BOSTON -- Sisay Lemma scorched the first half of the Boston Marathon course Monday, setting a record pace to build a lead of more than half a mile.

Then the weather heated up, and the 34-year-old Ethiopian slowed down.

After running alone for most of the morning, Lemma held on down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds -- the 10th-fastest time in the race's 128-year history.

"I decided that I wanted to start fast early," said Lemma, who dropped to the pavement and rolled onto his back, smiling, after crossing the finish line. "I kept the pace and I won."

Lemma, the 2021 London champion, arrived in Boston with the fastest time in the field -- just the fourth person ever to break 2:02:00 when he won in Valencia last year. And he showed it on the course Monday, separating himself from the pack in Ashland and opening a lead of more than half a mile.

Lemma ran the first half in 1:00:19 -- 99 seconds faster than Geoffrey Mutai's course record pace in 2011, when he finished in 2:03:02 -- the fastest marathon in history to that point. Fellow Ethiopian Mohamed Esa closed the gap through the last few miles, finishing second by 41 seconds; two-time defending champion Evans Chebet was third.

Hopkinton celebrated its 100th anniversary as the starting line for the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon, sending off a field of 17 former champions and nearly 30,000 other runners. Near the finish on Boylston Street 26.2 miles away, officials observed the anniversary of the 2013 bombing that killed three and wounded hundreds more.

Sunny skies and minimal wind greeted the runners, with temperatures that rose into the 60s in late morning. As the field went through Natick, the fourth of eight cities and towns on the route, athletes splashed water on themselves to cool off.

"We couldn't ask for a better day," former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, the grand marshal, said before climbing into an electric car that would carry him along the course. "The city of Boston always comes out to support, no matter the event. The weather is perfection, the energy is popping."

The festivities began around 6 a.m., when race director Dave McGillivray sent off about 30 Massachusetts National Guard members. Lt. Col. Paula Reichert Karsten, one of the marchers, said she wanted to be part of a "quintessential Massachusetts event."

The start line was painted to say "100 years in Hopkinton," commemorating the 1924 move from Ashland to Hopkinton to conform to the official Olympic Marathon distance. The announcer welcomed the gathering crowds to the "sleepy little town of Hopkinton, 364 days of the year."

"In Hopkinton, it's probably the coolest thing about the town," said Maggie Agosto, a 16-year-old resident who went to the start line with a friend to watch the race.

The annual race on Patriots' Day, the state holiday that commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War, also fell on One Boston Day, when the city remembers the victims of the marathon bombings. At the finish line on Boylston Street, bagpipes accompanied Gov. Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and family members of the victims as they laid a pair of wreaths at the sites of the explosions.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Rashee Rice and Teddy Knox are being sued in Texas for over $1 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages by two people who say they were injured in a six-vehicle crash March 30 in Dallas.

The plaintiffs, Edvard Petrovskiy and Irina Gromova, allege Rice and Knox deliberately raced their vehicles at speeds well beyond the posted limits and caused the six-vehicle crash that led to their injuries.

Rice, a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, was the leaseholder of both vehicles and was driving one at the time of the crash. Knox, a football player and former teammate of Rice's at SMU Mustangs, was driving the other.

Rice, 23, and Knox, 21, are each facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury, according to police.

In the lawsuit, Petrovskiy and Gromova claim injuries that include brain trauma, cuts to the face requiring stitches, bruises, disfigurement and internal bleeding.

They are asking for actual damages that include medical care, physical pain and suffering, loss of earning capacity, mental anguish and property damage of $71,122.69.

On April 3, Rice said in an Instagram post that he took "full responsibility" for his actions.

Earlier Monday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said that the team expects Rice to participate as they began their offseason program Monday with virtual meetings. Reid wouldn't say whether the Chiefs were planning on having Rice participate later in the spring when they move the program to Kansas City.

"I want to keep gathering the information from the law enforcement people,'' Reid said. "We'll just see where everything goes from there [and] let the process take place.''

Knox has been suspended by SMU, which said in a statement last week that it "takes these allegations seriously."

Scott Van Pelt laughed out loud and clapped. Sue Bird's face lit up with bemusement. Because Diana Taurasi didn't just answer the question that was on his mind as an ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor. She answered the question every player and coach who has been following the rise of Iowa Hawkeyes superstar guard Caitlin Clark has been talking about this spring:

"What will the league have in store for [her] when she gets there?" Van Pelt asked, lightly goading Taurasi.

"Look, SVP. Reality is coming," Taurasi said. "We all went through it. That happens on the NBA side, and you're going to see it on this side. You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you're going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time."

It was classic Taurasi. Brash. Competitive. Unapologetic. And it seemed to turbocharge the conversation among WNBA stars past and present who'd made the journey to Cleveland to watch the women's Final Four as well as text chains around the world with current players overseas.

Just how good will Clark be as a rookie? Can she possibly live up to the hype she has generated for the women's game as a collegiate athlete? How will veterans who've fought for decades to earn more money and benefits from the league respond to a player who has been bringing in seven figures in NIL money as a college student for the past two years? Which veteran will lay the first shoulder into her chest to see how she responds?

The answer to the last one was unanimous: Taurasi.

"Diana's like Kobe [Bryant]," two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne told ESPN. "She's going to test you, so you have to be ready. That's her, her personality. I love her from being on Team USA. She's Kobe. I mean, Kobe plowed his own teammate [Pau Gasol] in the Olympics, so no one's safe."

Sure enough, Delle Donne said Taurasi did the same thing to her as a rookie.

"Dee did that thing where she tried to plow me when I was making a cut," she said. "But after I went back at her, it didn't happen again."

For 2012 No. 1 pick Nneka Ogwumike, Tamika Catchings was the vet who gave her the "welcome to the league" treatment as a rookie.

"Tamika is such a sweetheart, so I don't know if it was necessarily outwardly like, 'Hey, I'm trying to school you,'" Ogwumike said. "But it's like, 'OK, they're going to put the rookie on me. Let me go to work.'

"She didn't have to say it for me to know that was what was going on."

Bird was the No. 1 pick in 2002. She came into the league after winning two national championships at UConn, and like Clark, having captured the hearts of America with ponytailed swagger.

"There was a couple comments along the way from different players, but the story that tells it the best is when we played against the L.A. Sparks," Bird told ESPN. " At the time they had a point guard named Nicky McCrimmon, and she was tough on defense. She could pick you up full court, that kind of a thing.

"But I noticed that it was a little more than normal. She was really picking me up full court, really pressuring me, and I was like, what the f---? Then she actually stripped me in the backcourt two times, which as point guard, is a nightmare. You never want to have that happen. Well, I heard later that [former Sparks coach] Michael Cooper had essentially put, not literally a bounty on my head, but basically before the game was like, 'Yo, Nicky, every time you strip Sue, I'm going to give you whatever, whatever.'"

Three-time WNBA MVP Lisa Leslie, who played for the Sparks from 1997 to 2009, said it's heartening to hear this kind of competitiveness discussed so openly. When she came into the league, there was more of a disconnect between the public image players were encouraged to present and the reality on the court.

"Diana's not retired. So she has the right to say, 'Hey, that's my spot. That's my position. And you're about to come in, so listen,'" Leslie told ESPN. "If it was me and I switched out on her, hell, I'm trying to block her shot every time. That's how we're made."

Leslie was the seventh pick in the inaugural WNBA draft in 1997 after an illustrious career at USC, so she understands the pressure Clark will carry once she's taken No. 1 in Monday's WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.

"The difference between Caitlin and I is that these young women have grown up seeing the WNBA, so they understand the stage much better than what we did," Leslie said. "They don't have to do all that we have to do. We were selling ourselves. We were selling our product. We were selling ourselves to our community. They don't have to do all of that. Obviously, they have NIL commitments and contracts, but they also have the ability to say 'no.' We didn't have the option to say 'no.'"

"You constantly have to show your strengths as much as you can and hide your weaknesses as much as you can. ... Immediately you get to see what they're made of in this environment." Sue Bird on how familiar players get with each others' games in the WNBA

None of the players ESPN spoke to for this story said they are jealous of Clark for the money she makes and will continue to make in a league they helped establish.

"When I think about the players that played before me and what they had to play for, what they weren't getting, it's like we've all had to take these steps to get to this Caitlin era," Delle Donne said. "Hopefully the Caitlin era will then grow to the next one. Paige [Bueckers], JuJu [Watkins], finally the time is happening.

"It has taken too long, and we've missed out on seeing a lot of incredible people along the way. But it's just a part of it. And Caitlin is so fun to watch. Whether people love her, hate her. You're tuning in."

Said Ogwumike: "In this league, when you get new talents, it's just like any other team. There's people who are trying to make sure that [they] make the team. That they're still valuable and their spot is still there. So with that may come a bit of jealousy, a little bit of envy, but the reality is her impact is apparent.

"You can't deny her impact. Anybody who says, 'Oh, she's not that great,' is downright completely dense. She's a threat. She's a threat in so many different ways, but she's also lifting the tides.

"Personally I'm excited to play against her. I've never played against someone like her. Plus, I want to get better."

Bird retired after the 2022 season but stays in close touch with players in the league.

"Honestly, you can never take away what Caitlin has already done for women's basketball, the impact she's had, the eyeball she's bringing," Bird said. "What I hope is that that continues. I hope all the people Caitlin has brought to the league will stay because they love and appreciate her and want to see how her first WNBA season goes. But I also hope they stay because they're seeing the high level, right? The high level that is the WNBA."

Bird said she thinks Clark's transition will go well because of the fit with Fever center Aliyah Boston, last year's top draft pick. But there will be one huge difference to which Clark will need to adjust.

"You know what my favorite thing about the WNBA is?" Bird asked. "I've been saying this since I started playing in it. The best thing about the WNBA is 12 teams, 12 roster spots. We all know that 144 players -- [it's] so hard to make. It's survival of the fittest. And the best part is you go out there and you have strengths and you have weaknesses. And the WNBA, because it's such a small league and you see everybody all the time, people learn your weaknesses so fast.

"It's like blood in the water. I've always loved that about it as an individual player, because you constantly have to show your strengths as much as you can and hide your weaknesses as much as you can, and/or adjust your game based on how teams play you or what they learn about you. To me, it's like the ultimate mind game. ... Immediately you get to see what they're made of in this environment."

Delle Donne is taking a break from her WNBA career but found herself glued to the NCAA tournament this season.

"I just hope with Caitlin, she gets to keep being Caitlin," Delle Donne said. "It's so much fun to watch her play. She's a phenomenal passer. She can shoot the ball when she steps over half court. So I'm excited to see her game translate, and I just hope, I think her coach will allow her to be Caitlin."

Delle Donne, who led Delaware to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament as a senior, was part of another heralded draft class in 2013, with Baylor's Brittney Griner and Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins-Smith.

"There was the whole 'Three to See' thing that was going to save the league," she recalled. "I already I felt the pressure of that. But I also felt like people were like, 'Eh, she played in the mid-majors. She's going to get her ass kicked when she plays in the pros.'

"But it motivated me, and I obviously believed in myself and my game and wasn't fearful in any way. I was excited to go show people my game will translate no matter who I'm playing against."

"She better be on the Olympic team. She's a bona fide baller. There's no doubt she's already one of the best players in the world." Lisa Leslie on Caitlin Clark

Midway through her rookie season, however, Delle Donne felt worn down by all the extra commitments she was being asked to make.

"It's not just basketball, it's life," she said. "She's going to be pulled in so many directions, asked to do so much media, to do meet and greets at all the away games. Those were things that I said yes to in the beginning, and probably middle of my rookie season, I called my agent and I was like, 'We need to shut this down. I am hitting a wall. I'm so exhausted.' You're coming off college and then the league wants you to do all these appearances because you're the one they want to see.

"I'm sure she's got incredible people on her corner, but it's so much. And you feel the pressure. You want to grow the game, so you do it. But then I guess there just came a point for me where I was like, 'I am so exhausted. If I'm not performing on the court, it doesn't matter what I'm doing with these off-court appearances.'"

Delle Donne was grateful she at least had a few weeks between the NCAA tournament and the WNBA draft to go back to Delaware to wrap up her college life.

Candace Parker had no break between winning the 2008 national title at Tennessee and being drafted No. 1 by the Los Angeles Sparks.

"I didn't even get to go to the championship parade," Parker told ESPN. "The draft was the very next day after the national championship game. It was hard balancing agents, sneaker deals, meetings, the season just ended, the emotions. I was so drained.

"By the time the WNBA season ended, I had played an entire year straight through."

Parker, of course, did just fine, becoming the first player to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

Clark will have had eight days between the national championship game and the draft. But she might also participate in the Olympics in Paris this July. Clark missed a mandatory Team USA camp because Iowa made the Final Four, so there is some question about whether she'll be named to the team. Leslie said there shouldn't be.

"She better be on the Olympic team," Leslie said. "We should not leave the country without her. She's a bona fide baller. There's no doubt she's already one of the best players in the world."

There's no question about the No. 1 pick in Monday's WNBA draft (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) as Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark is certain to go to the Indiana Fever.

But after that, the mystery starts. And what the Los Angeles Sparks do with the Nos. 2 and 4 picks could shape the rest of the draft.

The Sparks, with coach Curt Miller in his second season and general manager Raegan Pebley in her first, are in a period of franchise refresh. Forward Nneka Ogwumike, the face of the team, left in free agency for the Seattle Storm in February. The Sparks haven't been to the playoffs since 2020; the three-year postseason drought is the longest in franchise history. So this draft could mean a lot to Los Angeles.

"They're an incredible opportunity for our organization," Pebley said of the two lottery picks. "We want to see two players that not only have the skill set to make an impact early but also a long runway ahead of them [with] opportunities to develop."

After Clark, a quartet of post players appears to be next on the draft board: forward Cameron Brink (Stanford), center Kamilla Cardoso (South Carolina), and forwards Rickea Jackson (Tennessee) and Aaliyah Edwards (UConn). The Sparks must decide which of those four they need the most, and that player will go No. 2.

Cardoso, at 6-foot-7, stands out in the group because of her size, mobility, and impact on defense and rebounding. The 6-4 Brink and 6-2 Jackson are likely the most offensively versatile, and the 6-3 Edwards has the pedigree from UConn, which has produced many successful WNBA players.

The Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings also each have two first-round picks Monday, and those franchises are in different places. The Sky are rebuilding, while the Wings are hoping to improve on last season's semifinals appearance.

Chicago has a new head coach, Teresa Weatherspoon, and GM, Jeff Pagliocca, both hired in October. With the No. 3 pick, the Sky also will be in the mix for Brink, Cardoso, Jackson or Edwards. They also will select at No. 7 after a trade Sunday with the Minnesota Lynx, who now have the No. 8 pick.

Dallas has had at least one top-five pick in the draft for 11 of the past 13 years, going back to when the franchise was still in Tulsa. Some of those have worked out well, some haven't.

"I think our draft strategy has changed significantly over the past few years," Dallas president and CEO Greg Bibb said. "If you go back, it was, 'Who's the best player available? We're going to take that player because we need everything.'

"Thankfully, our team has evolved over the last few years. And our job has become much narrower in terms of our focus and our search. We're looking for a need to help us take the next step from being a top-four team to being a top-two team to ultimately the top team."

First round

1. Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark

Iowa | PG | 6-foot-0 | senior

In the past week, Clark received the Wooden Award for the second year in a row and appeared on the "Weekend Update" segment of "Saturday Night Live." Also, it was announced that the Indiana Fever will have 36 of their 40 games featured by the WNBA's national broadcast and streaming partners. It has been a great 2024 so far for Clark, but she is likely most looking forward to getting on the court with her new teammates and coaches.

2. Los Angeles Sparks: Cameron Brink

Stanford | PF | 6-foot-4 | senior

This is the key pick in terms of how the top post players go. If it is Brink, this pick would make her a foundational player for a Sparks team establishing a new identity now without Nneka Ogwumike. But the same could be said for Cardoso, who played well winning the NCAA championship. Both players should be elite rim-protectors and shot-blockers; Brink at this point probably offers a little more proven offensive versatility.

3. Chicago Sky: Kamilla Cardoso

South Carolina | C | 6-foot-7 | senior

Cardoso is hard to stop once she gets the ball in scoring position, and she can control the boards, plus be a major impediment to opponents' driving ability. Almost everything will be new with the Sky this season, so Cardoso or whomever Chicago picks will have a fresh slate and a chance to play a lot.

4. Los Angeles Sparks: Rickea Jackson

Tennessee | SF | 6-foot-2 | senior

Jackson has been a proven scorer throughout her college career and can play either power or small forward. The Sparks will need an offensive boost, and she should be able to help there, plus develop quickly on the defensive end. Jackson's career-high 22 3-pointers this season mean she has that tool, which will be an advantage.

5. Dallas Wings: Aaliyah Edwards

UConn | PF | 6-foot-3 | senior

There's a chance Edwards goes higher, depending on whether a team is looking for a more traditional power forward who can dependably do everything well. The track record of former UConn players in the pros is excellent, so that helps her draft stock, too. The good thing for Dallas is if Edwards is already picked, Jackson probably will be available, and the Wings would be happy with her, too.

6. Washington Mystics: Jacy Sheldon

Ohio State | SG | 5-foot-10 | senior

Washington is in a new stage for the franchise, with some prominent former standouts either gone or not playing this season. After Clark, Sheldon might be the top guard picked in this draft for her combination of scoring ability (17.8 PPG this season) and energetic, hard-nosed defense. There's also a chance the Mystics could go with an overseas player who might not play in the WNBA this season.

7. Chicago Sky: Angel Reese

LSU | PF | 6-foot-3 | senior

The fact the Sky traded with Minnesota to swap first-round draft positions gives us a good indication that Chicago has a specific player in mind -- someone the Sky hope will still be available. It could be Reese, who was a dominant rebounder in college; she had 20 in her final game for LSU. A lot has been made of Reese needing growth on the offensive end. But Weatherspoon was a defensive specialist as a player and could really value Reese's potential.

8. Minnesota Lynx: Isobel Borlase

Australia | PG | 5-foot-11

All signs point to the 19-year-old wanting to play in the WNBA this season. But even if she doesn't, she's so young there is plenty of time for her to develop for the future. Borlase already has played professionally with the Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL this season in Australia. The Aussies' track record of success in the WNBA is very good, too.

9. Dallas Wings: Leila Lacan

France| PG | 5-foot-11

Based on the Wings' roster, they might go with an overseas player who might not play in the WNBA until 2025. Lacan turns 20 in June and is playing professionally for Angers in her native France. She has averaged 12.7 points this season. She played in the U19 World Cup last season for France, which lost the bronze medal game to Canada.

10. Connecticut Sun: Nyadiew Puoch

Australia | PF | 6-foot-3

Another 19-year-old, Puoch is back in the first round of our final mock draft of 2024. The Sun might see her as an investment in the future. She plays for the Southside Flyers, who won the WNBL championship this season in her native Australia. If she is not ready for the WNBA this year, perhaps this will be a "draft-and-stash" situation in which she joins Connecticut in 2025.

11. New York Liberty: Nika Mühl

UConn | PG | 5-foot-11 | senior

The key here: Will the Liberty think a defensive-minded guard who averaged just 5.8 points per game in four seasons with the Huskies is valuable enough to be a first-round pick? Her size and energy on defense are big pluses for a team that needs better perimeter defense. She also averaged 7.9 assists as a junior and 6.5 as a senior, so her playmaking is a strength as well.

12. Atlanta Dream: Celeste Taylor

Ohio State | PG | 5-foot-11 | senior

Taylor played five seasons in college, spread out between Texas, Duke and Ohio State -- three programs known for strong defense. So she might also be on New York's radar for the No. 11 pick, or even go higher. Taylor averaged 10.8 points per game in her college career, making 169 3-pointers total.

Second round

13. Chicago Sky: Alissa Pili, Utah, SF, 6-2

14. Seattle Storm: Charisma Osborne, UCLA, SG, 5-9

15. Indiana Fever: Javyn Nicholson, Georgia, PF, 6-2

16. Las Vegas Aces: Dyaisha Fair, Syracuse, PG, 5-5

17. New York Liberty: Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss, SF, 6-0

18. Las Vegas Aces: Jakia Brown-Turner, Maryland, SF, 6-0

19. Connecticut Sun: Jessika Carter, Mississippi State, C, 6-5

20. Atlanta Dream: Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, C, 6-6

21. Washington Mystics: Taiyanna Jackson, Kansas, C, 6-6

22. Connecticut Sun: Jaz Shelley, Nebraska, SG, 5-9

23. New York Liberty: Quay Miller, Colorado, PF, 6-3

24. Las Vegas Aces: Desi-Rae Young, UNLV, PF, 6-1

Third round

25. Phoenix Mercury: Carla Leite, France, SG, 5-9

26. Seattle Storm: Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana, PF, 6-3

27. Indiana Fever: McKenzie Forbes, USC, SF, 6-0

28. Los Angeles Sparks: Kate Martin, Iowa, SG, 6-0

29. Phoenix Mercury: Rebeka Mikulášiková, Ohio State, PF, 6-4

30. Washington Mystics: Brynna Maxwell, Gonzaga, SG, 6-0

31. Minnesota Lynx: Hannah Jump, Stanford, SG, 6-0

32. Atlanta Dream: Honesty Scott-Grayson, Auburn, SG, 5-9

33. Dallas Wings: Kiki Jefferson, Louisville, SG, 6-1

34. Connecticut Sun: Sara Scalia, Indiana, SG, 5-10

35. New York Liberty: Abbey Hsu, Columbia, SG, 5-11

36. Las Vegas Aces: Jaylyn Sherrod, Colorado, PG, 5-7

NEW YORK -- Attendance was up 1.4% in the NBA this season, with the league setting records for ticket sales and sellouts.

The total attendance in the regular season that ended Sunday was 22,536,341, the league said -- the second consecutive season in which the NBA set that record. Other records set this season included 872 sellouts, 71% of games selling out and an average attendance of 18,322.

The previous marks in those categories: 22,234,502 for total attendance, 791 sellouts, 63% of games selling out and average attendance of 18,077. All were set in the 2022-23 season.

In all, the league said arenas were filled to 98% capacity, another record.

Part of the reason for the attendance boost was the success of the in-season tournament, which was held this season for the first time in November and December. The NBA's average attendance for those November games around the league was 18,208, another record.

Ten teams -- Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Sacramento -- sold out every game. Fans from more than 150 countries and territories purchased tickets to games, the league said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- LaMelo Ball is once again contemplating wearing ankle braces if it means staying on the court.

Ball has been limited to 58 games the past two seasons combined because of ankle issues and hasn't played for the Charlotte Hornets since Jan. 26. The 2022 All-Star point guard knows that needs to change.

"I'm going to see over the summer, try some stuff," Ball said of the protective braces.

He said if he can find something that feels good "we can go from there."

Ball started wearing ankle braces in practice before the season after three separate ankle injuries in 2022-23 sidelined him for long stretches and ultimately resulted in surgery. But he could never find anything he was completely comfortable with on his feet.

He is feeling better now, and Ball is looking forward to finally being healthy this summer and working on his game.

"My favorite thing to do is play basketball and to not be able to do it is just horrible," Ball said. "That fact that I got this summer [to be healthy], I'm going to take it and get it as strong I can to get out there and play."

Ball, who is only 22, signed a rookie max contract extension last summer that will pay him up to $260 million over the next five seasons.

When healthy, he was dynamite this season averaging 23.9 points, 8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36% from beyond the arc.

The Hornets believe if they can keep Ball on the court and pair him with three-time NBA Rookie of the Month Brandon Miller they can break their eight-year playoff drought, the longest in the NBA.

"He makes our team go," Hornets center Nick Richards said. "It's really important for us to have him on the court."

Ball said he feels like the Hornets have a great team but "we just need everybody to be available to play."

Ball wasn't the only injured Hornet as starting center Mark Williams and guard Cody Martin missed significant time. Gordon Hayward also struggled with injuries before being traded. Williams battled back injuries but vowed to be ready next season.

The Hornets will have a new coach then with Steve Clifford stepping down.

Ball's absences from games have predictably been a source of frustration for Hornets fans, and the No. 3 overall pick in 2020 has drawn plenty of criticism for his lack of durability.

But teammate Miles Bridges said Ball is highly competitive and told him he plans to play at least 75 games next season.

"LaMelo wants to be on the court," Bridges said. "That's what people think, that he doesn't want to be on the court and just wants to wear his jewelry on the sideline. But he wants to be on the court, and he wants to win. He knows how important he is to this organization, and this is going to be a big summer for him."

Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder was voted the National Basketball Coaches Association's NBA coach of the year on Monday.

Daigneault delivered the youngest team in modern league history (an average of 24 years old) to the Western Conference's No. 1 seed and decisively won the NBCA voting among his head-coaching peers.

Each NBA head coach votes for a single winner in the award named for the late Michael Goldberg. Also receiving votes: Cleveland's J.B. Bickerstaff, Minnesota's Chris Finch, Boston's Joe Mazzulla and Orlando's Jamahl Mosley.

"It is humbling to be chosen for this honor by my peers, for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration," Daigneault said in a statement. "Our team's success this season has been driven by a group of talented players, whose commitment and competitiveness has been uncommon. Coaching them is a privilege."

Daigneault, 39, has increased his victories total in each season, including significantly in the past three seasons -- 24 to 40 to 57. The Thunder and the Celtics, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, are the only two teams this season to rank in the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Oklahoma City also led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage, and finished top five in nearly 15 top offensive categories.

Who are the NBA free agents to watch in 2024 and 2025? Most superstars have signed long-term extensions with their current teams, shrinking the list of available stars for the teams with cap space this summer.

Still, 2024 could be transformative in Los Angeles, with LeBron James and Paul George potentially becoming free agents this summer.

Looking ahead to 2025, stars such Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell hold player options that teams will be monitoring very closely.

Key: restricted = restricted free agent; player = player option; team = team option; ETO = early termination option

MORE: Offseason guides for every NBA team

Atlanta Hawks

2024

• Saddiq Bey (restricted)

• Garrison Mathews (team)

• Wesley Matthews

• Vit Krejci (restricted)

• Seth Lundy (restricted)

• Trent Forrest (restricted)

• Dylan Windler (restricted)

2025

• Clint Capela

• Bruno Fernando (team)

• Jalen Johnson (restricted)

Boston Celtics

2024

• Sam Hauser (team)

• Luke Kornet

• Xavier Tillman

• Svi Mykhailiuk

• Drew Peterson (restricted)

• JD Davison (restricted)

• Oshae Brissett (player)

2025

• Al Horford

• Jayson Tatum (player)

• Derrick White

• Jaden Springer (restricted)

• Neemias Queta

Brooklyn Nets

2024

• Nic Claxton

• Dennis Smith Jr.

• Lonnie Walker IV

• Trendon Watford

• Keon Johnson

• Jacob Gilyard (restricted)

• Keita Bates-Diop (player)

2025

• Dorian Finney-Smith (player)

• Day'Ron Sharpe (restricted)

• Ben Simmons

• Cam Thomas (restricted)

• Dennis Schroder

• Jaylen Martin (restricted)

Charlotte Hornets

2024

• Miles Bridges

• JT Thor (team)

• Davis Bertans (ETO)

• Amari Bailey (restricted)

2025

• Bryce McGowens (team)

• Leaky Black (restricted)

• Vasilije Micic (team)

• Tre Mann (restricted)

• Marques Bolden (restricted)

• Aleksej Pokusevski

• Seth Curry

Chicago Bulls

2024

• DeMar DeRozan

• Lonzo Ball (player)

• Torrey Craig (player)

• Andre Drummond

• Javonte Green

• Patrick Williams (restricted)

• Henri Drell (restricted)

• Adama Sanogo (restricted)

2025

• Jevon Carter (player)

• Alex Caruso

• Andrew Funk (restricted)

Cleveland Cavaliers

2024

• Isaac Okoro (restricted)

• Damian Jones

• Tristan Thompson

• Marcus Morris Sr.

• Isaiah Mobley (restricted)

• Emoni Bates (restricted)

• Pete Nance (restricted)

2025

• Donovan Mitchell (player)

• Evan Mobley (restricted)

• Ty Jerome

• Caris LeVert

• Sam Merrill

Dallas Mavericks

2024

• Derrick Jones Jr.

• Greg Brown III (restricted)

• Brandon Williams (restricted)

• Marcus Morris Sr.

2025

• Dante Exum

• Tim Hardaway Jr.

• Jaden Hardy (restricted)

• Kyrie Irving (player)

• Dwight Powell (player)

• Alex Fudge (restricted)

Denver Nuggets

2024

• Vlatko Cancar (team)

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (player)

• Justin Holiday

• DeAndre Jordan

• Reggie Jackson (player)

• Braxton Key (restricted)

• Jay Huff (restricted)

• Collin Gillespie (restricted)

2025

• Aaron Gordon (player)

• Jamal Murray

Detroit Pistons

2024

• James Wiseman (restricted)

• Jared Rhoden (restricted)

• Malachi Flynn (restricted)

• Stanley Umude (team)

• Taj Gibson

• Chimezie Metu (team)

• Simone Fontecchio (restricted)

• Evan Fournier (team)

2025

• Cade Cunningham (restricted)

• Quentin Grimes (restricted)

• Troy Brown Jr.

• Buddy Boeheim (restricted)

• Tosan Evbuomwan (restricted)

Golden State Warriors

2024

• Klay Thompson

• Gary Payton II (player)

• Dario Saric

• Jerome Robinson

• Usman Garuba

• Lester Quinones (restricted)

2025

• Jonathan Kuminga (restricted)

• Moses Moody (restricted)

• Kevon Looney

• Chris Paul

• Gui Santos (team)

• Pat Spencer (restricted)

Houston Rockets

2024

• Jeff Green (team)

• Aaron Holiday

• Boban Marjanovic

• Reggie Bullock Jr.

• Jae'Sean Tate (team)

• Nate Williams (restricted)

• Nate Hinton (restricted)

• Jermaine Samuels Jr. (restricted)

2025

• Jalen Green (restricted)

• Alperen Sengun (restricted)

• Fred VanVleet (team)

• Steven Adams

Indiana Pacers

2024

• Pascal Siakam

• Doug McDermott

• James Johnson

• Jalen Smith (player)

• Obi Toppin (restricted)

• Oscar Tshiebwe (restricted)

• Quenton Jackson (restricted)

• Isaiah Wong (restricted)

2025

• Isaiah Jackson (restricted)

• T.J. McConnell

• Andrew Nembhard (team)

• Myles Turner

LA Clippers

2024

• Paul George (player)

• James Harden

• Daniel Theis

• Russell Westbrook (player)

• P.J. Tucker (player)

• Mason Plumlee

• Brandon Boston Jr. (restricted)

• Moussa Diabate (restricted)

• Xavier Moon (restricted)

2025

• Amir Coffey

• Bones Hyland (restricted)

• Terance Mann

• Ivica Zubac

• Kai Jones

• Jordan Miller (restricted)

Los Angeles Lakers

2024

• LeBron James (player)

• Christian Wood (player)

• Max Christie (restricted)

• Jaxson Hayes (restricted)

• Cam Reddish (restricted)

• D'Angelo Russell (player)

• Taurean Prince

• Spencer Dinwiddie

• Harry Giles III

• Colin Castleton (restricted)

• Skylar Mays (restricted)

2025

• None

Memphis Grizzlies

2024

• Luke Kennard (team)

• Lamar Stevens

• Jordan Goodwin (restricted)

• Yuta Watanabe (player)

2025

• Santi Aldama (restricted)

• Derrick Rose

• Ziaire Williams (restricted)

• Scotty Pippen Jr. (restricted)

• Trey Jemison (restricted)

Miami Heat

2024

• Caleb Martin (player)

• Thomas Bryant (player)

• Josh Richardson (player)

• Kevin Love (player)

• Haywood Highsmith

• Delon Wright

• Patty Mills

• Cole Swider (restricted)

• Jamal Cain (restricted)

• Alondes Williams (restricted)

2025

• Jimmy Butler (player)

• Duncan Robinson (early termination)

• Orlando Robinson

Milwaukee Bucks

2024

• Patrick Beverley

• Jae Crowder

• Danilo Gallinari

• Thanasis Antetokounmpo

• Malik Beasley

• TyTy Washington Jr. (restricted)

2025

• Pat Connaughton (player)

• Brook Lopez

• Khris Middleton (player)

• Bobby Portis (player)

• Jaylin Galloway (restricted)

• Ryan Rollins (restricted)

Minnesota Timberwolves

2024

• Kyle Anderson

• Jordan McLaughlin

• Monte Morris

• T.J. Warren

• Luka Garza

• Daishen Nix (restricted)

2025

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker

• Rudy Gobert (player)

• Josh Minott (team)

• Naz Reid (player)

• Jaylen Clark (restricted)

New Orleans Pelicans

2024

• Jonas Valanciunas

• Jose Alvarado (team)

• Naji Marshall

• Cody Zeller

• Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (team)

• Dereon Seabron (restricted)

2025

• Brandon Ingram

• E.J. Liddell (team)

• Trey Murphy III (restricted)

• Larry Nance Jr.

• Matt Ryan

• Malcolm Hill (restricted)

New York Knicks

2024

• Isaiah Hartenstein

• Alec Burks

• Shake Milton

• OG Anunoby (player)

• Jericho Sims (team)

• DaQuan Jeffries (team)

• Precious Achiuwa (restricted)

• Charlie Brown Jr. (restricted)

• Jacob Toppin (restricted)

• Duane Washington Jr. (restricted)

2025

• Jalen Brunson (player)

• Bojan Bogdanovic

• Mamadi Diakite

• Julius Randle (player)

Oklahoma City Thunder

2024

• Isaiah Joe (team)

• Aaron Wiggins (team)

• Olivier Sarr (restricted)

• Gordon Hayward

• Mike Muscala

• Lindy Waters III (team)

• Bismack Biyombo

• Keyontae Johnson (restricted)

2025

• Josh Giddey (restricted)

• Jaylin Williams (team)

• Adam Flagler (restricted)

Orlando Magic

2024

• Markelle Fultz

• Gary Harris

• Goga Bitadze

• Joe Ingles (team)

• Moritz Wagner (team)

• Chuma Okeke (restricted)

• Kevon Harris (restricted)

• Admiral Schofield (restricted)

• Trevelin Queen (restricted)

2025

• Caleb Houstan (team)

• Jonathan Isaac

• Jalen Suggs (restricted)

• Franz Wagner (restricted)

Philadelphia 76ers

2024

• Nicolas Batum

• Robert Covington

• KJ Martin

• Tobias Harris

• De'Anthony Melton

• Kelly Oubre Jr.

• Mo Bamba

• Kyle Lowry

• Cameron Payne

• Buddy Hield

• Tyrese Maxey (restricted)

• Terquavion Smith (restricted)

2025

• Jeff Dowtin Jr.

Phoenix Suns

2024

• Bol Bol

• Royce O'Neale

• Thaddeus Young

• Isaiah Thomas

• Drew Eubanks (player)

• Eric Gordon (player)

• Damion Lee (player)

• Josh Okogie (player)

• Saben Lee (restricted)

• Udoka Azubuike (restricted)

• Ish Wainright (restricted)

2025

• None

Portland Trail Blazers

2024

• Moses Brown

• Dalano Banton (team)

• Justin Minaya (restricted)

• Ibou Badji (restricted)

• Ashton Hagans (restricted)

2025

• Malcolm Brogdon

• Rayan Rupert (team)

• Matisse Thybulle (player)

• Jabari Walker (restricted)

Sacramento Kings

2024

• Malik Monk

• Alex Len

• JaVale McGee

• Kessler Edwards

• Jordan Ford (restricted)

• Jalen Slawson (restricted)

2025

• Chris Duarte (restricted)

• Trey Lyles

• Davion Mitchell (restricted)

• Sasha Vezenkov (team)

• Mason Jones (restricted)

• Keon Ellis (team)

San Antonio Spurs

2024

• Cedi Osman

• Sandro Mamukelashvili (restricted)

• David Duke Jr. (restricted)

• Dominick Barlow (restricted)

2025

• Devonte' Graham

• RaiQuan Gray (restricted)

• Jamaree Bouyea (restricted)

• Tre Jones

Toronto Raptors

2024

• Immanuel Quickley (restricted)

• Bruce Brown (team)

• Jordan Nwora

• Gary Trent Jr.

• Garrett Temple

• Malik Williams (restricted)

• Jontay Porter (restricted)

2025

• Scottie Barnes (restricted)

• Chris Boucher

• Jalen McDaniels

• Mouhamadou Gueye (restricted)

• Javon Freeman-Liberty (restricted)

• D.J. Carton (restricted)

Utah Jazz

2024

• Talen Horton-Tucker

• Kris Dunn

• Kira Lewis Jr.

• Micah Potter (restricted)

• Johnny Juzang (restricted)

• Luka Samanic

2025

• John Collins (player)

• Lauri Markkanen

• Omer Yurtseven

• Jason Preston (restricted)

Washington Wizards

2024

• Anthony Gill

• Tyus Jones

• Richaun Holmes (player)

• Jules Bernard (restricted)

• Jared Butler (restricted)

2025

• Corey Kispert (restricted)

• Landry Shamet (team)

• Marvin Bagley III

• Eugene Omoruyi (restricted)

• Julian Champagnie (restricted)

SEATTLE -- The Mariners called up top prospect Jonatan Clase on Monday, looking to help spark an offense that has underperformed in the first 2 weeks of the season.

Clase, a 21-year-old switch-hitting outfielder, was batting .311 with 4 doubles, 2 triples and 2 homers in 12 games with Triple-A Tacoma. He spent last season split between Single-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas, and he appeared in 15 spring training games with the Mariners, who so far are batting .204 in the regular season and have an .590 OPS.

Clase, who is ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Seattle's organization, is batting eighth and playing left field in Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds.

He takes the roster spot of outfielder Dominic Canzone, who landed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder suffered after crashing into the outfield wall while making a catch in Sunday's loss to the Chicago Cubs. There's no timeline on Canzone's recovery, but manager Scott Servais said after the game it would be a significant chunk of time missed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox left fielder Tyler O'Neill had to leave the game against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday in the eighth inning after colliding with third baseman Rafael Devers when the two were chasing a shallow popup.

Devers made the catch as O'Neill collided with him. The pair went to the ground. O'Neill held his face as he sat up, and Devers was face down as a trainer and Red Sox manager Alex Cora raced onto the field.

Cora called for a towel, that O'Neill held to his face as he walked off. Devers walked off, not appearing to be injured. He stayed in the game.

David Hamilton came in to play shortstop, with Ceddanne Rafaela moving to center and Jarren Duran moving from center to left.