Sharapova Wins ... And, Oh, She's 'not Pregnant'

LAS VEGAS — You say tomato, I say tomato. You say Shedeur, I say Shilo. You say either, I say Hunter. You say neither, I say Shurmur. Either, neither, Hunter, Shurmur. Let’s call the whole season well off. Interviewing Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders together at Wednesday’s Big 12 media day was equal parts informative and comedic.

Kyle Freeland pitched with the precision of a Rolex in the Rockies’ 6-5 victory over the Reds on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. The veteran left-hander got a big assist from center fielder Sam Hilliard, who hit two big flys in his first two at-bats to spark a Colorado offense that banged out 12 hits. “I had the best seat in the house in center and Kyle’s stuff was dancing tonight,” Hilliard told Rockies.

LAS VEGAS — Colorado football coach Deion Sanders walked onto the stage and confused reporters for parishioners. “Good to see you. How are you all doing?” Sanders said from the Allegiant Field end zone stage. “I need more energy. This is horrible. If I was in church I would get up and walk out.” Sanders wasn’t going anywhere, embracing his turn in the spotlight during the second day of the Big 12 media carwash.

LAS VEGAS — Derrick White was named to the U. S. men’s basketball team for the Paris Olympics on Wednesday as a replacement for Kawhi Leonard. White — a Colorado native who starred at Legend High School, UC-Colorado Springs and the University of Colorado — averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists for the NBA champion Boston Celtics this past season. RELATED: Colorado native, Celtics guard Derrick White reflects on being an NBA champion: “I’m super thankful” Leonard missed 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ final 14 games this past season with right knee inflammation.

By TIM REYNOLDS LAS VEGAS — Kawhi Leonard will not be part of the U. S. men’s basketball team that will compete in the Paris Games after all. It would have been the first Olympic trip for Leonard, who missed 12 of the Los Angeles Clippers’ final 14 games this past season with right knee inflammation.

By JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — Former NBA player Jontay Porter admitted Wednesday that he schemed to take himself out of games for gambling’s sake, pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy crime in the scandal that already got him banned from the league. “I know what I did was wrong, unlawful, and I am deeply sorry,” the former Toronto Raptors center said as he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Echoing findings in an NBA investigation and allegations in an ongoing prosecution of four other men, Porter acknowledged that he agreed to withdraw early from games so that co-conspirators could win bets on his performance. He did it, he said, “to get out from under large gambling debts.” Porter, 24, is free on $250,000 bond while awaiting sentencing set for Dec.