Sports in brief

Beyonce presents Kaepernick with SI's award

NEW YORK - Beyonce presented Colin Kaepernick with Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award on Tuesday night, and Kaepernick promised that "with or without the NFL's platform, I will continue to work for the people."

Beyonce was brought out as a surprise presenter by comedian Trevor Noah. She said she was "proud and humbled" to present the award.

"Colin took action with no fear of consequence or repercussion," Beyonce said. "Only hope to change the world for the better. To change perception, to change the way we treat each other. Especially people of color."

Last year's Ali Award winner, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, called Kaepernick a "worthy recipient" during a video tribute.

"He fully embraced the risk to his career in order to remind Americans of the systemic racism that was denying African Americans their opportunities to equal education, jobs, health and even their lives," Abdul-Jabbar said.

Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem last season to protest racial inequality and police brutality. The demonstration sparked a wave of protests by NFL players during the anthem that repeatedly have been denounced by President Donald Trump.

Kaepernick parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers in March and hasn't been signed by another team. He filed a grievance against the NFL in October alleging that he remains unsigned as a result of collusion by owners following his protests.

He spoke Tuesday about continuing Ali's legacy for fighting social injustice, saying the boxing great "mentored me without ever meeting me."

"The footprints he leaves are large," Kaepernick said, "and his life is and has been a multi-textured tapestry that is rich in love, wisdom, life lessons and human kindness. I can only hope that I'm taking steps toward walking on the footsteps that he has left behind for the world to follow."

Kaepernick skipped the red carpet prior to the show and was not available for questions. The awards show will be broadcast Friday night on NBC Sports Network.

Kaepernick also recently was honored by the ACLU of Southern California with the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and was named GQ magazine's "Citizen of the Year" for his activism, which included pledging $1 million to "organizations working in oppressed communities."

Klitschko, Morales win election to Boxing HOF

CANASTOTA, N.Y. - Three years after he threw his hat back into the political ring for good, former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko achieved the ultimate honor for his time in that other ring - selection to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

"It's a dream of many boxers to be a member of the Hall of Fame family," Klitschko, now the mayor of Kiev, Ukraine, said in a statement from the Hall of Fame. "I've thought about the Hall of Fame, but I never expected one day that I would be among the legends who were always examples for me. It's a big honor."

Klitschko was one of nine people selected for induction next June. Other boxers in the class of 2018 announced Tuesday were four-division world champion Erik Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald "Winky" Wright, while Sid Terris was elected posthumously in the old-timer category.

Elected in the observer category were broadcasters Steve Albert and Jim Gray, and German promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl was selected in the non-participant category. Ring announcer Johnny Addie and promoter Lorraine Chargin were elected posthumously in the non-participant category.

Voting was conducted by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.

With a Ph.D in his portfolio, the 6-foot-7 Klitschko earned the nickname "Dr. Ironfist." A product of the Soviet athletic system, Klitschko and his younger brother, Wladimir, dominated the heavyweight class for a decade.

Vitali Klitschko boxed professionally from 1996-2013 but took three years off to pursue politics, finishing second in the race for mayor of Kiev in 2006. He used a fierce jab and aggressive punching to register an impressive 45-2 record with 41 knockouts, and his most memorable fight might have been his second loss. It came against WBC champion Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles in 2003. Klitschko was ahead on the scorecards when the fight was stopped after the sixth round because of a bad cut above Klitschko's left eye.

Morales won titles in four weight divisions. Nicknamed "El Terrible," the native of Mexico followed his father into the ring and won the NABF and WBC super bantamweight titles. He also defeated Guty Espadas Jr. for the WBC featherweight title in 2001, captured the WBC and IBF super featherweight titles in 2004, and in 2011 defeated Pablo Cano for the WBC light welterweight title. He retired a year later after back-to-back losses to Danny Garcia, finishing with a pro record of 52-9 (36 KOs).

NFL upholds Gronkowski's one-game suspension for hit

BOSTON - The NFL has denied Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski's appeal of a one-game suspension for a late, gratuitous hit to the head of Bills defensive back Tre'Davious White.

The league announced the decision of appeals officer Derrick Brooks on Tuesday.

White was face down on the sideline after intercepting a pass in Buffalo on Sunday when Gronkowski body-slammed him, driving his forearm into White's back and head. Gronkowski was called for unnecessary roughness, but not kicked out of the game. White went into the concussion protocol.

Gronkowski, who apologized for the hit, will serve his suspension against Miami next Monday night.

Curry to miss at least two weeks with sprained ankle

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Stephen Curry will miss a minimum of two weeks after an MRI exam on his injured right ankle Tuesday revealed a sprain.

The Golden State Warriors say their leading scorer and two-time league MVP will be re-evaluated in two weeks. That means Curry is out for Wednesday night's game in his hometown of Charlotte, where the MRI took place.

Curry stepped on E'Twaun Moore's foot and landed awkwardly on the ankle while going for a late steal in a 125-115 comeback win Monday night at New Orleans and left the arena using crutches and wearing a walking boot. He scored 31 points before the injury.

The defending NBA champions said the MRI indicated Curry's ankle "is stable and structurally intact."

Curry is averaging 26.3 points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds this season.

Man charged with 2010 slaying of NBA player Wright

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Authorities charged a man Tuesday in connection with the slaying of former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, more than seven years after Wright's bullet-riddled body was found decomposing in a Tennessee suburb.

Billy Turner, 46, was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder, and was being held on $1 million bond, said Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich. Court records did not list a lawyer for him or a date for a court hearing. Weirich and Police Director Michael Rallings declined to discuss any details of the arrest or investigation.

Wright's body was found in suburban Memphis on July 28, 2010, 10 days after the 34-year-old was reported missing. He was shot multiple times. The seven-year investigation into his death has been one of the Memphis Police Department's most high-profile unsolved cases.

Wright's mother, Deborah Marion, had told news outlets recently that she was not giving up hope as the search for her son's killer dragged on.

She told WREG-TV in Memphis on Tuesday that she had been told an arrest was made.

"Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus," she said. "You gotta pray for what you want and that's what I did."

Marion said she doesn't know Turner.

Police said last month that they had found a gun used in the killing in a lake near Walnut, Mississippi, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Memphis.

Montana high school hoops team posts a 102-0 shutout

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - A northeastern Montana high school girls' basketball team posted a 102-0 shutout of a short-handed opponent last weekend.

Brockton coach Terrence Johnson tells the Great Falls Tribune he usually has nine or 10 girls available, but due to several reasons, only suited up five Friday against the much taller and more experienced Froid-Medicine Lake team. Brockton's roster included an eighth-grader.

Froid-Medicine Lake, with three players that are at least 6 feet tall, built a 59-0 halftime lead. The game clock ran continuously in the second half.

Coach Lance Brekke said he felt bad for the Brockton players and he doesn't want to see something like that happen again.

Johnson says his team holds no ill feelings toward their opponents. He says his girls did everything possible to score.