PHILADELPHIA — Allen Iverson is set to retire from the NBA, according to an online report.
Commentator Stephen A. Smith published a statement on his website Wednesday attributed to Iverson. It said Iverson plans to retire but also that “I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.”
The statement also said Iverson has tremendous love for the game and the desire to play.
The 10-time all-star played three games this season with the Memphis Grizzlies before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.
The announcement came as a surprise to George Karl, who coached Iverson in Denver.
“I think he still has something left to give some team out there. If that’s his decision, he’ll go down in history, I think, as the greatest little guard ever to play the game of basketball,” Karl said. “I was happy to have him for a couple years and hopefully our paths will cross.”
Iverson entered this season with a career average of 27.1 points that ranked fifth all time.
• Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal missed his sixth game in a row because of an injured shoulder.
• Philadelphia 76ers guard Louis Williams is out indefinitely because of a fractured jaw suffered in Tuesday night’s loss to the Washington Wizards.
• The Sacramento Kings said they’ve been informed by the NBA a former employee gambled while on their staff. The Kings said Jack Mai, the team’s former assistant director of scouting who was fired in January, has been disqualified from further association with the NBA.
Texas loses Ward for season
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas guard Varez Ward will miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right leg. Ward, who averaged 6.7 points in three games, was injured during warmups before Tuesday night’s victory over Pittsburgh.
• UCLA reinstated Nikola Dragovic after the Serbian forward’s two-game suspension for his arrest in an assault case.
White Sox sign Andruw Jones
CHICAGO — Andruw Jones agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. The outfielder hit .214 with 17 homers and 43 RBIs in 82 games this year with the Texas Rangers.
• Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer has been hospitalized because of recurring symptoms from groin surgery in September.
• Shortstop John McDonald decided to remain with the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing to a $3 million, two-year contract.
Footnotes.
Ira “Babe” Hanford, who as an 18-year-old apprentice rode 20-1 shot Bold Venture to victory in the 1936 Kentucky Derby, died Saturday in Ocala, Fla., after a long illness. He was 91.
• Five-time Olympic speedskating champion Claudia Pechstein of Germany lost her appeal against a two-year ban for blood doping and will miss the Vancouver Games.
• Rafael Nadal fell out of contention for a spot in the semifinals at the ATP World Tour Finals in London after losing 6-1, 7-6 (4) to Nikolay Davydenko.
