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ROUNDUP : Big Dog’s Big Deal: $68 Million

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From Associated Press

Glenn Robinson agreed to terms with the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday after relinquishing his goal of becoming the first $100-million athlete in professional sports.

Robinson, the top pick in the NBA draft, agreed to a 10-year, fully guaranteed deal worth about $68 million. The pact contains no incentive or “out” clauses or performance goals.

It is the biggest guaranteed deal signed by an NBA rookie. Jason Kidd, the second pick in the draft, signed a nine-year, $54-million contract with Dallas with all but a portion of the final year guaranteed.

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But it wasn’t the $100-plus million Robinson wanted.

“Both sides won,” said team owner Herb Kohl, a U.S. senator up for re-election Tuesday. “Glenn Robinson has now got a pro career underway in a city that he wanted to play in with a very nice 10-year contract fully guaranteed. And for the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s wonderful to sign the No. 1 pick.”

Asked how the deal was reached after months of gridlock, Kohl said, “The season starts tomorrow. Glenn Robinson’s a basketball player. He wants to play basketball.”

Robinson, 21, who led the nation in scoring with a 30.3 average as a junior at Purdue last year, underwent a physical in Milwaukee Thursday afternoon. Neither he nor his agent, Charles Tucker, was available for comment.

Robinson hadn’t signed the contract by late Thursday and was not with the team when its charter departed for Philadelphia for tonight’s season opener.

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Charles Barkley inadvertently burned his corneas when he rubbed body lotion into his eyes during an Eric Clapton concert and will sit out the Phoenix Suns’ opener tonight.

An ophthalmologist ordered the all-star forward to wear eye patches for 12 hours. Barkley traveled with the Suns to Sacramento for the opener, but Coach Paul Westphal said he will not play.

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New York Knick forward Charles Oakley will start the season with a contract extension, and backup Anthony Bonner will start it on the injured list.

Oakley signed a one-year extension that tacks a balloon payment estimated at $8 million onto his contract, which previously had been set to expire after the 1997-98 season.

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Roy Tarpley of the Dallas Mavericks, returning to the NBA after a three-year ban for drug use, will sit out at least the first five games of the season because of bursitis in his left knee.

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The Boston Celtics put Pervis Ellison and Tony Harris on the injured list and waived David Dean, reducing the roster to the NBA limit of 12 players.

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