76er Owner’s Brother Stole From Iverson

The brother of Philadelphia 76er owner Pat Croce left as the team’s conditioning coach after he was caught on videotape stealing money from Allen Iverson’s pants in the locker room.

Pat Croce said in The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Tuesday edition that his brother, John, had been dismissed. When asked what the videotape showed, the owner said, “The actions speak for themselves.” He paused, then added, “I felt sick.”

General Manager Billy King said he authorized the videotaping in the locker room, and he and Pat Croce said the tape showed John Croce stealing from the star guard.

The team originally announced that John Croce had resigned Jan. 12 to pursue other work.

John Croce could not be reached for comment.

King said he confronted John Croce about the tape and John Croce left the team soon after that. Pat Croce said he was not present when King confronted his brother.

Neither the 76ers nor Iverson pressed criminal charges against John Croce.

*

Toronto Raptor forward Charles Oakley was suspended for one game without pay and fined $10,000 by the NBA for confronting 76er forward Tryone Hill and striking him in the head with a basketball after Tuesday morning’s shoot-around in Philadelphia.

Before a preseason game, Oakley slapped Hill and both were ejected.

“Every time we play each other Oakley says something about Hill,” Philadelphia’s Eric Snow said. “He’ll say ‘Where’s Hill at?’ ”

Oakley missed the Raptors’ game against the 76ers on Tuesday night. Oakley also was suspended for three games and fined $15,000 for punching Jeff McInnis of the Clippers during a morning shoot-around in December.

“I’m very disappointed and very upset,” said Raptor Coach Lenny Wilkens, adding that further discipline will be considered by the team.

*

The $200-million sale of the Seattle SuperSonics by The Ackerley Group to a group led by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz was completed.

The sale also included the WNBA’s Storm.

*

Chinese center Wang ZhiZhi is expected to be on the Dallas Mavericks’ active roster for Thursday’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first Asian to join the NBA. Wang is expected to sign a two-year contract worth about $800,000 today. . . . The National Basketball Players Assn. might start grading the performance of referees because so many players are unhappy with their job performance, said Billy Hunter, the union’s executive director. Hunter said players are most upset at the number of “soft fouls” being called, and the inconsistency of what is and isn’t a foul. The league office had no immediate response.