Wright heads for NBA draft

Brandan Wright said he’d enjoyed playing for Roy Williams and that he knew North Carolina could contend for a national championship next season. He just couldn’t pass up the chance to take care of his family by making himself available for the NBA draft.

“I was definitely torn in my decision,” the freshman said Monday. “There are so many positives and negatives in me entering the draft. But I feel like the positives outweigh the negatives.”

The 6-foot-9 forward’s decision didn’t come as a big surprise, considering he is projected to be a high pick. Although Wright said he didn’t intend to sign with an agent yet -- a move that would allow the possibility of his return to school next year -- Williams said the 19-year-old was almost certainly gone.

Wright ranked second on the team, averaging 14.7 points.

Utah State guard Jaycee Carroll will make himself available for the draft but won’t hire an agent, thus retaining the right to withdraw by June 18 and return for his senior season.

Carroll averaged 21.3 points a game last season to lead the Western Athletic Conference.

Matthew Mitchell, who coached the last two seasons at Morehead State, was introduced as the first male coach in the 36-year history of women’s basketball at Kentucky. ... Penn State introduced former WNBA player Coquese Washington, who had been a Notre Dame women’s team assistant for eight years, as its women’s basketball coach.

GOLF

Mickelson switches to Harmon as coach

Phil Mickelson officially switched swing coaches, moving from Rick Smith to Butch Harmon. Mickelson’s decision, which had been expected since he worked with Harmon at the Match Play Championship in Tucson in late February, was announced through Mickelson’s agent.

“I’m fortunate that he has agreed to spend time working with me on my game, especially my driving,” Mickelson said in a statement.

Lorena Ochoa replaced Annika Sorenstam at the top of the world rankings, the first time Sorenstam has been anything besides No. 1 since the rankings of the LPGA pros began 16 months ago. Ochoa’s lead over Sorenstam is 12.84--12.70.

“Today is one of the most special days in my life,” Ochoa, 26, said in a statement. “Something that I have dreamed about since I was little.”

-- Thomas Bonk

Officials for the LPGA’s new $2.6-million Ginn Tribute announced that Michelle Wie had accepted a sponsor’s exemption to play in the tournament, which begins May 28, at the RiverTowne Country Club in Mount Pleasant, S.C.

TENNIS

Pavel and Spadea advance at Barcelona

Andrei Pavel defeated Radek Stepanek, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, on the opening day of the Open Seat Godo tournament at Barcelona, Spain. Oscar Hernandez eliminated Dmitry Tursunov with a 6-4, 6-4 victory and will play Benjamin Becker, who beat Igor Kunitsyn, of Russia 7-6 (2), 6-4. Other first-round winners included Vincent Spadea, who beat Teimuraz Gabashvili, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Second-seeded Martina Muller rallied to beat Maria Elena Camerin, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-5, in a first-round match at the Budapest Grand Prix in Hungary.

MISCELLANY

Compromise sought on text messaging

Some college football coaches want the NCAA to find a middle ground on a proposed text-messaging ban.

Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Assn., said he had sent a letter appealing to the NCAA’s board of directors to consider a more moderate approach. The current proposal would eliminate all forms of electronic communication between coaches and recruits. Teaff’s suggestion would allow text messages during certain parts of the year, much like NCAA rules regulate other interaction.

For the sixth time in eight days, the Louis Vuitton Cup sailing series to produce the America’s Cup challenger was postponed because of lack of wind at Valencia, Spain.

Chivas USA defender Carlos Llamosa is expected to sit out the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are headed to NBC in a deal that involves no rights fees for the national governing body. Instead, the USFSA will split the sale of commercial time with NBC and will sell its own sponsorship packages. ABC ended its 43-year partnership with the skating organization after the contract ran out this month.

Bennett King of the West Indies became the latest international cricket coach to quit. The West Indies won only one Super 8s match and failed to qualify for the last four of the 2007 tournament.