Duke officials said outside investigators spent five months looking into attorney Michael Avenatti's claims that Nike funneled money to players, including former Blue Devils star Zion Williamson, to steer them toward college basketball programs it sponsored and found no evidence supporting his allegations.

Duke said it found no proof that Williamson, the 2019 ACC Player of the Year as a freshman and the No. 1 pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in June's NBA draft, received improper benefits that would have made him ineligible to play for the Blue Devils last season.

"As soon as Duke was made aware of any allegation that might have affected Zion Williamson's eligibility, we conducted a thorough and objective investigation which was directed by individuals outside the athletics department," Duke spokesman Michael Schoenfeld told the News & Observer, which was first to report results of the investigation. "We found no evidence to support any allegation. Zion thrived as both a student and an athlete at Duke, and always conducted himself with integrity and purpose."

In a statement to ESPN on Friday, Avenatti said the people conducting Duke's outside investigation never contacted him.

"I never heard from anyone associated with Duke in connection with my allegations or any investigation," Avenatti said. "I was never asked a single question. I was never asked what information or documents that I was aware of. Who the hell conducted this investigation? Inspector Clouseau?

"The documents and the hard evidence do not lie. Zion Williamson was paid to attend Duke. [Coach Mike Krzyzewski] has made and facilitated payments to players for years. And when the truth comes out -- and eventually it will -- Coach K and Duke's reputation will forever and rightfully be tarnished.

"And if what I'm saying is untrue, I challenge Coach K and Duke University to file a defamation lawsuit against me tomorrow and we can let the chips fall where they may."

Last month, Avenatti's attorneys filed a court motion that alleged a Nike employee at least approved under-the-table payments to Williamson and former Indiana star Romeo Langford when they were still in high school in February 2017.

The alleged offers -- $35,000 or more for Williamson and $20,000 for Langford -- were purportedly discovered among "text messages, e-mails and other documents from 2016-17 ... proving that Nike executives had arranged for and concealed payments, often in cash, to amateur basketball players and their families and 'handlers,'" according to the motion filed in U.S. District Court in New York.

Federal prosecutors charged Avenatti in March with attempting to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to expose the shoe company's alleged improper payments to high-profile players in its grassroots basketball league, the EYBL.

Avenatti has pleaded not guilty, and last month his lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss the charges on grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Vlade Divac is leading off the festivities at the Basketball Hall of Fame's 2019 enshrinement ceremonies.

The former Los Angeles Lakers star was the first to be inducted Friday night at Springfield's Symphony Hall. He would be joined later by Jack Sikma, Sidney Moncrief, Paul Westphal, Bobby Jones, Al Attles and Teresa Weatherspoon.

Chuck Cooper and Carl Braun were inducted posthumously, and Bill Fitch was unable to attend for health reasons.

Divac, born in the former Yugoslavia, was one of the first Europeans to star in the NBA, playing seven-plus seasons with the Lakers and six with the Sacramento Kings. He was presented by Jerry West, the Lakers executive who drafted him. West, who was inducted in 1980, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday.

NEW YORK -- Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper exited Friday night's game against the New York Mets with a right-hand contusion after he was hit on the right hand by a pitch from Mets starter Steven Matz in the third inning.

Harper, batting with one out and a runner on third, was ahead in the count 1-0 when Matz's 93 mph fastball sailed up and in on him. Harper recoiled and the ball ricocheted off his hand.

The 26-year-old fell to his knees and gripped his hand in pain before getting to his feet and walking back to the plate, where Mets catcher Wilson Ramos appeared to ask Harper how he was doing. Harper put his head on Ramos' shoulder before Ramos, a former teammate with the Washington Nationals, patted him on the shoulder.

After a brief visit from a trainer and manager Gabe Kapler, Harper trotted to first base. He was retired at second on an inning-ending double play by Rhys Hoskins, after which Sean Rodriguez trotted out to replace Harper in right field.

Harper's plunking might be the latest chapter in what has become a volatile rivalry this season. The Mets have been hit by a pitch 14 times in 16 games against the Phillies, who have been hit by a New York pitcher eight times.

Hoskins took offense to a pair of up-and-in pitches from Jacob Rhame on April 23 and punctuated his displeasure by taking a 35-second home run trot after going deep off Rhame the next night.

On July 6, Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta hit three Mets batters. Todd Frazier, the second batter plunked by Arrieta, was ejected for arguing after home plate umpire Tripp Gibson warned both teams. Two batters later, Arrieta wasn't ejected after hitting Amed Rosario with a changeup, though New York manager Mickey Callaway was tossed for arguing. After the game, Arrieta said if Frazier was unhappy about being hit, "he can come see me and I'll put a dent in his skull."

Harper, in the first year of a 13-year contract worth $330 million, is batting .254 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs in 136 games.

MILWAUKEE -- Chicago Cubs shortstop Javy Baez will get an MRI on his left thumb Saturday as he continues to remain out of the lineup after jamming it on a headfirst slide last Sunday.

"When he came in today [Friday] he tried to swing," manager Joe Maddon said. "It still didn't feel right. As opposed to continually waiting, we just want to find out what we're dealing with."

Baez will miss his fourth consecutive game Friday and will miss Saturday's contest against the Milwaukee Brewers as well. He was a late scratch Thursday after attempting to take batting practice.

The Cubs won't have a timetable for him until after they see the results of the MRI.

Meanwhile, pitcher Yu Darvish was cleared to start his game Saturday after missing his previous outing with tightness in his right forearm. Darvish said he's been dealing with the injury for over two months, having first felt something during a game July 3. It hasn't affected his performance, as the right-hander has compiled a 2.93 ERA in nine starts since that appearance, but it might have limited some outings.

"Every time in the fifth or sixth inning, I start feeling tightness," Darvish said. "That's why Joe [Maddon] sometimes pulls me."

Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel said he is optimistic he'll have a short stint on the injured list as he recovers from elbow inflammation. He hasn't pitched since Sunday.

"We were pleased with what we saw on the MRI," Kimbrel said. "Take a few days off, let it rest and crank it back up."

Kimbrel isn't sure if his June signing with the Cubs has led to the two different injured-list stints for him, including one for a sore knee.

"We'll never know," the right-hander said. "I've been pitching in the big leagues for a few years. You don't go through a season without ups and downs."

Kimbrel is available to come off the injured list Thursday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Chase Briscoe remembers the first time he saw Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His father was driving the car and young Briscoe was only 6 years old. The family was buying the youngster a fire suit for quarter-midget racing.

He was amazed by how big the speedway looked from the outside. As he aged, the native of Mitchell, Ind., watched both the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 from the stands at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It’s always special just getting to come here; but it’s even more special getting to drive a race car here,” Briscoe told SPEED SPORT Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Briscoe is a native Hoosier getting to live his dream of racing for another Indiana born and bred racer, Tony Stewart. Briscoe drives the No. 98 Ford Performance Ford and will be on the grid for Saturday’s eighth annual Indiana 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

So, what’s it like for a native Hoosier to get to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

“It’s honestly one of the most humbling experiences you can have,” Briscoe said. “I was thinking as I was walking to the car, coming here four years ago, passing out business cards and having to sneak in here to do that.

“It’s crazy now that I’m driving for my hero in Tony Stewart at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a top NASCAR series,” Briscoe added. “It’s unbelievable and humbling.

“To get to run one lap here, one race here for a small town, Southern Indiana kid is something very special.”

Earlier this week, Briscoe was one of the many drivers who got to take part in the BC39 Midget Classic at the Dirt Track at IMS. The event wrapped up Thursday night and honors the memory of Bryan Clauson, who was killed in the Belleville Nationals on Aug. 7, 2016.

“Bryan Clauson was someone I looked up to,” Briscoe said. “He was four or five years older than me and my Dad was still racing when Bryan started when he was 13. I thought, ‘Man, that kid isn’t much older than me and he’s racing against my dad, running up front and battling for wins.’

“Then, I started racing sprint cars when I was 13 and Bryan is the guy I always looked up to.

“It’s special that Indianapolis Motor Speedway honors Bryan the way they do,” Briscoe added. “Bryan had a lot of history here, running the Indianapolis 500. He is the only guy in the last 15 or 20 years that has opened that doorway to sprint car guys having a chance to run in the Indy 500 without having money behind them.”

Briscoe has high praise for both the BC39 and the work Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles has done by adding grassroots racing to the NASCAR weekend at IMS.

“Doug Boles does an amazing job supporting grass roots racing,” Briscoe said. Last night was the first night I met him in person, but he has revitalized the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. How he is able to tie in dirt racing with IndyCar and NASCAR, the grassroots level of racing. Everybody feels welcome when they come to IMS to promote the sport.

“Both sides benefit,” Briscoe continued. “There are dirt fans who wouldn’t go to a NASCAR race or watch a NASCAR race, but there is Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell and myself, guys they watched at the local dirt-track racing here. There are also NASCAR fans that would probably never watch a dirt track race or a midget race of a sprint car race, now they see guys like us in NASCAR go down there and it piques their interest.

“I think it’s the perfect circle, in my opinion.”

With NASCAR Xfinity Series’ playoff field determined next week at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Briscoe is hoping and confident he is ready for that challenge.

“I think it’s going to be one of those guys laying in the weeds and I think that’s going to be us,” said Briscoe, who is locked into the playoff field after a victory at Iowa Speedway earlier this year. “The last seven weeks, we haven’t run outside of the top six or seven. We’ve been up front every week.

“I like the fact we are doing it quietly. There is not as much pressure to run up front. We’ve put ourselves in positions every week and people don’t recognize us.

“We’ve been peaking at the right time and hitting our stride at the right time,” he said. “If we can get to Homestead, I believe we will be one of those guys that is tough to beat. Getting there is the hardest part.”

Mexico forward Hirving Lozano has said Cristiano Ronaldo congratulated him after he scored on his Napoli debut.

Lozano, 24, was introduced at half-time at the Allianz Stadium with his side 2-0 down before Ronaldo added a third. However, he helped inspire a fight back with the second goal as they came back to draw level before Kalidou Koulibaly's stoppage time own goal handed Juve a 4-3 win.

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And, despite Lozano's goal creating tension for the Juventus players, he said Ronaldo complimented him as he ran back to his own half.

"When I scored the 3-2 in Juve-Napoli, Ronaldo came to me and congratulated me," Lozano said.

"He welcomed me to Italy. It was a really nice thing, because he is a spectacular player and at a very high level.

"I really enjoyed the game, because the team was great, despite the fact we played against top players -- not just Ronaldo."

Despite scoring just 23 minutes into his Napoli debut, Lozano said he is still getting used to life in Serie A.

"I am adapting to the Italian habits, even if I have only recently arrived," he added. "I thank God and the manager [Carlo Ancelotti].

"His faith [in me] helps me, it is going well. My objective is to work, to integrate well within the squad, to improve my football and to learn from more experienced players as well as Ancelotti."

Tyler Glasnow, who was leading the majors leagues in wins and ERA before a strained forearm sidelined him in May, will rejoin the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

The right-hander, out since May 11, is expected to open against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field and pitch about two innings, manager Kevin Cash said Friday.

"We're not in a position right now where we can just guarantee pitches for anybody," Cash told reporters, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "We'll monitor how he's feeling, how the ball's coming out. Hopefully he can kind of harness it and get some command going early on."

Glasnow appeared in two rehab games for Triple-A Durham, allowing two hits in 2⅓ shutout innings, striking out three and walking three. Before going on the injured list, he was 6-1 with a 1.86 ERA.

"I'm excited to get back out and pitch in a big league game," Glasnow told reporters. "I've been preparing for this for a while."

His return would be a big boost for a Rays team that entered Friday atop the American League wild card standings.

Fellow Rays starter Blake Snell (elbow) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Saturday in a playoff game for Durham.

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu, who has been struggling lately, will miss a start in the rotation to get some rest, manager Dave Roberts said Friday. Ryu will miss a scheduled start in Baltimore, and should get 9-10 days off in a row.

Ryu boasted a major-league leading ERA of 1.45 on Aug. 11. Since then, the 32-year-old left-hander has a 9.95 ERA.

He has given up five home runs in the four starts since Aug. 11. He had given up only 10 in 22 starts before then.

Fatigue might be a factor. Ryu has pitched 161⅔ innings this season, the most he has pitched since 2013. In the four seasons preceding this year, Ryu had pitched only 213⅔ innings combined.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have had initial conversations about randomly testing players for opioids following an autopsy report that showed oxycodone and fentanyl in the blood of late Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

While the discussions are in preliminary stages, both sides expect them to ramp up in the coming weeks and progress in the offseason, sources told ESPN. Though contention on economic issues has sullied the MLB-MLBPA relationship in recent years, they have found common ground on drug-related issues, particularly with performance enhancers.

The national opioid crisis hit baseball with the July 1 death of Skaggs, a 27-year-old left-hander. The autopsy done by the Tarrant County (Texas) medical examiner's office said Skaggs died after choking on his own vomit in his sleep. Skaggs' family has retained lawyer Rusty Hardin and, in a statement, said his death "may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels." MLB has launched an investigation into Skaggs' death.

MLB does not currently test major league players for opioids, though they are on the league's banned-substance list. Minor league players, whose drug program is far more stringent, are tested and subject to suspension for positive results. A league spokesman said in the past half-decade, 10 suspensions for opioids have been levied from around 75,000 tests. Minor league players are placed into a drug-treatment program after the first positive test and suspended following the second.

The league nevertheless is pushing for testing at the major league level, aware that major league players with more money and trying to survive the difficulty of a 162-game schedule could be more subject to opioid abuse. Officials have discussed a number of options in exchange for adding opioids to random testing, including the possibility of removing all testing for marijuana, sources tell ESPN. Currently, only players who are in the joint drug-treatment program from a prior offense are tested for marijuana, and while those who run afoul of the program are subject to discipline, MLB never has suspended a major league player for marijuana use.

In the minor leagues, marijuana is treated as a so-called "drug of abuse" -- on the same level as opioids and cocaine -- and players are subject to three levels of suspension: 50 games for the first offense, 100 games for the second offense and a lifetime ban for the third. Club officials have admitted to adding a player to their team's 40-man roster earlier than planned to ensure he falls under the major league drug plan and is no longer subject to suspension for marijuana use.

The union's openness to testing for opioids reflects the pain that resonated with players following the death of Skaggs, a popular teammate and well-liked figure around the game.

"For several reasons, including the tragic loss of a member of our fraternity and other developments happening in the country as a whole, it is appropriate and important to reexamine all of our drug protocols relating to education, treatment and prevention," Tony Clark, the MLBPA executive director, said in a statement first given to The Los Angeles Times.

In its annual PED-testing report last year, the doctor who runs the league's drug program said 11,526 tests were administered, with 9,282 urine samples that tested for PEDs, amphetamines and masking agents, and 2,244 blood tests used to detect human growth hormone. MLB does not release information on testing for banned drugs of abuse, which also include LSD, MDMA, GHB and PCP.