Spurs Sign Duncan As Admiral’s First Mate

No. 1 draft pick Tim Duncan signed with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, setting the stage for him to play alongside center David Robinson in the upcoming season.

The Spurs would not disclose terms of the deal, but under league rules, his three-year contract is worth slightly more than $10 million. He becomes a free agent after three years.

San Antonio used the top pick in the NBA draft in June to select Duncan, a center from Wake Forest and the consensus player of the year. He was twice a first-team AllAmerican and averaged 20.8 points, a national-best 14.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game his senior year.

The team envisions the 7-foot Duncan as part of a powerful front line featuring 7-foot-1 Robinson, a seven-time All-Star whom the Spurs drafted in 1987, the last time the Spurs had the top pick.

A federal judge has told an NBA referee on trial for felony tax evasion that it is in his best interest to negotiate a plea because a jury is not likely to be convinced by his defense.

Kersey and three other NBA referees face charges in a two-year Internal Revenue Service investigation. The officials allegedly downgraded first-class airline tickets to cheaper fares and then pocketed the difference without reporting the gain as income.