Lakers will still revolve around Kobe

NBA: Phil Jackson is retired, the triangle offense is out, and Mike Brown is in. And the Los Angeles Lakers are still Kobe Bryant’s team.

Brown made it clear Tuesday during his introduction as Jackson’s successor that Bryant’s role won’t change under his regime. He said his first meeting with the superstar who owns five NBA championships “went very well.”

“This is still his team. We’ll make sure that he’ll have the ball in the sweet spots that he likes,” Brown said. “He has a great understanding of my vision and he’s onboard.”

Bryant, Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum had publicly supported longtime Lakers assistant Brian Shaw in his bid to replace Jackson, who retired after Dallas swept the two-time defending champions out of the second round.

Public reaction to Brown’s hiring has been mixed.

“Everybody is entitled to their opinion, I respect that,” he said. “Winning will cure all of that.”

General manager Mitch Kupchak said he, owner Jerry Buss and Jim Buss, the owner’s son and an executive with the team, interviewed three people for the unenviable job of following Jackson, who owns the most titles in NBA history.

Besides Shaw and Brown, Rick Adelman also was in the running.

Shortly before his introduction, Brown signed a four-year deal worth roughly $18 million.

The 41-year-old Brown led Cleveland to the 2007 NBA finals and went 272-138 with the Cavaliers, becoming the most successful coach in franchise history.

He got fired last year before LeBron James packed his bags for Miami. Brown had been working as an ESPN analyst.

Bolt wins 100 at Golden Spike

Track: Usain Bolt remained unbeaten in two races this season, winning the 100 meters in 9.91 seconds at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

He pulled away from fellow Jamaican Steve Mullings, who finished in 9.97 for second place, and Daniel Bailey of Antigua was third in 10.08.

Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius was no closer to qualifying for this year’s world championships and next year’s Olympics after finishing in 46.19 seconds to place sixth in the 400 meters. The South African, known as the “Blade Runner,” needs to run a personal-best 45.25 seconds to qualify for the worlds.

Austrian tennis player banned for life

Miscellany: Austria’s Daniel Koellerer became the first tennis player to be banned for life for attempting to fix matches.

Koellerer, a former Davis Cup player who once reached No. 55 in the world rankings, was found guilty of three violations of the sport’s anti-corruption rules.

The violations occurred between October 2009 and July 2010.

The Tennis Integrity Unit, an anti-corruption group, would not specify which matches Koellerer was found to have manipulated.

Koellerer, who also was fined $100,000, denied the charges and is considering whether to appeal.

• FIFA’s Blatter awaits re-election: Sepp Blatter acknowledged that corruption scandals have left FIFA “shaking on its foundations” on the eve of a presidential election that should give him another four-year term and a chance to restore order to soccer’s reeling governing body.

It was a stunning turnaround for Blatter, who a day earlier denied that the bribery case that led to the suspension of his only challenger had caused even a hint of crisis within FIFA.

Former Giant, Ram Robustelli dies

NFL: Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli, who played for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams during a 14-year career, has died . He was 85.

“He was one of the greatest players in franchise history, and one of the finest, most dignified gentlemen you could ever meet,” Giants president John Mara said.

It wasn’t immediately clear where and when Robustelli died. His death was first reported by The Advocate of Stamford (Conn.).

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound defensive end played for the Rams from 1951-55 and the Giants from 1956-64, but his arrival in New York ushered in one of the greatest eras in Giants’ football.