Michael Jordan aims for control of Bobcats

Michael Jordan has been called the NBA’s greatest player, a supreme competitor and top pitchman.

Jordan soon could have a much different role: team owner.

Charlotte Coach Larry Brown said Monday night that Jordan has told him he’s doing all he can to buy majority control of the Bobcats from owner Bob Johnson.

“He said he’s doing his best to put himself in a position to get the team,” Brown said after practice. “He wants it badly.”

Johnson is eager to sell the unprofitable club, and NBA Commissioner David Stern said Saturday he expects a deal to be completed within two months.

Although Stern has said Jordan’s owning the team “would be a good thing,” he may have competition. Former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos has made inquiries, and it’s possible if Postolos gets control Jordan would no longer have a role with the team.

Jordan, currently a part owner with the final say on basketball decisions, would have to put an ownership group together and agree with Johnson on a price. Jordan declined to comment Monday through a team spokesman.

Allen Iverson has returned to the Philadelphia 76ers after sitting out five games to be with his ill daughter and expects to play Tuesday night against Miami.

TENNIS

Peer wins her opener in Dubai

Shahar Peer rallied to beat 15th-ranked Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, in her opening match at the Dubai Tennis Championships, a year after the Israeli player had been denied a visa to the United Arab Emirates.

Authorities had cited safety reasons for preventing Peer from playing last year, with tournament organizers saying they feared fan anger over Israel’s three-week military offensive in Gaza. Organizers were fined $300,000 by the WTA after denying her the opportunity to play.

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova routed Shenay Perry, 6-0, 6-2, in the Cellular South Cup at Memphis, Tenn.

In the men’s draw, third-seeded Radek Stepanek outlasted South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Taylor Dent, who won the tournament in 2003, lost to Philipp Petzschner, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

COLLEGES

San Diego State hires an AD

Jim Sterk, athletic director at Washington State,was hired for the same position at San Diego State.

Sterk had been athletic director at Washington State since 2000. He also has worked at North Carolina, Maine, Seattle, Pacific, Tulane and Portland State, where he was the athletic director from 1995 until he took over the Cougars.

Sterk, 53, replaces Jeff Schemmel, who resigned in November after a university investigation determined there were irregularities in his reimbursement requests for travel.

HORSE RACING

Sidney’s Candy wins Grade II

Sidney’s Candy regained a huge measure of the high expectations he had generated following a dazzling maiden victory last summer at Del Mar with a triumph in the Grade II, $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Sidney’s Candy finished in 1:20.91, the second-fastest running in the history of the San Vicente.