COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith on Tuesday said he is against the Fair Pay to Play Act, which was signed into law Monday and states that colleges in California cannot punish their athletes for collecting endorsement money.

"My concern with the California bill -- which is all the way wide open with monetizing your name and your likeness -- is it moves slightly towards pay-for-play," Smith said, "and it's very difficult for us -- the practitioners in this space -- to figure out how do you regulate it. How do you ensure that the unscrupulous bad actors do not enter that space and ultimately create an unlevel playing field?

"One of our principles is try to create rules and regulations to try and achieve fair play."

California's new law will not go into effect until January 2023. The NCAA is exploring options to modernize its approach to dealing with the name, image and likeness (NIL) rights of college athletes before that date.

Smith is one of two administrators leading an NCAA working group that is examining options for NIL rights. The group, which includes athletic directors, university presidents and conference commissioners from all levels of the NCAA, was assembled in May to examine those options and make recommendations about how to move forward.

Smith said he couldn't comment on any specifics about what the working group has discussed, but he did say the group will submit its report to the NCAA board of governors on Oct. 29 in Indianapolis.

"When you think about this issue, you need to think about its complexity as it relates to the university of the membership," Smith said.

"The NCAA is an organization that has taken a long time to try and modernize itself. Over the last five to eight years, improvements have been made in that space to become more modern."

Politicians from several other states have recently proposed bills for laws that would be similar to California's Fair Pay to Play Act. Some of those bills include elements beyond an athlete's name, image and likeness rights. For example, a state senator in New York wants to create a law that would also require schools to directly give their athletes 15% of annual athletic department revenue. A state representative from Florida said he is hoping to introduce legislation that would become law by the end of the current academic year.

Smith said that he would not schedule Ohio State to play schools in states where these kinds of bills are passed. He also said there would be "no compromise" between the NCAA and states that decided to pass similar bills. He said the membership will come up with a recommendation for what it should do, but he added that he doesn't anticipate that happening until late 2020.

Smith and others at the NCAA are concerned about navigating a landscape where each state has different rules about compensating college athletes.

"What we can't have is situations where we have schools and/or states with different rules for an organization that's going to compete together," Smith said. "It can't happen; it's not reality. And if that happens, what we need is federal help to try to make sure we create rules and regulations for all of our memberships that are consistent. And if that doesn't happen, then we're looking at a whole new model."

Smith acknowledged that Ohio State, which has an enormous alumni base and abundant resources, would have an "unbelievable competitive advantage" over a lot of other schools from a system like this, but he is still against it.

He equated it to an Ohio State player being able to use an app to reach out to the 550,000-plus OSU alums and be paid for a personalized shout-out.

"That's the world we'd be living in," Smith said. "I don't want that. How do we regulate that?"

A federal law regarding the issue is currently making its way through the U.S. Congress. Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) has proposed a change to tax code that would force the NCAA to allow players to profit from their name, image and likeness or risk losing its nonprofit tax exemptions. That bill is currently in front of the Ways and Means Committee.

As a member of the working group, Smith said he couldn't comment on whether he would be in favor of players profiting off their likeness if it was regulated and on a national scale.

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day said he stands with Smith on the fair-pay-to-play issue.

"I understand that it's very complex, and I think that it's an exciting issue for student-athletes," Day said. "I'm interested to see where it goes and the talks that happen. I do definitely think that there's opportunity out there for these guys, but at the same time, it's not that easy. There's a history of college football that's been around for a long time, and I know everybody's sensitive to not turn that off onto a bad road."

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who is a top Heisman Trophy candidate this season, said he was in favor of some players getting paid for their likeness based on their economic need.

"I think some student-athletes need the money, of course, because not every student-athlete grows up in the same background; some student-athletes have poorer backgrounds than others," Fields said. "I haven't really thought about it much, but I definitely think that some should be paid, in terms of the way they've grown up."

Fields said it's a topic that players have talked about, but their focus, at least in-season, is on the games, not personal profit.

"Of course the players want to get paid, but our focus is really not on getting paid; our focus is on winning games."

Texas Longhorns starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger said he believes the Fair Pay to Play act "is a step in the right direction" for college players, but he isn't sure what the final product will wind up looking like.

"I think it's a great start," Ehlinger said. "I still believe that players should benefit off their likeness, things of that nature. ... I don't know the details of how it should be in play. And that's not up to me. I'm not a lawmaker. I'm not going to create anything. I believe in players being able to benefit from that, but I don't know what that looks like necessarily."

ESPN's Sam Khan Jr. contributed to this report.

MADISON, Wis. -- MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it clear that he wants to become a better shooter.

Enter veteran Kyle Korver with the Milwaukee Bucks.

"It's really important [that] I always try to talk to him a little bit," Antetokounmpo said of Korver after the Bucks' first day of training camp at the University of Wisconsin on Tuesday. "And he's a great guy. He's not trying to get in your head or overstep and talk too much to you. Whenever he gives me tips, I always try to listen ... one of the best shooters to ever play the game.

"He's definitely going to help this team, but he's definitely going to help a lot of players develop their shooting ability."

Antetokounmpo shot 30.2% on jump shots last season -- the worst among the 148 players to attempt at least 300 jumpers, per Second Spectrum.

"His professionalism, his work ethic and attention to detail is just gonna help all of us, including me as a coach" said Mike Budenholzer, who also coached Korver with the Atlanta Hawks. "I always say that about Kyle: He makes me a better coach. Adding him to our group was a huge add this summer."

Five months ago, Korver, 38, wasn't sure if he would continue to play professional basketball. After the Utah Jazz were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs, he said he was mulling retirement.

"I was beat up at the end of last season and I didn't feel like I was able to play the way that I wanted to, so I just didn't want it to be like that again," Korver said Tuesday. "But I still love the game. I still love competing and I still feel like I can offer something.

"So as long as my family can do it, I want to keep going."

Korver, who has shot 42.9% from 3-point range for his career, ranks fourth all-time with 2,351 3-point field goals made. He trails only Ray Allen (2,973), Reggie Miller (2,560) and Stephen Curry (2,483) in that category.

He signed a one-year deal with Milwaukee. Playing for Budenholzer, alongside Antetokounmpo, and to be in the mix to win a title were all important factors.

"That was exciting to me," Korver said. "I can see a role where I can help a team."

WASHINGTON -- Former NBA general manager and league executive Rod Thorn has been hired by the Washington Wizards as a senior adviser to general manager Tommy Sheppard.

In the new role, announced Tuesday by the team, Thorn will help Sheppard with free agency, the draft and other basketball operations matters.

Thorn was a general manager for the Chicago Bulls -- including when they drafted Michael Jordan -- the Nets and 76ers.

He was executive vice president of basketball operations for the NBA from 1986 to 2000.

Thorn was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in 1963 and played nine years in the league and later worked as a coach.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard responded to Shaquille O'Neal's rap song with one of his own that suggests the Hall of Fame center rode on the coattails of his teammates throughout his career.

The feud began last week when Lillard said on "The Joe Budden podcast" that he believes himself to be a better rapper than Shaq, who released a track last Wednesday that said Lillard was not among the elite of NBA guards. And on Tuesday, Lillard answered by releasing "Reign Reign Go Away" online.

O'Neal won four NBA titles in his career -- three with the Los Angeles Lakers while playing alongside Kobe Bryant and one with the Miami Heat while a teammate of Dwyane Wade.

Or, as Lillard put it in the song he posted Tuesday:

"We both could be working at Kinkos and Kobe won you them rings, though" and "Even in Miami, won that on the strength of Flash."

Lillard also touted his $250 million supermax contract and said he "can't recall you getting that when I was cruising on a 10-speed."

.@Dame_Lillard was surgical in his @SHAQ diss track "Reign Reign Go Away" ? pic.twitter.com/cG0EgVoM3b

— ESPN (@espn) October 1, 2019

O'Neal posted his song on Instagram on Monday, rapping: "Take your time to respond, there is no hurry / You'll never be Westbrook, never be Steph Curry" and "What's in your wallet, American Express or Visa? / Talking like you're Bron, you ain't even Trevor Ariza."

Damian Lillard said he's a better rapper than Shaq.

So Shaq responded with a diss track ? pic.twitter.com/ZaTNDmt44P

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 1, 2019

O'Neal's debut album, "Shaq Diesel," went platinum in 1993, though Lillard downplayed his success, saying on Budden's podcast that, "People weren't looking at it like it's a real rapper. It was like, 'that's Shaq rapping.'"

This summer, Lillard also exchanged freestyle raps with Sacramento Kings big man Marvin Bagley III in an appearance on ESPN's First Take, with Budden declaring Lillard the winner.

The Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday fired hitting coach Turner Ward after just one season.

The Reds were a disappointment on offense in 2018, finishing 12th in the National League in runs scored (701), OPS (.736) and on-base percentage (.315) and 10th in slugging percentage (.422).

"Speaking for the organization, I want to thank Turner for the work he put in on our behalf," Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams said. "As we reflected on this season, it became clear that we lacked the alignment we were seeking with our offensive approach."

The 54-year-old Ward had joined the Reds in 2018 after working as the Los Angeles Dodgers' hitting coach the previous three seasons.

"Turner is a friend. He worked extremely hard and put in a lot of time and effort working with our hitters. He built relationships here, and he will be missed," manager David Bell said, according to MLB.com.

Bell said that assistant hitting coach Donnie Ecker will remain on his staff. The team will begin searching for Ward's replacement, as well as a replacement for minor league hitting coordinator Milt Thompson, who also was not retained.

"We're putting the process in place of getting all of that working together and aligned," Bell said, according to MLB.com. "That is something our organization has really identified as important to us. We need it. Of course, players are in a different point in their development between the major leagues and minor leagues. But it just all has to work together."

The Reds (75-87) finished fourth in the National League Central this season.

The Los Angeles Angels parted ways with bench coach Josh Paul and pitching coach Doug White on Tuesday, one day after firing Brad Ausmus as their manager. White, like Ausmus, was in his first year as an on-field coach for the Angels, while Paul had just concluded his second season with the organization.

The rest of the staff will remain intact, at least until a new manager is in place.

The Angels are coming off their first 90-loss season in 20 years and have finished four consecutive seasons below .500 for the first time since the 1970s. Their biggest hindrance was their pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation. Angels starters posted a 5.64 ERA, worse than any rotation except for a Colorado Rockies group that pitches half its games in the thin air of Coors Field.

The Angels' two offseason additions, Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill, combined to allow 115 earned runs in 162 innings. And Tyler Skaggs, the 27-year-old left-hander who was among the team's most productive starting pitchers, died midsummer with opioids in his system.

The Angels also stomached injuries to most of their best position players, including Mike Trout, Andrelton Simmons, Justin Upton, and Shohei Ohtani, the two-way player who was limited to only hitting this season.

Prior to joining the Angels, White spent six years in the Houston Astros organization, the final season as their major league bullpen coach. Paul, a former major league catcher, spent several years working in the New York Yankees' minor league system, at times reporting to current Angels general manager Billy Eppler.

Left-hander Sean Manaea, undefeated since returning in September from offseason surgery, will get the start for the host Oakland Athletics on Wednesday in the American League wild-card game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Manaea has pitched in five games since returning from surgery on his left shoulder, going 4-0 with a 1.21 ERA. He has allowed 16 hits and seven walks in 29⅓ innings and struck out 30.

The left-hander earned the nod over Mike Fiers in a tough decision.

"I think it came down to the fact that since Manaea's been back, he's pitched great every single game out," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

Tampa Bay had already announced that ace right-hander Charlie Morton will get the start for the Rays. He last pitched Wednesday.

Fiers (15-4) pitched a no-hitter May 7 against the Reds to begin a 21-start unbeaten stretch in which he went 12-0.

"Mike's been the ace of the staff this year,'' Manaea said.

Manaea, 27, who dealt with chronic shoulder impingement for several years, had surgery on Sept. 20, 2018, to repair his labrum and loosen his joint capsule. When he had the surgery, the A's said he was expected to miss all of 2019.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Promotion: OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO becomes AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Championships qualifying race

Many runners already use the popular OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO as an important part of their spring marathon preparations but it will become even more significant following confirmation of its status as a qualifying race for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2021.

The OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO is well known for its flat and fast course along the spectacular coastal road, meaning that athletes have a strong chance of achieving their targets and qualifying for the championships when the race weekend takes place on March 21-22.

The spread of selected marathon events that are part of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings creates a truly global series over one year, giving runners aged 40 and over across the world the chance to be part of a new era of age group marathon running.

The qualifying period is from September 30, 2019, to October 11, 2020, finishing at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. During this time, participants can earn up to two qualifying times and a place at the AbbottWWM Wanda Age Group World Championships.

Participants in an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying race, such as OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO, will earn points according to their age, time and gender.

The age group categories for men and women are: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

At the end of the series, 1000 runners from the various qualifying races will be invited to the 2021 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships, the location of which will be announced next year. It is a fantastic chance for top-ranked age groups athletes to gain recognition like never before and become part of the AbbottWMM community.

The community feel is also a big part of what attracts runners to Limassol every year and it has even led organisers to launch the #MORELIMASSOL club for its most loyal international runners.

As well as the promise of a fast time, the OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO is much-loved for its spectacular setting, views of the sparkling Mediterranean, beautiful climate, friendly atmosphere and first-class hospitality. With a range of races on offer, including the marathon, half-marathon and 10km, it makes an ideal destination for individuals, families, groups of friends and running clubs looking for a race weekend away post-winter.

Many overseas competitors book the special #RunLimassolPlus package which includes a 40% discount on race entry, OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO technical T-shirt, the best accommodation rates for race weekend, free pass for public buses over race weekend, pasta party pass, early race day breakfast and transfer to the start line on Sunday March 22.

OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO MD Andreas Spyrou said: “We are thrilled to confirm that OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO has been recognised as a qualifying race for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings.

“As one of Europe’s most celebrated sporting events, we hope that our participation in the series will encourage even more international runners to #RunLimassol and experience for themselves the beautifully flat and fast course along our spectacular coastline.

“It is exciting to think that some of our runners may go on to qualify for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships, and we wish everyone the very best of luck as we approach the beginning of the qualification period.”

Andy Murray impressively beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (9-7) at the China Open to set up a second round tie against fellow Briton Cameron Norrie.

Murray, 32, faced a tough test against world number 13 Berrettini, who reached last month's US Open semi-finals.

The Scot came back from a break down in each set for his biggest singles win since returning from hip surgery in January.

"It was a tight match and I thought I did pretty well," said Murray.

"Hopefully, I can have a good run here. That was a good start for me.

"It's a bit of progress for me again this week which is good. I feel like the progress has been quite consistent and, hopefully, that keeps going through until the end of the year."

Murray played at a high level against Berrettini and showed the battling qualities which are such a feature of his game.

He broke the 23-year-old, who was serving for the first set, before going on to dominate the tie-break.

Berrettini went 2-0 up in the second set but Murray again pegged him back to level and take the match following another tie-break.

Overall, Murray got 69% of his first serves in, winning 75% of those points and he also saved five out of seven break points.