South Florida's Amir Abdur-Rahim, one of the brightest young coaches in college basketball, died Thursday at age 43, the school announced.

Abdur-Rahim was undergoing a medical procedure at a Tampa-area hospital when he died due to complications that arose, the school said.

"All of us with South Florida Athletics are grieving with the loved ones of Coach Abdur-Rahim," USF athletic director Michael Kelly said in a statement. "He was authentic, driven, and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation. Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the University, and the community. We are supporting those closest to him, including his family, team, and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with this tremendous loss."

Abdur-Rahim guided the South Florida men's team to one of the biggest turnarounds in the country last season, leading the Bulls to a program-record 25 wins and their first American Athletic Conference regular-season title. Prior to Abdur-Rahim taking over in 2023, the school had never finished .500 in the AAC and had ended above .500 overall just once since 2012. He was selected as the AAC Coach of the Year.

The Bulls were also ranked in the men's AP Top 25 for the first time in school history, earning a spot for two weeks in late February and early March.

"I asked [Kelly], 'You afraid of heights?'" Abdur-Rahim said at his introductory news conference in March 2023. "'Because you're going to have to get up on that ladder one day to cut down those nets.'"

Abdur-Rahim spent four seasons at Kennesaw State before moving to South Florida, leading the Owls to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2023. He was the architect of a dramatic program rebuild, going from one win in his first season at the helm to 26 in his final campaign. He won the Hugh Durham Award in 2023, given annually to the nation's best mid-major coach, and was named ASUN Coach of the Year.

"There are people that have been here that care about this program. It was a place with no identity but was on the cusp of being able to do something real special," Abdur-Rahim told ESPN after Kennesaw State won the Atlantic Sun tournament.

"It's nuts, to be honest with you."

Abdur-Rahim is the younger brother of former California star and NBA veteran Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who is now president of the NBA G League.

A longtime assistant coach, Abdur-Rahim spent time on staffs at Georgia, Texas A&M, Charleston, Georgia Tech and Murray State. While on Tom Crean's staff at Georgia, the Atlanta native helped the Bulldogs sign top-five recruit Anthony Edwards, who went on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Before Abdur-Rahim left Georgia for Kennesaw State, he called Edwards to get his blessing.

"Signing a guy like Anthony, that's a relationship that had been four years building and in the making. There were people around it that I had real relationships with that trusted myself and the coaching staff at Georgia, that trusted me to be there," Abdur-Rahim said on the "Coaching Origins" podcast in 2022. "Before I accepted the job, I called a few people, I called Anthony and I just said, 'Hey man, I got this opportunity, but if you need me here, I'll stay. I'm perfectly OK with it.'

"I wouldn't have been able to recruit the players that I've recruited if it weren't for those, I call them, real relationships. Whether I got the kid or not. That person over there was going to be OK with me no matter what, and I was going to be OK with them."

Abdur-Rahim played for Billy Kennedy -- whom he would later coach under at Murray State and Texas A&M -- for three seasons at Southeastern Louisiana. He was a three-time All-Southland selection and finished in the top 10 in program history for points, 3-pointers made and steals.

"In a very short time, Coach Abdur-Rahim made an indelible impact on the University of South Florida. In his first season as our head coach, he brought an unmatched enthusiasm, achieved unprecedented success and helped generate unforgettable memories for Bulls Nation," USF president Rhea Law said. "Throughout my time working with Coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership, and truly admired his sincere approach to connecting with our entire student body. His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university community will live on forever."

Abdur-Rahim is survived by his wife, Arianne, and their three children: daughters Laila and Lana and son Aydin.

ATLANTA -- Hawks guard Kobe Bufkin has partially dislocated his right shoulder for the second time, the team announced Thursday.

Bufkin sustained a shoulder subluxation during practice last weekend and didn't play in Atlanta's victory over Brooklyn to open the season.

The Hawks said Bufkin is determining his treatment options, but he is likely facing a lengthy absence.

Bufkin, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft, was not able to take part in summer league because of a similar injury. He returned to play all four games during the preseason and was expected to serve as the team's main backup point guard behind Trae Young.

With Bufkin out, Vit Krejci and Dyson Daniels are expected to handle point guard duties when Young is off the court.

LOS ANGELES -- In a World Series matchup loaded with storylines, one was seemingly put to rest Thursday: Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will not make a dramatic return to the mound to face the New York Yankees.

"There is no possibility, none whatsoever," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Thank you for asking."

Ohtani has not pitched since undergoing major elbow surgery last September while with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way star was strictly a designated hitter for the Dodgers this season, one so good that he is the overwhelming favorite to win NL MVP after posting the first 50/50 season in MLB history.

All the while, he rehabbed his elbow. Finally, in late August, he began throwing off a mound. Then, last month, Roberts opened the door to Ohtani pitching in the postseason. Soon, however, the Dodgers put the brakes on the idea. Roberts on Thursday slammed them.

Ohtani, meanwhile, did not appear disappointed with the decision.

"I've never said to them that I wanted to pitch in the postseason," Ohtani said through an interpreter.

Ohtani would've joined a bullpen that has been foundational in the Dodgers' postseason success. With just three starters, the Dodgers are expected to deploy at least one bullpen game in the World Series. The relief corps could receive reinforcements.

Alex Vesia, the Dodgers' top left-handed reliever, told ESPN's Alden González that he is "90% sure" he will be on the Dodgers' roster after missing the National League Championship Series with an intercostal injury. Vesia threw 15 pitches in a live bullpen session Wednesday. He tossed three scoreless innings in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres after recording a 1.76 ERA in 67 appearances during the regular season.

Additionally, Roberts said Brusdar Graterol is also "trending in the right direction." Graterol missed most of the regular season with shoulder and hamstring injuries, appearing in just seven games. The right-hander has a 1.64 ERA in 22 career postseason games.

"It's part of the math," Roberts said of Graterol's limited action this season. "I think the other part is his track record in the postseason, how good he's been, how good the heartbeat's been. We believe in the person, the stuff.

"So then if it plays out as he's on the roster, then it's more of a decision on when I feel comfortable using him. I just don't know that answer, but I am hopeful that he's in a good spot right now."

ESPN's Alden González contributed to this report.

The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Shea Theodore to a 7-year contract extension, solidifying one of the best defense corps in the NHL.

Theodore's deal carries an average annual value of $7.425 million and runs through the 2031-2032 season.

Theodore, 29, is an original "Golden Misfit," joining the team in its inaugural season (2017-18) in an expansion draft trade from the Anaheim Ducks. Theodore has 296 points in 450 games for the Knights over eight seasons, making him the franchise scoring leader among defensemen. He had 13 points in 21 playoff games in 2023, helping Vegas to its first Stanley Cup championship.

There was some speculation about Theodore's future with the Knights after they traded for Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin, 27, last season and signed him to an 8-year, $58.8-million contract extension in April. Theodore was set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and Vegas has never shied away from making difficult business decisions regarding popular veteran players.

Instead, the Knights have secured one of the best defensive trios in the NHL through at least the 2026-27 season: Theodore, Hanifin and 34-year-old Alex Pietrangelo, who has three more years left in his deal with an $8.8 million AAV.

Jose Mourinho mocked the "incredible" explanation of the referee after he was shown a red card during his Fenerbahce side's 1-1 Europa League draw against former club Manchester United on Thursday.

Mourinho was shown a red card just before the hour mark amid a heated dispute with the referee, which seemingly included some colourful language, after Fenerbahce were denied an appeal for a penalty.

After initially saying he didn't want to speak about the non-penalty, he ridiculed the referee's account of the incident.

"He told us something incredible," Mourinho told TNT Sports. "He told that at the same time he could see the action in the box and my behavior on the touchline.

"I congratulate him because he is absolutely incredible, his peripheral vision. During the game, 100mph, he had one eye on the penalty situation and he had one eye on the bench and my behaviour. So that's the explanation he gave me. That's why he's one of the best referees in the world."

Man United led early from Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal only to see Youssef En-Nesyri equalize in the 49th, heading home unmarked from close range on a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.

The result keeps Fenerbahce unbeaten with five points from three games but Mourinho said he felt his team should have gotten more from the game.

"I think it would be fair to say that we did an extraordinary match and we were better than them, so good result for Man United," he said.

"My boys played an amazing match," he added. "We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a centre-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle but our performance was extraordinary and I couldn't ask for anything more from the players."

Mourinho led United to win the Europa League in 2017 during his 2 years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job in this past offseason.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds was one of two men injured in a shooting in Denver early last Friday.

"Josh Reynolds was a victim of a shooting Friday in Denver and received treatment for minor injuries," the team said in a statement Thursday. "Out of respect for the legal process we will defer further comment on this matter to the authorities.''

Police documents indicate Reynolds and another man were located, after multiple 911 calls to report two people had been shot, near South Quebec Street and East Union Avenue in Denver. Reynolds had been shot twice -- once in the left arm and once in the back of his head.

Team sources said Thursday that Reynolds was treated and released from a Denver-area hospital hours after the shooting.

Reynolds could not be reached for comment.

Reynolds, who is currently on injured reserve after finger surgery, has been present for team activities this week, including Thursday, at the Broncos' complex in south suburban Denver. The Broncos played the Saints in New Orleans last Thursday night (Oct. 17) and Reynolds did not make the trip given he is currently on injured reserve.

Police said Reynolds and two others had reported they were at Shotgun Willie's, a strip club in Glendale, Colorado, and left at 2:45 a.m. last Friday morning. The three men left the club in an SUV and later told police they were followed by multiple vehicles and shots were fired.

Reynolds and the two men got out of the SUV they were in when it would no longer drive on Interstate 25, the highway that bisects Denver north to south. The SUV was later found by police with multiple bullet holes in it.

The third man in Reynolds' group was injured by broken glass, but not shot, according to police documents.

Denver police announced they had arrested two men in connection to the shooting, Burr Charlesworth, 42, and Luis Mendoza, 35.

Documents show police investigators say Mendoza followed Reynolds and the two others out of the strip club when the group left.

A former LA Clippers strength and conditioning coach who says he was hired in 2019 as part of a years-long campaign to recruit Kawhi Leonard has sued the team and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, alleging wrongful termination in part for raising concerns about the management of Leonard's health and injuries.

The lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, was filed Thursday in Los Angeles County by attorneys representing Randy Shelton, who joined the Clippers on July 1, 2019, as a strength and conditioning coach after serving in a similar role at San Diego State, where he worked with Leonard before he joined the San Antonio Spurs in the 2011 NBA draft.

Shelton said he was part of a multiyear effort to recruit Leonard that "leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution" with respect to potential tampering violations.

He is seeking "significant" but unspecified damages at trial, his attorneys told ESPN.

The Clippers issued a statement denying the allegations.

"Mr. Shelton's claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honored Mr. Shelton's employment contract and paid him in full," the team said. "This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false."

Through a spokesperson, the NBA said it was unaware of the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Shelton said the Clippers first contacted him in 2017 after Leonard, who was then under contract with the Spurs, suffered a severe ankle injury in Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference finals against the Golden State Warriors.

That injury ended Leonard's postseason, and he missed the first 27 games of the next season with a right quadriceps injury. Leonard's injury and subsequent rehab created a rift with the Spurs, leading him to seek a second opinion outside of the organization.

Beginning in 2017, while Leonard remained under contract with the Spurs, Shelton said a Clippers executive contacted him to seek "private health information" about Leonard and expressed the need for "discretion." The two sides spoke approximately 15 times on the phone and had at least seven meetings, according to the lawsuit, as the Clippers sought to learn more about Leonard's contractual obligations with the Spurs and his medical situation.

In June 2018, Spurs president RC Buford acknowledged that the team was willing to "explore all of our options" as Leonard had grown disgruntled with the franchise.

The Clippers were one of the teams that sought to acquire Leonard, but ultimately he was traded to the Toronto Raptors in July 2018 and brought the franchise its first title in 2019. Leonard became an unrestricted free agent after that season.

In his conversations, Shelton said the Clippers executive "discussed bringing Shelton into the Clippers' organization as a strength and conditioning coach, given the personal relationship and trust that Leonard had in Shelton."

After Leonard left San Diego State, Shelton said he was hired by Leonard to help him prepare for the NBA and that they maintained a relationship through 2017 as Leonard's stardom rose with the Spurs, where he won a title in 2014, earning Finals MVP honors.

Shelton alleges that the Clippers' recruiting efforts were in "disregard for the NBA's prohibitions on tampering." Article 35 of the NBA's constitution prohibits teams from "directly or indirectly" attempting to entice players under contract with one team to join a different team.

Shelton said he was "promised a bright future with the Clippers" and that at the time he "had a thriving business in San Diego" and a "respected position with San Diego State."

Clippers personnel attended many of Leonard's games in Toronto during the 2018-19 season, and the team was fined $50,000 by the NBA in May 2019 for then-Clippers coach Doc Rivers' public comments that compared Leonard to Michael Jordan.

After the Clippers signed Leonard in July 2019, Frank said during an introductory news conference, "We never had a conversation with Kawhi or with any of his people. We always felt by doing it out in front that we were being very, very transparent. We know the rules. We follow the rules. With how [Clippers owner Steve Ballmer] does business, his integrity is No. 1. We are always going to be above the line."

But on or around February 2019, Shelton said he met in San Diego with Frank, who "personally assured" him that he would have a role on the team's strength and conditioning staff if Leonard joined the Clippers. Shelton said he met with the Clippers again during the Raptors' playoff run regarding Leonard's willingness to join the team.

The Clippers hired Shelton in July 2019. Soon after joining the team, Shelton said his role was diminished, that he was excluded from meetings and that information about Leonard's health was withheld from him.

Leonard suffered an ACL tear in his right knee in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, underwent surgery in July 2021 and sat out the 2021-22 NBA season.

Shelton said the recovery target for Leonard, who "has suffered numerous injuries previously," should have been 730 days, but the Clippers considered that timeline "unacceptable."

He said that in an August 2022 meeting with members of the Clippers' medical team, it was agreed that the team would apply load management principles for Leonard, restrict him from playing in back-to-backs and limit his minutes as he recovered.

Leonard returned to action in October 2022, 16 months after the injury, but complained of swelling and inflammation after two games. Leonard missed 12 games in the first two weeks of the season with knee issues then, Shelton said, suffered two ruptured ligaments in his right ankle on Nov. 21, 2022, costing him six more games early in the season.

Later that season, Leonard tore his right meniscus in a playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. After that injury, Shelton said he wrote a complaint to Frank about his diminished role and how the team had managed Leonard's health. In it, he said he noted that the "mishandling of Kawhi Leonard's injury and return-to-play protocol has been mind-blowing" and that "the disregard for his recovery process is unacceptable." Shelton also said the Clippers had placed more of an emphasis on Leonard's productivity than his recovery.

The following day, Frank responded, stating, "We take your concerns very seriously and will promptly move forward with an investigation."

Shelton said his allegations were found to be unsubstantiated and that Frank terminated him without cause in July 2023. He said he was not compensated for wages owed, including expenses and reimbursements.

"We hope that our client's lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values but are humans requiring proper -- and not hastened -- health and recovery treatment for the careers and lives afterwards," John David, one of Shelton's attorneys, wrote in a statement to ESPN.

Shelton's attorneys also said their client would cooperate with any investigation into the Clippers' conduct.

Last season, Leonard played in 68 regular-season games -- his most since 2016-17 -- and averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals while earning his sixth All-Star nod.

But his health has remained an issue.

Leonard has missed 179 of a possible 435 games since joining the Clippers in 2019, and he remains sidelined indefinitely to start this season while rehabbing inflammation in his right knee.

Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman has suffered a torn left Achilles tendon, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday.

The team and Wiseman are working collaboratively to determine treatment options.

Wiseman suffered the injury in Indiana's season-opening 105-109 win at the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

Wiseman had agreed on a two-year contract with the Pacers in the offseason after playing a career-high 63 games for the Pistons last season, averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17 minutes.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, Wiseman was traded to Detroit as part of a four-team deal in 2023.

Paul George will miss at least two more games as he continues to recover from a bone bruise in his left knee.

The Philadelphia 76ers updated George's recovery Thursday, saying he's making progress from an injury he suffered in a preseason game Oct. 14 against the Atlanta Hawks.

George sat out the team's season-opening loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday and now won't play on the road against the Toronto Raptors or the Indiana Pacers this weekend.

Fellow 76ers star Joel Embiid also will miss at least two more games, the Sixers previously announced, as he continues to manage a left knee injury.

George, a nine-time All-Star, was injured when his knee buckled on a defensive play in the second quarter of the Hawks game. Tests showed no structural damage.

Philly signed George to a four-year, $212 million contract as a free agent this summer.