Jeff Hornacek hired as Suns new coach

One of the most popular Phoenix Suns players from the franchise’s past will guide the team to an uncertain future.

At the news conference announcing his hiring as Suns coach, Jeff Hornacek spoke at length about his readiness for the job and the influences that will guide him. “I’ve always felt that I’ve been a coach,” he said. “My dad was a coach, so I’ve been around basketball since I was 5 years old.”

Hornacek played the first six of his 14 NBA seasons with the Suns. He retired from playing, then eased into coaching, first as a shooting instructor in Utah, then since 2011 as a full-time assistant with the Jazz.

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The Clippers can cross San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer off the list of candidates to replace Vinny Del Negro.

Budenholzer, 43, was hired as the coach of the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. He spent 19 years with the Spurs, including 17 seasons as an assistant, and was the top assistant for Coach Gregg Popovich the last six years.

“They told me they were going in a different direction,” former Atlanta coach Larry Drew said about the Hawks’ management. Drew has an interview for the head-coaching opening with the Milwaukee Bucks this week and is also interested in the Clippers’ opening.

The Clippers still are interested in Indiana Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw. But Pacers President Donnie Walsh has said Shaw won’t be allowed to interview for any jobs until Indiana’s season is over.

—Broderick Turner

ETC.

Rutgers’ new AD involved in lawsuit

Incoming Rutgers Athletic Director Julie Hermann was involved in a discrimination lawsuit at Louisville, where an assistant track coach said she was fired for complaining about discriminatory treatment.

Mary Banker, an assistant men’s and women’s track and field coach, filed a lawsuit against the University of Louisville Athletic Assn., saying she was let go in 2008 after she complained to Hermann and then to human resources about allegations of gender and sexual discrimination. Hermann was the executive senior associate athletic director.

Hermann testified at a 2010 jury trial about the dismissal. A jury found in favor of Banker’s claims, awarding her $300,000 for mental and emotional distress. However, the university appealed and the Kentucky Court of Appeals overturned the verdict in February.

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Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn is resigning effective June 3.

Chancellor Philip DiStefano said in a written statement that he had accepted Bohn’s resignation. Bohn wrote in an email to his staff, “They want to go in a different direction and that is their prerogative.”

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Joe Rahm shot a 61 to help Arizona State take a four-stroke lead after the first round of the NCAA men’s golf championship at Milton, Ga.

The Sun Devils finished at 10-under-par 270 on the Capital City Club’s 7,319-yard, par-70 Crabapple course.

Georgia Tech (274) was second, followed by Alabama (275).

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The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the Sacramento Kings to a group led by TIBCO Software Chairman Vivek Ranadive.

After owners blocked the relocation of the franchise to Seattle this month, the Maloof family reached an agreement to sell a 65% controlling interest in the Kings to Ranadive’s group at a total franchise valuation of $535 million.