WELCOME, N.C. – Richard Childress Racing officials announced Wednesday that Andy’s Frozen Custard will serve as a primary sponsor of Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE this year in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The car will debut in the June 13 NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The partnership is an evolution of a longstanding relationship between Andy’s, Richard Childress Racing and Dillon, who won last year’s regular-season NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, as well as the 2018 Daytona 500.

As part of the deal, Andy’s customers can partake in a “3-Crete” frozen custard treat, which will debut in late spring. The “3-Crete” will include some of Dillon’s favorite toppings.

Details about additional aspects of the partnership will be announced soon.

Wednesday’s announcement comes as Andy’s Frozen Custard begins a celebration of 35 years of operation.

The celebration launches on March 19, the same day the original Andy’s Frozen Custard opened in 1986.

“This Friday starts the beginning of a whole year of celebrations, special events and promotions designed to surprise and delight our loyal customers as well as give back to the communities that have welcomed us as family,” said Andy Kuntz, president of Andy’s Frozen Custard. “We are proud of what we have accomplished over more than three decades, but nothing makes us prouder than being the treat of choice for family outings and special occasions. We love knowing that kids celebrate the last day of school with one of 300,000 minis we typically donate each year.

“Seeing our parking lots filled with families enjoying Andy’s as part of a good old fashioned hometown tailgate brings us joy.”

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – By virtually every measure, Peyton Sellers’ NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season last year was a huge success.

The Danville, Va., resident finished the season as the national runner-up in points and captured the Virginia state title.

In the national picture, Sellers recorded 10 wins in 30 starts, with 26 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes during the NASCAR points season. He finished 28 points behind national champion Josh Berry.

While winning the Virginia state title, Sellers had 10 wins in 25 starts, with 24 top fives. He took the state title by a 70-point margin over Daniel Silvestri.

Sellers and his team are proud of their 2020 accomplishments, but one thing was different.

He and his team were unable to compete at South Boston Speedway, Sellers’ home track, as the track was idle last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To not have our home track to come to was definitely different,” remarked Sellers. “We had to drive by South Boston to go to Dominion Raceway and Langley. Knowing we were going to have to stay in a motel room and that sort of thing was definitely different. We like to be at home every night.”

Sellers and his team will be returning to South Boston Speedway for Saturday’s season-opening Back On Track Twin 75s racing program. The event will be headlined by twin 75-lap races for the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series late model stock car division.

“I’m just glad to be back,” Sellers said. “All of our local sponsors want to come back out. They’ve been chomping at the bit to get out and see racing. So are all of our local fans.”

The defending South Boston Speedway track champion says racing at South Boston paves his way for success at other venues.

“We want to compete for wins at any level of racing, whether it be here (at South Boston Speedway) or traveling around to bigger shows. Any time we race South Boston it makes us better when we go to bigger shows,” Sellers noted. “If we can come here and hone-in, win a few races and run well it’s going to help us later in the year when we go to some of the bigger money races.”

Sellers enters the new season at South Boston Speedway having won the NASCAR track championship five times, including titles in each of the past three seasons (2017-’19).

A good start to the season is important in making a title bid. In 2019, Sellers earned a pair of second-place finishes in the twin races that opened South Boston Speedway’s season.

“Coming out of the box has always been a strong point,” Sellers pointed out. “We’ve been able to be competitive in the season opener a lot of years. We’ve been able to win a lot of races, whether it be us or our customers’ cars. I think that’s because we try to work hard over the winter and get our cars dialed in right.”

During a break in a recent testing session at South Boston, Sellers said he feels good about his cars for this year.

“The two cars I have are the same two cars we raced last year,” he pointed out. “I feel like we’ve got them figured out. I feel like we know what the characteristics of each car are. I look forward to getting back into that rhythm and racing them.”

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Though he’s been driving for his season in the NASCAR Cup Series during the early weeks of the season, Ryan Preece got to have a little fun Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway.

Preece, alongside fellow Cup Series veteran Ryan Newman, took part in a test session at the half-mile paperclip ahead of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event scheduled at the track on April 8.

The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 will mark the first NASCAR modified event at Martinsville since June 6, 2010, when Bobby Santos III took the checkered flag after 204 laps.

Preece finished 16th that day, but is eager to return to Martinsville for another shot at a modified victory. The Berlin, Conn., ace claimed his first of 22 Modified Tour victories at Martinsville in 2008.

“Man, this place was made for (modified racing), I can tell you that,” a grinning Preece told reporters during an afternoon teleconference following one of his test runs. “Modifieds are light and fast and they’ve got a lot of tire and a lot of grip. All smiles out of me today. It’s pretty cool.”

Preece has been one of the biggest proponents of tour-type modified racing in the Southeastern United States and he has remained true to his modified roots even after ascending to the Cup Series level.

Now 30, Preece has continued to race tour-type modifieds whenever his schedule allows. He noted that the resurgence of the SMART Modified Tour and other regional branches of modified racing in the south is a positive sign for the discipline.

“Modifieds are just special. They’re a fun race car to go out and drive really, really hard. The harder you drive them, the more rewarded you are. That’s what’s exciting about them,” Preece tipped. “It was actually really cool. I saw a picture Matt Dillner posted of Caraway and they actually had a really great crowd (for the SMART Tour event on March 14). They had a good car count. It’s cool to see how healthy modified racing is in general is becoming; and obviously (how) healthy the Modified Tour is, where they’re getting 35 or more cars week-in and week-out. That’s what you want to see as a racer.

“It’s really cool to see the direction the Tour is heading in and all the changes that have been put in place to help the teams and to make it easier for newer teams to come in.”

NASCAR’s Modified Tour remains the oldest division in the sport, with roots dating back to the first year of the sanctioning body in 1948, but alternatives to the series have gained steam in New England — where most of the mainstay Tour teams are located — in recent years.

The Tri-Track Open Modified Series and Valenti Modified Racing Series, among others, have become viable regular options for teams to compete in on a regular basis. However, Preece said NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour officials have made strides to improve the overall health of the Tour.

“I think they made a really important step, which was releasing some of those purse structures that usually most people don’t get to see. The majority of the races on the Modified Tour, if not all of them now, pay more than $10,000 to win, which is a great step,” explained Preece. “That’s something some of the other series and shows have made a big effort in, is paying more money. I know the Modified Tour does a great job in doing that, but also in making it pay throughout the field for people who are just showing up, or if someone has a bad night, whatever the situation might be.

“At the end of the day, I don’t kind of look at which series I’m going to run or not run. Obviously, the Modified Tour has always been the spotlight, kind of like the World of Outlaws or the All Star (Circuit of Champions) are the two big series in sprint cars. But really, I just want to race,” Preece continued. “That’s what I’m concerned about. It’s really awesome that NASCAR and the Whelen Modified Tour have been able to put this all together to come to Martinsville and to go to Richmond and visit these premier race tracks because it’s a great opportunity for guys like myself and Ryan Newman, as well as other drivers who wouldn’t necessarily have the opportunity to run at a historic race track like here or Richmond.

“Now, we can go out and race and put on a great show for the fans.”

The Martinsville Cup Series weekend will be one of a handful of times this season that Preece will be able to do double duty, racing both for JTG Daugherty Racing in stock cars and for Ed and Connie Partridge on the Modified Tour.

It’s a situation he relishes.

“As a racer, your ultimate goal is to get to NASCAR’s Cup Series. That’s where (the prestige) is. That’s where you want to be,” said Preece. “But at the same time, I know where my roots are. I know where I’ve cut my teeth. I know where I’ve put many hours in the race shop to go and win races. And I enjoy racing these race cars and I know quite a bit about them and they’re a lot of fun to race. So I obviously enjoy doing it, for sure.

“I’m definitely pretty blessed to have owners like Tad and Jodi (Geschickter) that allow me to come do these races and it’s a lot of fun. The best thing for a race car driver is to be in the seat all the time.”

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Danny Dietrich announced Wednesday that Bowhunters Superstore, a global outlet for archery equipment, outdoor apparel, and hunting accessories, has partnered with his Gary Kauffman Racing team.

The new sponsorship will debut during Dietrich’s upcoming weekend double at Williams Grove Speedway and Port Royal Speedway on Friday and Saturday, March 19-20.

“We are excited to have Bowhunters Superstore join our efforts in 2021. To have a company at this level, especially one in our own backyard, become involved in sprint car racing is really special and I’m going to do everything I can to represent their brand at the highest level,” said Dietrich, who scored his first victory of the year at Lincoln Speedway on March 13. “Sprint car fans, especially Pennsylvania Posse fans, are truly the greatest and most dedicated fan base in the world. I encourage everyone to take some time to become familiar with Bowhunters Superstore and check out what they have to offer.

“There’s nothing better than supporting those who support what we love.”

Headquartered in Wellsville, Pa. – in the heart of Pennsylvania Posse country – Bowhunters Superstore has been in operation since 1975 and has grown exponentially during its 46-year run, most recently expanding its brick and mortar storefront to an online giant which serves clientele around the world.

From crossbows to broadheads, ground blinds and tree stands, Bowhunters Superstore is a one-stop-shop for all things bowhunting.

“An important part of our business is being involved locally with our community, which is why we are thrilled to sponsor a superstar like Danny [Dietrich]. The entire Bowhunters Superstore Team feels honored to have this opportunity and we look forward to cheering on the ‘48’ at the PA race tracks this summer,” said Christie Colin, Bowhunters Superstore’s Marketing Manager.

“It’s going to be a fun season,” continued Dietrich, the defending Central PA Sprint Car Point Series champion. “Hopefully we can make Bowhunters Superstore feel right at home and get a win our first night out.”

NEW YORK -- The NHL has suspended Minnesota Wild defenseman Carson Soucy for one game for charging Arizona Coyotes forward Conor Garland.

The league's Department of Player Safety announced the suspension Wednesday. Soucy will forfeit $23,706.90 based on his average annual salary, with the money going to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Soucy was given a five-minute major for charging Garland in the first period of Tuesday night's 3-0 win by Minnesota. Soucy left his feet and made contact with Garland's head.

The Coyotes' Lawson Crouse initiated a fight as soon as Soucy left the penalty box. Crouse was given a penalty and game misconduct for instigating.

Soucy will miss Thursday's opener of a two-game series at Colorado.

The entire New York Rangers coaching staff is unavailable for Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers because of COVID-19 protocols.

The team's AHL coach, Kris Knoblauch, will fill in for Rangers head coach David Quinn. Associate general manager Chris Drury and Hartford Wolf Pack associate head coach Gord Miller will also be on the Rangers' bench, replacing Jacques Martin, David Oliver and Greg Brown. Knoblauch will get to face his former team. He was an assistant coach for the Flyers from 2017 to '19.

It has been an eventful season for the Rangers. New York's star forward, Artemi Panarin, just returned after a two-week personal leave following what the team says are politically motivated but unsubstantiated assault charges from his former coach in Russia. Last month, the Rangers also waived -- and are still trying to trade -- defenseman Tony DeAngelo after he got into a physical altercation with teammates after a game.

The Rangers are 11-12-4 and enter Wednesday in sixth place in the East Division -- eight points out of a playoff spot. Also on Wednesday, the NHL removed two Rangers -- Adam Fox and Pavel Buchnevich -- from the COVID-19 protocol list. Both Fox and Buchnevich are expected to return to the lineup vs. the Flyers. Meanwhile, forward Phillip Di Giuseppe remains on the COVID-19 protocol list.

Holders Bayern Munich cruised through to the Champions League quarterfinals for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons after beating Lazio 2-1 at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday to secure a 6-2 aggregate victory.

Leading 4-1 from the first leg in Rome, Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Bayern from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, his 39th goal of the season in all competitions, to virtually end Lazio's hopes.

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Bayern took their foot off the gas before substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, having replaced Lewandowski, added the second goal in the 73rd minute. Marco Parolo headed a late consolation for Lazio.

Bayern joined fellow German side Borussia Dortmund in the last eight and Lazio's exit means no Italian team will compete in the Champions League quarterfinals, with Juventus and Atalanta having also exited at the round-of-16 stage.

Chelsea eased into the quarterfinals of the Champions League thanks to a 2-0 victory (3-0 on aggregate) in their last-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge.

Hakim Ziyech scored the crucial first goal of the night when he converted a clinical counter-attack from close range inside the area. Emerson added a late second with his first touch, and Chelsea's win ensured they defeated Diego Simeone's men 3-0 over the two legs.

Atletico had started the game well and dominated possession, but Chelsea managed to survive the early pressure and were then able to play through the press. The goal was a perfect example; Kai Havertz won the ball inside his own half and released Timo Werner on the left, who crossed to an unmarked Ziyech to tap home.

Chelsea had further chances to score. Timo Werner came close on a number of occasions and Ziyech came close with another effort from the edge of the area, but Jan Oblak was equal to it. Ultimately, Madrid offered very little of an attacking threat, and Chelsea were able to cruise into the last eight.

Positives

Chelsea were clinical on the counter with Havertz and Ziyech particularly dangerous on the break. Ziyech and Timo Werner also formed a potent partnership, combining several times which led to shots on goal. Defensively, Chelsea were unbreakable.

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Negatives

It's very hard to criticise Chelsea when they got the job done without conceding, but the Blues have now scored just 14 goals under Tuchel in 13 games. That might be a worry as they advance deeper into the tournament.

Manager rating out of 10

8 -- Tuchel would have expected some early pressure from the visitors, but his defence was more than equal to the task. His goalkeeper didn't have a save of note to make until late in the game, while his attacking players did the business on the counter. Even without Olivier Giroud, the hero of the first leg, it's now 13 games unbeaten for the Chelsea boss.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Edouard Mendy, 6 -- Mendy had very little to do throughout, apart from two saves late on to deny Joao Felix. He would never have expected such a quiet evening in a Champions League last 16 tie, but that is a testament to his defence and defensive midfielders.

DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 7 -- The Chelsea skipper got away with a reckless moment in the first half, when, after playing a back pass too short, he looked to have pulled down Yannick Carrasco inside the area. The referee waved play on and after that let-off he looked solid.

DF Kurt Zouma, 7 -- The central defender was guilty of some misplaced passes, but he did well enough to keep both Luis Suarez and Felix quiet. Overall, Chelsea's defence was magnificent.

DF Antonio Rudiger, 8 -- Showed good strength to brush off Suarez on one occasion, knocking the striker to the floor. In fact, Suarez saw very little of the ball all evening. Rudiger defended stoically and also came close with a fierce drive at the other end. Got an elbow for his troubles, but Stefan Savic was red-carded for the misdemeanour.

MF Reece James, 7 -- Saw plenty of the ball down the Chelsea right, and he supplied a number of teasing crosses. At the other end, he did such a good job on Carrasco that the winger was substituted before the hour mark.

MF Mateo Kovacic, 8 -- The defensive midfielder did a fantastic job at alleviating his teammates from Atletico's press. He formed a solid wall in front of Chelsea's back three.

MF N'Golo Kante, 8 -- Together with Kovacic, Chelsea's central defensive duo single-handedly deconstructed Atletico's press. Kante was everywhere, closing, pressing, winning the ball back and releasing his teammates. It was the Frenchman who won the ball to release Christian Pulisic for Chelsea's second.

MF Marcos Alonso, 7 -- He got into some good positions at both ends but didn't always make the right decision on the ball. He made one particularly excellent mazy run in the first half.

MF Hakim Ziyech, 7 -- In a tight game, Ziyech was the player who looked to run at Atletico's defence. Broke free on one counter-attack to slot home unmarked from close range after a lovely ball from Werner. He came close to a second when his curling left-footed effort from the edge of the box was tipped over by Oblak.

MF Kai Havertz, 7 -- His evening started with a neat flick that enabled Marcos Alonso to continue a mazy run, and then he did well to release Timo Werner for the opening goal. Was later brought down in the box under pressure but nothing was given.

FW Timo Werner, 8 -- The German had Chelsea's first shooting chance, showing quick feet to gift himself some space before having an effort blocked. It was then from his breakaway on the left and subsequent cross that Ziyech opened the scoring. Werner had a couple of good chances to double Chelsea's lead but his shots were well saved by Oblak.

Substitutes

FW Callum Hudson-Odoi, N/R -- He had a shot with his first touch and was close to doubling Chelsea's advantage, but couldn't quite find a way past Oblak.

MF Christian Pulisic, N/R -- Pulisic looked a man devoid of confidence to begin with. However, he was released on the break in injury time and it was his pass that was converted by Emerson.

DF Ben Chilwell, N/R -- The left-back didn't really have an opportunity to touch the ball after coming on. MF Emerson, N/R -- He scored with his one and only touch, the Italy international driving home a low effort into the far corner.

MF Emerson, N/R -- He scored with his one and only touch, the Italy international driving home a low effort into the far corner.

Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo, who was born in South Korea but grew up in the United States, said Wednesday he is "deeply saddened" by the Atlanta-area shootings on Tuesday that left eight people dead, most of them women of Asian descent, while also calling attention to the rise in hate crimes against all races in recent years.

In doing so, he also cited some of his own experiences with racism.

"I am deeply saddened by the events that took place in Atlanta yesterday and although there is no definitive answer yet on what this investigation will bring, I feel now is the time to address the rise in hate crimes against ALL races over the last few years," Koo wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. "As an Asian American, I have heard the jokes and name calling. I often dealt with it by ignoring what was said and minding my own business.

"I don't have all the answers, but I realize now more than ever that this is an issue that needs to be addressed and that ignoring it won't help us do that. I know this one post won't solve the problem, but I hope to help raise awareness on hate crimes against all. #stophate"

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The attacks began Tuesday evening, when five people were shot at Youngs Asian Massage Parlor near Woodstock, about 30 miles north of Atlanta, Cherokee County Sheriff's spokesman Capt. Jay Baker told reporters. Two people died at the scene, and three were taken to a hospital where two died, he said. About an hour later, police responding to a call about a robbery found three women dead from apparent gunshot wounds at Gold Spa. Officers then learned of a call reporting shots fired across the street, at Aromatherapy Spa, and found another woman apparently shot dead.

Four of the victims who died were women of Korean descent, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

Robert Aaron Long, a 21-year-old white Georgia man, was taken into custody in connection with the shootings and has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.

Sheriff Frank Reynolds said it was too early to tell if the attack was racially motivated, "but the indicators right now are it may not be."

Stop AAPI Hate, a nonprofit social organization formed to prevent anti-Asian discrimination during the coronavirus pandemic, called the shootings "an unspeakable tragedy" for both the victims' families and an Asian American community that has "been reeling from high levels of racist attacks."

Stop AAPI Hate released a report Tuesday that said there were 3,795 hate incidents reported to its center from March 19, 2020, to Feb. 28, 2021, which represents "only a fraction of the number of hate incidents that actually occur."

Falcons owner Arthur Blank issued a statement Wednesday condemning the rise in violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

"What happened last night in our hometown of Atlanta leaves me heartbroken for all the victims and their families," Blank said. "The rise in violence and hate, specifically towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, is inconceivable, unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.

"I, my family and our family of businesses stand against all forms of hate, racism and violence and will continue to work toward a just and united community that rejects the ideologies creating such divisiveness."

Buffalo Bills owner Kim Pegula, who was born in South Korea and moved to the United States when she was adopted at the age of 5, released a statement in support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community following Tuesday's attacks in Atlanta, as well as the "recent acts of violence and hate nationwide towards the Asian community."

"Devastating tragedies like this are far too common in our society today," Pegula wrote in a statement posted to her Twitter account. "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families and loved ones.

"Today and always, we stand beside the AAPI community and condemn all acts of violence motivated by hate based on ethnicity and/or race. Our ongoing hope is that we all come together as a nation to foster a community that is focused on love and equality."

Pegula also included a list of resources for "how we all can support the Asian community."

In response to the shootings, Jeremy Lin, who recently said players have called him "coronavirus" while on the court in the G League bubble, tweeted in part: "To my Asian American family, please take time to grieve but know you're loved, seen and IMPORTANT. We have to keep standing up, speaking out, rallying together and fighting for change. We cannot lose hope!! #StopAsianHate #NOW."

ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LEANING AGAINST THE tan leather seats of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, Serge Ibaka opened up Snapchat and hit record. The previous night had been a parade of drinks, restaurants and clubs. On this sunny afternoon along the Las Vegas strip, Ibaka and Kawhi Leonard finished lunch, piled into the back seat and headed back to the Wynn hotel.

"I'm here with fun guy," Ibaka said, pointing the camera toward Leonard. "Fun guy, what's up baby?"

"What it do, babyyyy," Leonard exclaimed.

"Yeah! You already know," Ibaka responded.

Except, Ibaka didn't know.

"I didn't know what it was," Ibaka says now in a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. "I was like, 'What he say?' I had never heard that before. I didn't even ask him what it meant. I was like, whatever you say."

The clip soared around the internet. The expression was printed onto T-shirts, made into memes and morphed into a rallying cry synonymous with the Toronto Raptors' breakthrough in the 2019 NBA Finals. It was only four words, but Leonard's relaxed, celebration-induced declaration teetered on the edge of surprise. Ibaka, one of the NBA's most talkative players, was breaking one of the league's quietest out of his shell.

Leonard might answer a total of four questions in postgame interviews. Ibaka chats up almost anyone he meets -- in four different languages.

Leonard applied for a trademark on the phrase "city views over interviews." Ibaka has his own digital cooking show.

Leonard rolls up to games in monochrome tracksuits. Ibaka has his own avant-garde fashion line. But on the floor the pair was tailor-made for the Raptors' title run.

And it's why the LA Clippers reunited them with hopes that the bond forged between the eccentric big man and stoic superstar could help spark a Clippers chemistry that had deteriorated inside the Orlando, Florida, bubble.

"What happened to them last year, that makes this a challenge," Ibaka says. "But guess what? That kind of challenge is what makes us better.

"That's what makes me better."

NO, IBAKA SAYS, he doesn't do postgame facials.

He doesn't actually get out seaweed wraps or a machine that generates a thin stream of pore-opening steam in the locker room -- although he knows his teammates, current and former, swear that he does.

"Come on," Ibaka laughs. "Who does facials in the locker room? I know it's a running joke. I like to clean my face. I have sensitive skin. But my teammates do tease me."

He won't give up the brands of the expensive facial serums, soaps and lotions he uses, instead saying they're "Mafuzzy soap" and "Mafuzzy lotion."

But don't expect to find bottles of Mafuzzy next to the La Mer at Sephora. Mafuzzy is a lot of things: a hashtag, the title of a rap song and a scarf. Mafuzzy Chef is featured on Ibaka's cooking show.

"Mafuzzy is his word for his personality," his friend and longtime manager Jordi Vila says.

As Ibaka explained ahead of the release of his 2019 documentary, "Anything Is Possible," when he was a kid and walking two hours to play basketball, hungry and in the blaring heat of Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo's capital, he would tell himself that he is "Mafuzzy man" -- a person who doesn't give up. A person who cannot be stopped.

Ibaka is one of 18 children -- although they didn't all live under one roof. His mother, Amadou Djonga, who played basketball for the Democratic Republic of Congo national team, died when Ibaka was 8, just as the nation became embroiled in civil war. It pushed the family to move north for four years. His father, Desiree, played for the Republic of Congo national team and, after crossing the border of the neighboring DRC, was imprisoned for a year.

When he was 17 years old, Ibaka moved to France briefly and then to Spain -- where he played for two years on his way to becoming the 24th overall pick in 2008.

Ibaka's upbringing had sculpted his internal monologue. He would tell himself, "You're different. Since day one, everything you had, you had to go get it. Nobody gave you anything."

Ibaka would coach himself through this message in his native language, Lingala. Or sometimes, it would be in Spanish. Before he became fluent in English, he often used a translator when communicating with teammates, coaches or reporters.

"I had to get in and find my place in the league. The only way to do that is you have to work five, 10 times harder than other guys because you come from different situations."

Serge Ibaka

Early on, when then-Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks wanted Ibaka to rebound, run faster or slide defensively, Brooks and other coaches used visual cues to communicate, waving their arms or mimicking the desired action to navigate the language barrier.

"I had to get in and find my place in the league," Ibaka says. "The only way to do that is you have to work five, 10 times harder than other guys because you come from different situations. So, if you want to survive -- if you want to eat at the same table as them -- now you have to work twice as hard. I have to be the first one in the gym and the last one to leave."

Ibaka's work ethic earned his teammates' respect, and even if it meant butting heads at times, they always found common ground.

"There were so many, I mean, so many nights that him and I would just go at it," says Brooks, now the Washington Wizards' head coach, who guided Ibaka in his first six seasons in Oklahoma City. "Russell [Westbrook] and him would go at it. KD [Kevin Durant] and him would go at it. James [Harden] and him would go at it.

"But it was always about winning."

LEONARD WAS ALREADY inside when the elevator doors opened.

It was the first day of training camp ahead of the 2018-19 season, and the Raptors were congregating at The W Hotel in Los Angeles for team workouts. It was here where Ibaka and Leonard first met.

Leonard was the new guy -- traded to Toronto in a blockbuster deal that summer -- so Ibaka remembers going out of his way to be friendly. Leonard represented a renewed hope -- the superstar who burst open another championship window for Ibaka after he and the Thunder fell short in the 2011 Finals. "I was like, 'Hey, what's up man! Welcome, bro! We are so happy to have you here!," Ibaka recalls. "Man, he was so cold like, 'Yeah ...'

"That's it."

Ibaka became determined to crack Leonard's chilly exterior shell. He would rib him with jokes in their huddles but also wasn't afraid to say something when he thought Leonard could've made a smarter play. "Through practice and the game, he talked to me. He listened to me. So, I guess that is who he is. That's how I started to understand who he is," Ibaka says of Leonard.

"A lot of people from the outside, they see like, 'Oh. Kawhi is like this, he's like that.' But if you know him, you understand.

"He is just quiet off the court. But when it's time to work, he communicates. I am fine with that. I respect that."

On most game nights in Toronto -- after the final buzzer sounded and players dispersed to their respective corners of the locker room and then throughout the city -- Ibaka would take the Scotiabank Arena elevator up to the third floor, take a left turn and retreat to the team's practice court. He was rarely alone.

Across the court on some nights and at an opposite weight rack on others, Leonard would get up a handful of shots or work through a half-hour of strength training as a part of his quad rehabilitation. If they talked, the conversations don't stand out in Ibaka's mind two years later. What does linger is what was born out of watching each other work.

"Sometimes, I am out there working on a basket and I am looking at him to see how he is working," Ibaka recalls. "And I am sure he does the same when I am working -- he looks at me. We only think about winning."

It's why the Clippers recruited him as a free agent in November, and why Leonard was on the front line with his own pitch for Ibaka to join him in Los Angeles. It was short and sweet, of course.

"'Bro, are you coming or no?'" Ibaka recalls Leonard texting him. "Just picture Kawhi in his voice: 'Bro, are we doing it?' It was very funny."

Leonard had kept in touch with Ibaka during their season apart, even FaceTiming on occasion. But this time, Leonard didn't bother with a virtual connection or even an old school phone call. Heck, he didn't even try to sell Ibaka on the glamour and weather L.A. offers.

"I ain't got time to be telling you all the things that L.A. has," Leonard explained at the start of camp in December. "He knows what I am about. ...

"That was my text: 'Are you coming or not?'"

ON CHRISTMAS DAY, while jockeying for a rebound against the Denver Nuggets, Ibaka caught Leonard with a sharp elbow that split the inside of his mouth and left the Clippers' franchise player gushing blood in a scary scene on the Ball Arena floor.

In just the second game of the season, Leonard left holding a towel to his face, which would need eight stitches.

He missed the next two games and had to play in a protective face mask when he returned. Leonard complained about how uncomfortable it was and how he couldn't breathe, while teammates gave Leonard a hard time calling him "Leatherface."

In a rare moment in which Leonard let reporters see his humor, the All-Star returned the perfect deadpan jab at Ibaka.

"We got him on the trading block right now," Leonard said after his first game back on Dec. 30. "Whoever wants him, let us know, because we're trying to trade Serge."

Ibaka has managed to loosen up Leonard even more during their second stint as teammates. Ibaka sees a visible change in the demeanor of the Clippers' superstar.

"This year, Kawhi is smiling all the time to everybody," Ibaka says. "This year is a different Kawhi, because I can see he's happy, he's talking more. He's laughing with everybody.

"I used to be the only one he would laugh around."

"Just picture Kawhi in his voice: 'Bro, are we doing it?' It was very funny."

Serge Ibaka

Ibaka, who signed a two-year deal with the Clippers, was recruited not only for his rim protection and floor stretching, but also his ability to cut through the din of an NBA locker room. Halfway into his first season with his new team, Ibaka is already making his presence felt.

After the Clippers lost by 28 points against the Grizzlies on the first night of a back-to-back set in Memphis on Feb. 25, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was seething during his postgame news conference. Around the corner in the FedExForum visitors locker room, Ibaka and Patrick Beverley were animated as they addressed their teammates.

"We literally spent 30 minutes after just talking about the game and what we can correct," Clippers forward Nicolas Batum says. "What we can improve, what we can't do again. And really that was Serge and Pat Bev leading the way."

"He's an additional coach on the team," All-Star guard Paul George says. "He always just gives his input, and I think whether he's right or wrong, what just makes it so good is that he starts and sparks a conversation and we just go from there."

The Clippers avenged that loss with a 20-point win over the Grizzlies the next night, but LA limped into the All-Star break on a season-long three-game losing streak.

Fed up with the way he and the Clippers were playing, Ibaka came out in the first game out of the break and hit his first four shots, had nine points and six rebounds in the first quarter and finished with an impactful 16 points and 14 rebounds in a rout over the Golden State Warriors.

"It was important to come and set the tone," Ibaka says. "And just to let them know, like, 'Listen, whatever happened in the last game, it's not who we are.'"

The Clippers are still searching for their identity 41 games into the season. But they, including Leonard, hope Ibaka can help them find it with more moments like that.

"You always want to learn. And I'm sure all of those guys do," Ibaka says of the Clippers' collapse last season.

"That's one of the things I had confidence in coming here."