Ewing Appears Ready to Retire

Patrick Ewing, an 11-time All-Star in 17 NBA seasons, called a news conference for today amid speculation he is going to announce his retirement.

The news conference, to be held at a midtown Manhattan hotel, was arranged by a public relations firm, leading to the speculation that Ewing, 40, will retire from the NBA.

The New York Times, New York Daily News and Boston Globe, all citing sources close to Ewing, said on their Web sites that he would announce his retirement.

Ewing played with the Orlando Magic last season, but he and the team announced last month he would not return next season. There was one season left on Ewing’s contract, reportedly worth just over $2 million.

Ewing played his first 15 seasons with the New York Knicks and then one in Seattle before joining Orlando.

He has averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds, and in 1997 he was selected one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players.

Ewing’s season with Orlando was his least productive. He averaged 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13.9 minutes--all career lows.

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Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was arrested at Bay Village, Ohio, on a charge of driving under the influence.

Ilgauskas, 27, was stopped Sunday for erratic driving and he failed field sobriety tests, police Lt. John Dixon said.

He was released on a personal bond and must appear Wednesday in court.

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Boston signed Argentine forward Ruben Wolkowyski.

The 6-foot-10 Wolkowyski played last season with the Dallas Mavericks before moving to CSKA Moscow in the Russian Superleague, where he averaged 12.7 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Wolkowyski played 34 games with Seattle during the 2000-2001 season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds.

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Sheryl Swoopes scored 20 points and the U.S. beat Lithuania, 105-48, and advanced to the second round of the Women’s World Basketball Championship at Shanghai.

Lisa Leslie had 15 points for the Americans, who won their three first-round games.

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Golf

Greg Norman, who won the Skins Game last year, isn’t coming back to defend his title, but Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Mark O’Meara and Fred Couples will be on hand to play in the $1-million event Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at Landmark Golf Club in Indio.

The four-player field was announced Monday. So was a change in the rules that no longer requires a player who makes a birdie to “validate” that birdie by winning or matching the low score on the next hole in order to collect the money.

Patty Sheehan will remain captain of the U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2003.

Sheehan, who leads the 2002 team into play against Europe beginning Friday, was selected captain by a five-member committee formed by the LPGA board of directors.

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Miscellany

Drag racer Doug Kalitta earned his first top-fuel victory in more than a year at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Mohnton, Pa., defeating Kenny Bernstein in the final. Kalitta finished in 4.560 seconds at 320.51 mph to Bernstein’s 4.581 at 322.11.

Tony Pedregon in funny car, Jim Yates in pro stock and Angelle Savoie in pro stock bike also were winners.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario beat Maja Matevzic, 6-2, 6-0, in the first round of the Toyota Princess Cup tennis tournament at Tokyo.

Bernard Williams upstaged Maurice Greene and won the 100 meters at the Yokohama Super Track and Field meet in Japan.

Williams was timed in 10.21 seconds in the rain at International Stadium Yokohama, beating Japan’s Nobuharu Asahara by .07. Greene finished fifth in 10.56.

Allen Johnson won the 110-meter hurdles in 13.28.

The NHL’s New York Islanders extended General Manager Mike Milbury’s contract, signing him to a multiyear deal.

The NCAA ruled that freshman Chris Rodgers, regarded as one of the nation’s top point guards when he signed with Arizona last fall, is eligible to play for the Wildcats.

Rodgers had the grades at Woodrow Wilson High in Portland, Ore., to qualify, but fell short on his SAT after suffering what his counselors called “test anxiety.”