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Stern supports giving college players loans

By Times wire

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 9, 2001

WASHINGTON -- Commissioner David Stern said Thursday that the NBA is willing to subsidize a program by the NCAA that would loan college athletes with professional potential up to $20,000 a year to stay in school.

If the NCAA proposal is approved, Stern said the league would forgive loans to those athletes who eventually join the NBA.

"This was just a sense that (college) scholarship programs just take advantage of kids and don't even have any spending money to deal with and so (players) get out quickly," Stern said.

NCAA spokesman Wally Renfro said that NCAA president Cedric Dempsey and Stern have had "exploratory" discussions.

HORNETS: Charlotte activated forward Tim James from the injured list and placed forward Lee Nailon on the injured list because of lower back spasms.

NETS: Center Jamie Feick was activated from the injured reserve list, and guard Kendall Gill was moved to the injured-reserve list. Gill had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday.

76ERS: Center Theo Ratliff will miss the All-Star Game and will be out 4-6 weeks with a stress fracture in his right wrist. Raptors center Antonio Davis will replace Ratliff in the All-Star Game.

SPURS: Point guard Avery Johnson was activated from the injured list. Center Shawnelle Scott was placed on the injured list with tendinitis in his left knee.

Thursday's games

NETS 99, SPURS 97: Host New Jersey snapped San Antonio's eight-game winning streak, and the Nets head into the All-Star break with a season-high three-game winning streak. The Spurs almost rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit.

ROCKETS 103, PISTONS 90: Visiting Houston continued its dominance of Eastern Conference teams, improving to 14-3.

HORNETS 101, HAWKS 84: Host Charlotte snapped its four-game losing streak. The Hawks lost Dikembe Mutombo to a sprained ankle and Hanno Mottola to a sprained left elbow.

RAPTORS 99, NUGGETS 92: Host Toronto overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to give Denver its third straight loss.

CBA stops play

The Continental Basketball Association temporarily suspended play, and league owner Isiah Thomas will attempt to sell the teams to local groups. The CBA said Thomas advanced funds to pay the players through their previous games.

Thomas, coach of the Pacers and a former player, bought the CBA in October 1999 for about $9-million, but he was ordered by the NBA to sell the CBA before next season's training camp.

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