me to lead this team. The Hornets have a talented young core of players and I'm excited about our future and what we can build here. There are few places as passionate about basketball as the Carolinas, and I look forward to coming to Charlotte and getting to work."

  That move came after Lee was one of three finalists to become head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

  Lee was viewed as a rising candidate in the NBA for the past two offseasons. He interviewed to be head coach of the Sacramento Kings in 2022 and the Lakers requested permission to interview him when another Bucks assistant, Darvin Ham, was selected to be Lakers head coach.

  --Field Level Media

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray accepted "full responsibility" for the incident in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals that earned him a $100,000 fine from the NBA.

• During the Nuggets' 106-80 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Murray threw a towel and then a heat pack onto the floor, seemingly in the direction of a referee. The next day, the NBA announced the punishment, forgoing a suspension that could have taken Murray out of Game 3 on Friday in Minneapolis with the Nuggets trailing the best-of-seven series 2-0.

  "I mean, it is what it is and I take everything in full responsibility, so on to the next," Murray said when asked about the league's response. "Yeah, on to the next. I mean, two days ago, not much for me to say about it right now."

  Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of the incident, "I've never seen that from Jamal. That was very uncharacteristic, for me.

  "(It was) a combination of taking a charge and it's not called, a combination of not making shots at the level we know he's capable of making, a combination of us being down 30 points to a team that we're trying to beat to get to the Western Conference finals. When you put that all in that boiling pot, man, that's a lot to handle. He didn't handle it the way he knows he needs to handle it. ...

  "Jamal will bounce back. I have no doubt about that."

  Murray sank two last-minute, game-winning shots in the Nuggets' five-game series win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. He averaged 23.6 points, 7.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds in that series.

  The 27-year-old Kentucky product has struggled in the Timberwolves series, though, averaging 12.5 points, three assists and seven rebounds. In Game 2, Murray made just 3 of 18 shots from the floor and finished with eight points, 13 rebounds and four turnovers.

  --Field Level Media

Indianapolis police are investigating an altercation between Bucks guard Patrick Beverley and a fan that that transpired last Thursday near the end of Milwaukee's loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

• In the final minutes of the Bucks' season, a fan was supposedly heckling players from behind the Milwaukee bench, and Beverley spun and threw a basketball at the fan. He missed, hitting a woman in the head.

  That's when the other fan picked up the ball and tossed it to Beverley, who aggressively threw it back. Beverley appeared to exchange words with the fan, with teammate Jae Crowder attempting to calm him down.

  "IMPD is aware of an incident that occurred on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse involving an NBA player and citizen," a spokesman for Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said. "At the time of the incident, officers completed an initial case report. The report has been forwarded to IMPD detectives, who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously.

  "Detectives are working with Gainbridge Fieldhouse to review video footage and plan to speak with the parties involved. Detectives will present the case to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office at the conclusion of the investigation."

  On an episode of his podcast, "The Pat Bev Podcast," Beverley expressed remorse for his actions.

  "I will be better," Beverley said during the episode, which was released Wednesday. "I have to be better, and I will be better. That should have never happened. Regardless of what was said, that should have never happened. Simple as that."

  But it was that very podcast that caused even more controversy following the game -- a 120-98 Indiana win -- as Beverley wouldn't field a question from ESPN journalist Malinda Adams since she wasn't subscribed.

  "You subscribe to my pod?" Beverley asked Adams. "You can't interview me then, no disrespect."

  Beverley apologized for that one, too, saying he told Adams that "it was never my intent to disrespect you."

  One day after Milwaukee's season ending loss, Bucks coach Doc Rivers voiced his displeasure with Beverley's antics.

  "We're better than that," Rivers said. "Pat feels awful about that. He also understands emotionally -- this is an emotional game, and things happen -- unfortunately, you're judged immediately, and he let the emotions get the better of him."

  In 40 minutes of action in Game 6, Beverley finished with six points, two rebounds and five assists.

  --Field Level Media

Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic was named NBA Most Valuable Player on Wednesday, marking the third time in four seasons that he won the award.

• Jokic is the ninth player to win the award three or more times.

  Jokic received 79 first-place votes and totaled 926 points in balloting performed by a group of sportswriters and broadcasters. Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15 first-place votes, 640 points) was second and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (4, 566) was third.

  Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists in 79 games this season. He had 25 triple-doubles, second in the league behind Domantas Sabonis (26) of the Sacramento Kings.

  "It's got to start with your teammates, you know," Jokic said on TNT. "Without them, I cannot do nothing. Coaches, players, organization, medical staff, strength coaches, development coaches. It's all one big circle, but I cannot be whatever I am without them."

  Last season, Jokic was the runner-up behind Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. Jokic won the award in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record of six MVP awards. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell won it five times, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James each won four.

  Jokic is tied with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone as three-time winners.

  Though Jokic won the award comfortably, he wasn't offended during the TNT interview when it was suggested that Gilgeous-Alexander might have been a more worthy winner.

  "There are a lot of players who deserve it," Jokic said. "It's probably the details and the small things."

  Jokic led the Nuggets to the NBA title last season and helped Denver compile a 57-25 record in the 2023-24 regular season.

  The Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the Western Conference first round but now are facing a tough situation after losing the first two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. The series now shifts to Minneapolis for the next two games.

  "Tomorrow, we leave and go to Minnesota and try to get the series back to Denver," Jokic said.

  Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (one, 192) finished fourth in this season's balloting and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (142) was fifth.

  --Field Level Media

Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo suffered a torn Achilles and will need surgery, The Athletic reported Wednesday night.

• The news comes less than a week after the conclusion of Milwaukee's season, as the Bucks fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games in an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Antetokounmpo appeared in two postseason games, totaling five minutes.

  Antetokounmpo, 31, the brother of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, averaged only 4.6 minutes across 34 regular-season games in 2023-24. He posted 0.9 points per contest.

  In 198 career games (11 starts), Thanasis Antetokounmpo has averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds with the New York Knicks (2015-16) and Bucks (2019-24).

  --Field Level Media

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson suffered a stress injury to his surgically repaired left ankle and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks, the team said Tuesday night.

• Robinson is likely done for the season, as the latest possible date for the NBA Finals would be June 23, roughly six weeks out.

  Robinson played 12 minutes and scored two points Monday in Game 1 of the Knicks' second-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. The Knicks won 121-117.

  Before the Knicks' announcement, he was ruled out for Game 2 due to "left ankle injury management."

  Multiple reports said Robinson underwent tests earlier Tuesday and will not pursue surgery as an option as of now.

  In 31 games (21 starts) of an injury-marred sixth NBA season, Robinson averaged 5.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and a career-best 1.2 steals per game. He played five of the Knicks' six games in the first-round series against Philadelphia and averaged 3.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals.

  --Field Level Media

Indiana Pacers forward Myles Turner said Monday night that he couldn't wait to read the NBA's Last Two Minute report after being on the wrong end of a controversial foul call in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second-round series against the New York Knicks.

• Turner isn't going to like what he reads, as the report released Tuesday backs up the call that he was guilty of the illegal screen with 12.7 seconds left in Indiana's 121-117 loss.

  The Pacers trailed by one and were looking for a go-ahead shot when the call was made. Turner made contact with New York's Donte DiVincenzo to earn the foul and an on-site review agreed with the call.

  Now the report does too, saying, "Turner turns into DiVincenzo's path and does not give him time and distance to change direction prior to the illegal contact."

  Another critical call in the final minute involving Indiana's Aaron Nesmith was judged by the NBA to be the wrong decision.

  The score was tied at 115 with 52.1 seconds left when Nesmith was called for a kicked ball violation on a play in which Indiana stole the ball.

  Instead, the Knicks kept possession and DiVincenzo knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 40.4 seconds left and New York never trailed again.

  Crew chief Zach Zarba said after the game that the kicked ball call was wrong and the play was not reviewable.

  "Postgame review did show that it hit the defender's hand, which would be legal," Zarba said.

  Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.

  --Field Level Media