Thunder hires Florida’s Billy Donovan

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Thunder hired Florida’s Billy Donovan as their new coach Thursday, hoping he will help the franchise finally win an NBA championship.

The 49-year-old Donovan led Florida to two national championships, four Final Fours, seven Elite Eights and 14 NCAA Tournament berths in 19 years. He signed a one-year contract extension with the Gators in December that would have paid him an average salary of $4 million through 2020.

But, eight years after leaving Florida to coach the Orlando Magic and then changing his mind the following day, Donovan is back in the NBA. It’s not likely he’ll head back to Gainesville this time ”“ he inherits 2013-14 MVP Kevin Durant and 2014-15 scoring champion Russell Westbrook.

“I am honored and humbled to be named the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Donovan said. “I knew that it would take a unique opportunity to leave the University of Florida, and that is clearly how I look at this situation.”

Ainge defends Olynyk on Love play

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge came to the defense of forward Kelly Olynyk for the play that injured Kevin Love.

Ainge says the Cleveland forward was “a little over the top” in his complaint that Olynyk tried to hurt him on purpose. Ainge said he sympathizes with Love, who had waited his whole career to make the playoffs. Love will miss the rest of the postseason with a dislocated shoulder.

Ainge says he thought it was “just a foul ”“ two guys going for a loose ball.”

Ainge spoke at the team’s practice facility on Thursday as he prepared for a busy summer. The Celtics have four free agents. They also have what’s likely to be two first-round draft picks and three in the second round.

Stanford scratched, Frammento in for Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Stanford has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby, moving Frammento into the 20-horse field for Saturday’s race.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday that 30-1 shot Stanford would skip the Derby and run in a future race.

That leaves Pletcher with three entries: Carpe Diem, the 8-1 third choice; 12-1 Materiality; and 30-1 Itsaknockout.

Frammento was on the also eligible list but needed a defection to get into the 141st Derby. He is trained by Hall of Famer Nick Zito, a two-time Derby winner, and will be ridden by Corey Nakatani.

All horses outside of Stanford’s assigned No. 11 post will move inside one position; Frammento will break from the No. 20 spot.

The lineup change means 5-2 favorite American Pharoah will break from the No. 17 post instead of 18, where the colt was drawn Wednesday.

Florent Geroux was to ride Stanford.

Andrew Wiggins named NBA’s top rookie

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Wiggins has been named the NBA rookie of the year.

The NBA made the announcement on Thursday. After coming to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the trade that sent Kevin Love to Cleveland, Wiggins averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing all 82 games in his first season.

Wiggins was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers last summer and has been a heavily hyped prospect since he was a teenager growing up in Toronto. He lived up to that in his first year in the NBA, emerging as the new centerpiece of a franchise that has not made the playoffs for 11 straight years.

Wiggins received 110 first-place votes and 604 total points in the voting. Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic finished second and Philadelphia’s Nerlens Noel was third.

MLB tweaks pace of play rules

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has tweaked its pace of play rules that take effect Friday, giving hitters and pitchers more leeway before imposing fines.

The new agreement between owners and players came as game times dropped to 2 hours, 54 minutes through April 29, down 8 minutes from the same period last year.

Under the previous deal, a series of warnings and fines would begin May 1 and be cumulative, carrying over throughout the month and leading to $500 fines for players who took too long.

Now, for the month of May, the penalties will reset and start over with each new series.

Players and owners may again revisit the pace of play regulations before June.