In Brief

PRO BASKETBALL

Bobcats hope dismal record nets top pick in tonight's lottery

After the worst season in NBA history, the Charlotte Bobcats could use a player such as Anthony Davis.

Unfortunately for Michael Jordan's team, it's been a long time since lottery luck shined on the team needing it most.

The Bobcats hope that trend ends in New York tonight, when they have the best odds of earning the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.

Charlotte has a 25 percent chance of victory, the reward for its 7-59 record that was the lowest winning percentage (.106) in league history. Davis was the college player of the year after leading Kentucky to the national championship. He is considered the top prize available.

Not since 2004, when the Orlando Magic drafted Dwight Howard, has the team with the worst record won the lottery.

The Washington Wizards have a 19.9 percent chance of picking first, while Cleveland (13.8 percent) and New Orleans (13.7) have the next-best chances.

Also: Vinny Del Negro will be back as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers next season. The team said it exercised its contract option on him to return for a third season.

Del Negro led the Clippers to a 40-26 record during the lockout-shortened season and the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman might soon find himself working with at-risk teens or cleaning up streets.

The flamboyant former player known for his rebounding skills and wild off-court behavior was sentenced to 104 hours of community service in Orange, Calif., after being found guilty last year of four counts of contempt for failing to pay child support.

The ruling also placed Rodman, 51, on three years of informal probation on the condition he keep up his child and spousal support payments.

COLLEGES

Closed-door meeting held in Sandusky sexual-abuse case

Jerry Sandusky attended a closed-door meeting with the judge in his child sexual-abuse case in Bellefonte, Pa., and four of his accusers made formal requests for anonymity, a day before what could be the final hearing before the start of trial.

The topic of the previously unannounced meeting - which also included Sandusky's lawyer and prosecutors - wasn't clear, and participants declined to comment afterward.

Judge John Cleland has not ruled on a pending defense request to have charges dismissed. Jury selection from a pool of State College-area residents is expected to begin June 5.

Sandusky, 68, a retired assistant football coach at Penn State, faces 52 criminal counts. Prosecutors say he sexually abused 10 boys over 15 years, allegations he has repeatedly denied.

His lawyer, Joe Amendola, has said Sandusky did not intend to be at today's pretrial hearing.

Also: Alabama took a three-shot lead over Southeastern Conference rivals Florida and Auburn after the first round at the NCAA Men's Golf Championships. The Crimson Tide shot 1-over 285.

UCLA's Anton Arboleda had the individual lead at 4-under 67. The NCAA individual champion will be crowned after 54 holes, while the top eight teams advance to match play.

Butler is leaving the Horizon League and joining the Atlantic 10 sooner than expected. The school announced that it would begin playing in the A-10 this fall, one year sooner than originally planned.

MISCELLANEOUS

Ex-Rebels Hoffman, Moore lead Las Vegas Golf Hall's 2012 class

PGA Tour players Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore, two of the biggest names in UNLV men's golf history, will be honored for their contributions to local golf when they are inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame on Sept. 29 at TPC Summerlin.

Joining Hoffman and Moore will be Seth "Mac" McCoy, the longtime superintendent at Las Vegas Golf Club. The Valley View Golf Club, which was formed to unite African-American players locally, will also be inducted. The ceremonies are an official part of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and will kick off the tournament, which will be played Oct. 4-7.

The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Classic Pro-Am will also take place on June 18 at Cascata to honor the inductees. For more information, go to LasVegasGolfHOF.com.

Boxer Paul Williams was driving his modified sport motorcycle at a high rate of speed and too fast for conditions when he failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into an embankment, according to police in Marietta, Ga.

Williams, 30, was paralyzed and has no movement from the waist down after Sunday's crash northwest of Atlanta, his manager George Peterson said.