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In a 2018 interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the 41-year-old spoke about his basketball-loving daughter and her aspirations to play in the WNBA. “This kid, man,” Bryant said. “The best thing that happens is when we go out and fans will come up to me and she’ll (Gianna) be standing next to me and they’ll be like ‘Aye, you gotta have a boy. You and V gotta have a boy, have somebody to carry on the tradition, the legacy....

Speaking on the Grantland Basketball Hour, Bryant said he vetoed a trade to the Motor City that would have delivered LA Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Amir Johnson and a first-round pick. MORE: Kobe blames media for his lone MVP award | Garnett’s tough love | Bulls’ Gibson playing hurt From Detroit Bad Boys: Can you blame him? Bryant would have been on the floor with Chauncey Billups and Arron Afflalo and … not much else....

The two-minute video shows Bryant's No. 24 jersey being subjected to all of Mother Nature's elements before sunshine reappears with the words, "The legend continues December 8." Earlier Friday, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni characterized Bryant’s chances of playing Sunday as "pretty good" before chuckling and offering, “I just opened up a can of worms. I think odds are good, but they could be bad. I don’t know anything.” Bryant has not played since tearing his left Achilles tendon in mid-April, but has been practicing this week and even got in a workout with the team Friday morning....

“I’m trying to see if I can prove to myself that I can be myself,” Bryant said. The Lakers are full of training-camp optimism about their superstar guard’s prospects of recovery from serious injury. Bryant is walking confidently on his left leg, and he’s already running and jumping better than new coach Byron Scott imagined would be possible on a surgically repaired Achilles’ tendon and the once-broken bone near his knee....

The Belgium international sits atop the Premier League scoring charts with 23 goals this season and has been linked with a return to former club Chelsea. Lukaku is under contract at Goodison Park until 2019, but Koeman revealed an extension beyond that looks unlikely. ‘Lukaku ready for big, big move’ “He told me he won’t sign a new contract,” Koeman told a news conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Burnley....

Everton are currently seventh in the Premier League, a spot that could secure continental football as long as United win the EFL Cup and a team above Koeman’s side in the table claim FA Cup glory. Koeman not interested in new deal The Dutchman swapped Southampton for Everton last year, but he will not be backing his former employers for Sunday’s final at Wembley as a result of the potential implications for Everton....

Day five of the fourth and final Test was washed out at the SCG in Sydney as India secured a 2-1 series triumph against beleaguered Australia on Monday. Persistent rain meant the Sydney Test was drawn but top-ranked India still secured their first success in Australia, having already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India were on track for another resounding victory before the rain set in, with Australia forced to follow on and still trailing by 316 runs after being bowled out for 300, and Kohli revelled in the result afterwards....

Electing to bat, Kohli (35 not out) and Pujara (37 not out) resurrected the innings after England’s leading pace pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad dealt early blows by sending back openers Murali Vijay (20) and Lokesh Rahul (0) early in the session. Rahul, who returned to the playing XI after being sidelined with an injury during the last series against New Zealand, lasted only five deliveries before pacer Stuart Broad, in his very first over, induced an edge which went straight into the hands of Ben Stokes at third slip....

The 2019 IPL gets under way on March 23, just over two months before the Cricket World Cup in England. But captain Kohli insists he will not be using the country’s domestic limited-overs competition to make key personnel decisions, believing India need to have decided on their line-up before then. And so extra emphasis is placed on the five-match ODI series against Australia which gets under way on Saturday....

Captain Kompany put his injury woes behind him with a goal to lead high-flying City to a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Sergio Aguero and David Silva were also on target as Premier League champions-elect City claimed their first title of the season. The Premier League and Champions League are still on offer for Pep Guardiola’s side, who have earned plaudits from far and wide amid their stunning season....

City have marched to the Premier League title in impressive fashion during Pep Guardiola’s second season in charge, but they fell short in Europe yet again, bowing out in the quarter-finals at the hands of domestic rivals Liverpool. The team’s best finish in the competition remains a semi-final appearance in 2015-16, when they lost to eventual winners Real Madrid, and the Belgium international is desperate for City to make progress on the biggest stage of all....

It is a familiar situation, which will be partly why Pep Guardiola allowed himself only a brief moment of frustration before weighing up how to cope without his captain once more. Despite Kompany braving it for a short while, he was eventually taken off with 11 minutes on the clock. Guardiola’s decision to replace him with Gabriel Jesus speaks volumes for the football the Catalan has City playing, yet it is the centre of defence which will attract the immediate focus....

Seoul, Jan 13 (AFP) The two Koreas will hold talks next week to discuss the North’s plan to send a performing art troupe to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Seoul’s unification ministry said today. The North confirmed it would attend next month’s Olympics in the South at a rare inter-Korean meeting last week, following months of tensions over its nuclear weapons programme. The ministry said the North was apparently keen to discuss logistics of the performers’ trip to the South before planning its athletes and supporters’ attendance at the Games....

That son has grown into a spitting image of his father. But unlike his father, it appears Kodie Stringer will leave football on his own terms and pursue his own passion. MORE: The sports figures we’ve lost in 2015 In a poignant story for ESPN, Kevin Seifert caught up with Kodie, who explained his decision to walk away from the sport his father he so resembles loved. “I’ve been playing football since I was 6 years old,” Kodie told ESPN....

WATCH: Payet scores facing the wrong way Schmidt was dismissed on Sunday, 24 hours on from the 6-2 hammering at Borussia Dortmund that saw the club’s board lose patience and left Leverkusen trailing the top four by 11 points. Former Turkey international Korkut has been charged with steadying the ship, as Leverkusen at least attempt to haul themselves back into contention for European football. However, his appointment is not likely to result in a swell of anticipation with the 42-year-old’s two most recent jobs leaving a lot to be desired....

Dortmund claimed the DFL-Supercup with a 2-0 win on Saturday, Paco Alcacer and Jadon Sancho preventing Bayern from winning the German season’s curtain-raiser for a fourth consecutive year. Thiago Alcantara gifted possession to Sancho, who set up Alcacer for the 48th-minute opener, before the England international scored a goal of his own with 21 minutes remaining. Reflecting on the result, which saw Kingsley Coman denied twice, Kovac told reporters: “Of course, we’re sad we lost the match today....

Germany international Sane has spent three seasons at City since leaving Schalke, developing into one of Europe’s best wingers. He scored 10 goals in each of the past two Premier League seasons, a particularly impressive feat in the most recent campaign given he only made 21 starts. There have been suggestions coach Pep Guardiola lost some of his trust in Sane in 2018-19, hence a decrease in his line-up appearances....

The leaders hold a one-point advantage at the top heading into Saturday’s trip to relegation-threatened Nurnberg. Challengers Dortmund, who meet rivals Schalke on the same day, had earlier this season appeared ready to end Bayern’s stranglehold on the silverware, but a 10-game unbeaten streak has seen Kovac’s men climb to the summit. They can be crowned champions for the seventh successive season by taking maximum points from the remaining matches and head coach Kovac is keen to put the title beyond BVB’s reach....

The star third base prospect will be called up by Chicago on Friday and make his major league debut later in the day against the Padres. MORE: Bryant scouting report | Fantasy matchups | Five things to know about Kris Bryant | The Cubs will win the 2015 World Series Bryant on Thursday confirmed an earlier report by ESPN that he was being promoted. Bryant led the majors with nine home runs in spring training, but the Cubs sent him to Triple-A Iowa, where he was dominant, batting ....

The organization announced the addition Tuesday after Humphries cleared waivers. The forward could be in uniform as early as Tuesday night when the Hawks visit the Warriors. MORE: Every team’s worst season since 1990 “As we explored opportunities to add to our team after the trade deadline, we felt is was important to prioritize experience and versatility,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Kris is a versatile veteran with playoff experience who fits well with our group and within our system....