Bob Kloppenburg

The Seattle SuperSonics fired K.C. Jones Wednesday after consecutive home losses to Orlando and Charlotte and named assistant Bob Kloppenburg as interim coach. Another assistant, Kip Motta, also was fired. "This is the most difficult decision I have ever made," club president Bob Whitsitt said. "K.C. is a class person in the truest sense of the word. But at this time, it has become clear that we need to go in a different direction on the court."

The Seattle SuperSonics fired K.C. Jones Wednesday after consecutive home losses to Orlando and Charlotte and named assistant Bob Kloppenburg as interim coach. Another assistant, Kip Motta, also was fired. "This is the most difficult decision I have ever made," club president Bob Whitsitt said. "K.C. is a class person in the truest sense of the word. But at this time, it has become clear that we need to go in a different direction on the court."

Seattle SuperSonics Coach Bernie Bickerstaff was released from a Milwaukee hospital today and is returning to Seattle, a team spokesman said. Bickerstaff will meet with doctors in Seattle before deciding when to return to coaching, Sonics spokesman Jim Rupp said. Bickerstaff was treated for a bleeding ulcer and was hospitalized last Thursday after the team arrived in Milwaukee for a game. The Sonics are on a six-game road trip and have lost four in a row without Bickerstaff.

Dwane Casey, a central figure in Kentucky's 1989 basketball scandal, was named an assistant coach with the Seattle SuperSonics. He replaces Bob Kloppenburg, who becomes vice president of personnel and scouting. The SuperSonics also announced the hiring of Rick Sund, former Dallas Maverick vice president, as a consultant to General Manager Wally Walker. At Kentucky, Casey was linked to a recruiting scandal when he was an assistant under then-Coach Eddie Sutton.

The Seattle SuperSonics had a scary moment Tuesday when guard Kendall Gill apparently fainted and went to the floor during the team's midday practice. Gill was later evaluated and did not travel with the team Tuesday evening for tonight's game at Sacramento. Gill was not available for comment. Neither SuperSonic President Bob Whitsitt, who was at the workout, nor Coach George Karl would discuss the incident.

Ted Stepien, a former owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers whose propensity for trading away draft picks resulted in an NBA rule change, died Monday at his home in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. He was 82. The cause of death was not announced. Stepien paid $2 million for 37% of the Cavaliers in April 1980 and soon became the majority shareholder. The Cavaliers went 66-180, dropped to the bottom of the league in attendance and lost $15 million during Stepien's three years of ownership.

Benoit Benjamin scored 22 points, and the Seattle SuperSonics set a franchise record by making 63.5% of their shots in a 140-108 rout of the Clippers Wednesday night at the Tacoma Dome. Benjamin, fined by the NBA earlier in the day for his behavior to the crowd during a loss to the Clippers last week at the Sports Arena, was on his best behavior this time against his former teammates.

Chicago Blackhawk Coach Craig Hartsburg carried out his threat to take television privileges away from his team at the United Center dressing room. He disconnected the cable on the 48-inch TV that faces the area where players ride their stationary bikes. "It [still] works, but we only get three stations," winger Tony Amonte told the Chicago Sun-Times. Is Hartsburg the Grinch that almost stole TV? Trivia time: How many former USC basketball players became NBA head coaches? Over the rainbow hair?

New USC basketball Coach Rick Majerus was a great hire, at least for Morning Briefing. The man is a walking quotebook. Majerus, a bachelor, was quoted in the Arizona Republic in 1998 as saying, "Some guys smoke. Some guys drink. Some guys chase women. I'm a big barbecue-sauce guy. I'm like that guy on the 'Odd Couple,' and it's not the neat guy. I go into my room and find pieces of pizza under the laundry."

Gambling on the NCAA tournament "is expected to surpass the $70 million bet on the Super Bowl," says David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel. "That's just the Vegas-style legalized gambling. "The office-pool style will amount to somewhere between $1 billion and $13 gazillion, depending on the extent of Pete Rose's involvement."

Steffi Graf, the world's top-ranked female tennis player, will be out of action for three weeks while she recovers from a back injury, her doctor said Wednesday. Graf lost the U.S. Open singles final Sunday to second-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, then flew home to Germany to be examined by her doctor in Essen. The extent or nature of the injury is not known. The week before the U.S. Open, Graf pulled out of an exhibition tournament in New Haven, Conn.