Williams introduced as Hornets' coach
NEW ORLEANS — Monty Williams says he thought the New Orleans Hornets would be a good fit for him in large part because of the presence of point guard Chris Paul.
Speaking at his formal introduction as the Hornets' new coach on Tuesday, the former Portland assistant said he was reminded when the Trail Blazers acquired Andre Miller how much easier basketball becomes with an elite point guard.
The 38-year-old Williams is a head coach for the first time and is also currently the youngest one in the NBA. Longtime Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin also interviewed for the Hornets' job.
Williams, a former first-round draft choice out of Notre Dame by the New York Knicks, played nine NBA seasons. Soon after chronic knee problems ended his playing career in 2003, Williams became a coaching intern with Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio in 2004-05.
The following season, he joined Nate McMillan's staff in Portland, remaining with the Trail Blazers until now.
He'll inherit a squad that went 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time in three years.
Hill will return to play for Suns next year
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns say veteran forward Grant Hill has exercised the one-year player option on his contract and will return to the team next season.
The 16-year veteran and seven-time All-Star averaged 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds last season. That was his highest rebounding average since 2002-2003 and his most total rebounds (445) in a season since 1999-2000.
Hill averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in Phoenix's run to the Western Conference finals, the deepest postseason run of his NBA career.
Hill has played the last four seasons in Phoenix, averaging 12.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists while playing 233 of a possible 246 regular-season games. Last season, he became the 18th active player to score 15,000 points.
Seahawks' rookie is deep in dough(nuts)
RENTON, Wash. — Seahawks rookie wide receiver Golden Tate apologized Tuesday and said he was "very embarrassed" after police in suburban Seattle gave him a warning for trespassing into a gourmet doughnut shop at 3 a.m. last weekend.
Tate said the Top Pot doughnuts store is in the bottom of the building in which he lives in Bellevue, Wash.
"Freshly baked. I made the mistake of — a buddy made the mistake — going in, grabbing a couple. We ate them," the former Notre Dame star said. "This is the wrong type of media I want to bring to the organization."
Mark Klebeck, co-founder of Top Pot Doughnuts, told Seattle's KJR radio that a baker must have gone to the restroom and left a door unattended or unsecured. He said that during that time, Tate and another person must have entered the bakery through a back door or freight elevator that connects the store to the residences where Tate lives.
Dayne's six stolen rings returned to him
MADISON, Wis. — Police say six rings reported stolen by former University of Wisconsin and NFL running back Ron Dayne have been returned to him in a plastic bag.
Madison Police Lt. Jennifer Krueger Favour said Dayne had reported the rings stolen from home in Waunakee, Wis. She said they were returned anonymously in a plastic bag Tuesday to Dayne's apartment in nearby Madison.
Krueger Favour did not describe what the rings were, and Dayne did not return a message.
Dayne reported in April that his two Rose Bowl rings and about $100,000 worth of jewelry and other items were stolen from his Waunakee home. Last month, he reported a burglary of about $50,000 in jewelry and other items from the Madison apartment, including a diamond bracelet commemorating his 1999 Heisman Trophy win.
Jayhawks' top recruit suffers broken hand
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Incoming Kansas freshman Josh Selby will be sidelined four to six weeks after breaking his left hand.
Coach Bill Self said Tuesday the right-handed Selby broke his left hand while playing a pickup game after arriving at Kansas on Monday night.
A playmaking point guard, Selby averaged 32 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals for Baltimore's Lake Clifton High School last season. He was ranked the overall No. 1 high school prospect by Rivals.com.
Self says the injury won't be a major setback for Selby.
Utah football's 2011 recruiting class grew by two with commitments from Bingham's Viliseni Fauonuku and Charles Henderson of McDonogh 35 High School in New Orleans.