Daugherty Says He’s Retired, but It’s News to the Cavaliers

Brad Daugherty, sidelined because of an injured back for more than two years, intends to retire, although the former all-star center has yet to notify the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Daugherty says he has seen doctors around the country and they have told him to give up basketball.

“None was optimistic. They all said that I should not be running,” Daugherty said in Thursday’s editions of the Plain Dealer. “I am through.”

Cavalier President Wayne Embry said Daugherty has not informed the club of his plans.

“Therefore, it is difficult for me to respond to questions concerning the matter,” he said.

Daugherty, 30, signed a nine-year, $43.6-million contract extension in September 1992.

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The Collegiate Commissioners Assn. will decide whether Syracuse recruit Jason Hart, from Inglewood High, can break his commitment to attend the university.

Hart is a 6-foot-2 point guard who said he wants to stay on the West Coast to be near his older brother, Jadifi, who suffers from a kidney disease.

Jake Crouthamel, Syracuse athletic director, and Coach Jim Boeheim dispute Hart’s motivation. Boeheim has said Jadifi Hart’s kidney disease was already at a serious stage when Jason Hart signed.

He also said he thinks Hart merely wants to attend UCLA, which showed no interest in him until its top point guard recruit, Olujimi Mann, failed to qualify academically.

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Former NBA star Cazzie Russell has been named coach of the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia.

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Louisville and Louisiana State have been chosen to round out the field in the third John R. Wooden Classic, which will be held Dec. 7 at the Pond of Anaheim. Earlier, Arizona and Utah were chosen to play in the first game.

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Long Island University said it is recruiting former all-New York City prospect Richie Parker, whose career was put on hold after he pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.

Football

The Pittsburgh Steelers reached a verbal agreement for a new contract with Greg Lloyd, but team officials would not say whether the deal would make Lloyd the NFL’s highest-paid linebacker.

The Miami Dolphins signed top draft choice Daryl Gardener and released fellow defensive linemen Chuck Klingbeil in a move that helps make room under the salary cap for Gardener. . . . Veteran linebacker Rickey Jackson, 38, retired as a New Orleans Saint, the team with which he spent the first 13 of his 15 NFL seasons. . . . The Atlanta Falcons traded running back Robert Baldwin to the Green Bay Packers for cornerback Lenny McGill. . . . Seattle Seahawk fullback Steve Smith, who played seven seasons with the Raiders in Los Angeles, said he is retiring because of a back injury.

Oakland Raider owner Al Davis said the club has bought a building and land in Alameda for a practice facility and will be moving administrative personnel from El Segundo later this month.

Hockey

Al Sims, assistant coach of the Mighty Ducks, was named coach of the San Jose Sharks, as expected. . . . The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed Coach Terry Crisp to a three-year contract worth more than $1.6 million. . . . Buffalo Sabre goaltender Dominik Hasek signed a three-year contract worth $10.5 million. . . . The Dallas Stars signed goaltender Roman Turek to a one-year contract with a one-year option. Turek, 26, led the Czech national team to the gold medal in the world championships last month.

Jurisprudence

Angus Charles Drogo Montagu, a British duke convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud for plotting to defraud the Tampa Bay Lightning, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to repay $51,000 to the Lightning.

Randy Moss, thrown off Florida State’s football team after violating his parole by smoking marijuana, was sentenced to up a year in jail in Charleston, W.Va.

Miscellany

Despite stinging criticism by Roger Bybee, coordinator of the Wisconsin Fair Trade Campaign, that Reebok International Ltd. employs overseas “shoe slaves” who work under “subhuman conditions,” the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents committee approved a five-year, $7.9-million deal with the shoemaker.