OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s former fiancee has gone to court seeking to prove that he is the father of her newborn twins and to require him to pay child support.

The Kansas City Star reports that Crystal Espinal filed a petition Thursday in Johnson County, Kansas, District Court. Her petition also seeks to establish supervised parenting time for Hill.

The Chiefs suspended Hill on April 25 over allegations that his 3-year-old son was abused, which Hill denies. The local district attorney said in June that an investigation was no longer active because he couldn’t prove who injured the boy.

Online court records did not indicate that Hill had an attorney in the paternity case. The Chiefs did not immediately return a telephone message early Friday seeking comment.

By Corbin McGuire-K-Statesports.com

MANHATTAN, Kan. – There’s watching high-level volleyball on TV, and then there’s what K-State’s Brynn Carlson, Gloria Mutiri and Teana Adams-Kaonohi experienced a few weeks ago in California.

The trio of Wildcats, as part of being selected to the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team-Anaheim roster, did more than train at the official host city for the men’s and women’s national teams from June 23-29.

Before each practice, they watched the women’s national team practice. Then, with the 25 other collegiate players there, they repeated the exact practice schedule. They did this for a week.

“It was really good watching them play, learning how they work with their systems and putting what we just watched onto the court and playing it out,” Adams-Kaonohi said. “We were trying to mimic their style of play.”

At first, Mutiri was trying to stifle her inner fangirl. A volleyball junkie, K-State’s sophomore opposite said she has idolized these players for years. She knows their hometowns and where they played at in college.

“So, it was really crazy to walk around the gym as them, stand in line to get water at the same line as them,” she said, laughing. “My favorite player is Karsta Lowe. She’s with the Pan Am team, and she was also there. I was really geeking. Everyone was, like, ‘Just go say hi to her,’ and I was, like, ‘No, I can’t do that. I would probably cry,’ because she’s really good.

“That was really cool to see that we were in the same gym as these people. They went and just won VNL, so that’s pretty cool,” Mutiri added, referring to an international tournament with 16 countries. “I like how we would watch for a long time and also try put a lot of that into play and see where the differences are, areas you need to work on.”

All three Wildcats, who play different positions, varied in where they improved the most.

Carlson, a redshirt sophomore outside hitter, said her passing in the back row took the biggest jump. Adams-Kaonohi, an incoming freshman from Honolulu, Hawaii, pointed to her leadership as a setter. Mutiri, who received AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors last season, said she developed significantly as a blocker.

There was one area all three named in common: Tempo.

“We focused a lot on running at USA tempo and USA speed, and thankfully for us we play in that same system,” Carlson said. “It was really good to continue to work on pushing tempo and pace, especially in hitting rhythm because that’s something we’ve been working on.”

After several days filled with watching the national team practice and mimicking that practice multiple times, the last day included an intrasquad scrimmage. Carlson, whose blue team won, said it was a fitting end to the experience. Adams-Kaonohi said it was her favorite part of the whole week.

“It was a good experience because we all got to put on that USA jersey, so it really felt like we were part of the program,” she said. “Since we were working for a whole week, working really hard, putting in all the effort, it just felt good being part of that program and playing for USA.”

The experience also added to what has been a valuable summer for K-State. The entire team, with 13 underclassmen to only three upperclassmen, returned from a nine-day tour of Brazil on June 6.

For Carlson, Mutiri and Adams-Kaonohi, their trip to Anaheim a few weeks later offered another chance to play high-level volleyball at a time when they usually would be training voluntarily and without coaches.

Anna Dixon, a freshman outside hitter, has been receiving the same benefit, just somewhere else. As one of 20 players selected to USA Volleyball’s 2019 Women’s Junior National Training Team, she’s been in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since July 5. On Thursday, the Louisburg native was announced as part of the 12-player roster that will participate in the 2019 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship, which starts on Friday in Mexico.

“I think it’s important. Whatever opportunity you can be in to grow, do that,” Mutiri said of the USA Volleyball experiences. “I think that, since we’re all really young, we have a high rate of learning, so we can process information really fast and implement it really quickly. I think that’ll be really good for us to start building really good habits by going to stuff like Anaheim and Colorado, just getting a little bit better at the skills we need to work on.”

“I think it’s the most valuable thing we could be doing for this team. It’s really going to allow us to slow the game down here,” Carlson added. “That’s invaluable when it comes to team chemistry and being able to come back without having any of that drag or that lull from not practicing with a coach. It’s really showed. There wasn’t really any rust (at open gyms). We came back and flowed really well right away together, which I think is a really good sign for the season.

“If we can just continue with that type of trajectory, once we get to two-a-days it’s going to be really, really good, and we’re just going to be clicking on all cylinders.”

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State will match up against ACC foe Pittsburgh in the semifinals of the 2019 Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, which is set for Monday-Wednesday, November 25 and 27 at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Wildcats and Panthers will be part of a doubleheader on Monday, November 25 in the semifinals of the second annual Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off, which includes a contest between Missouri Valley Tournament champion Bradley and the Big Ten’s Northwestern. Game times will be announced later.

The winners of the two semifinals games will meet in the championship game on Wednesday, November 27 with the remaining two teams facing off in the third-place game. All four game will air on FS1.

Travel packages for the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off are now available, which includes tickets to each tournament game, hotel accommodations and parking at the Suncoast Credit Union Arena. For more information, log on to www.fortmyerstipoff.com/travel. Ticket-only packages, based on availability, will become available in September.

K-State will play four games in the Tip-Off, including previously announced home games at Bramlage Coliseum against Monmouth (Wednesday, November 13) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Tuesday, November 19) prior to traveling to the championship rounds of the tournament in Fort Myers.

“Pitt was one of the youngest teams in the country a year ago under Coach (Jeff) Capel,” said head coach Bruce Weber. “They return four starters, including a pair of elite scorers (Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens), so this is going to be another challenge for our team in the preseason. Obviously, you throw in Bradley, who won the (Missouri) Valley Tournament Championship and went to the NCAA Tournament, and an always-strong Northwestern squad and this should be a terrific field for the Fort Myers Tip-Off.”

This will be just the second meeting between K-State and Pitt on the hardwood with the inaugural matchup coming in the consolation game of the 2014 Maui Invitational with the Panthers – under the direction of current TCU head coach Jamie Dixon – posting a 70-47 win on November 26.

Under second-year head coach Jeff Capel, Pittsburgh returns four starters in 2019-20, including double-figure scorers Xavier Johnson (15.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.) and Trey McGowens (11.6 ppg., 1.9 spg.), after nearly doubling their win total from the previous season. An All-ACC Freshman Team selection, Johnson set Pitt freshman records for scoring, double-figure scoring games, games with 15 or more points and 20-point scoring games and was the only ACC player to average at least 15.5 points and 4.5 assists in 2018-19. McGowens tallied a pair of 30-point games as a rookie, including a Pitt freshman record of 33 in a win over Louisville.

Capel is familiar with K-State having spent six seasons (2006-11) as the head coach at Oklahoma, posting a 2-4 mark against the Wildcats. He led the Sooners to the 2009 Elite Eight.

Under fifth-year head coach Brian Wardle, Bradley returns four of its top five scorers from a year ago, including double-digit scorers Darrell Brown (14.8 ppg.) and Elijah Childs (12.4 ppg.). The Braves (20-15) made an inspiring run to capture the 2019 Missouri Valley Tournament, defeating Missouri State, regular-season champion Loyola Chicago and Northern Iowa, before losing to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern must replace its top three scorers after posting a 13-19 overall mark in 2018-19 under seventh-year head coach Chris Collins. The Wildcats return three players with significant starting experience, including senior A.J. Turner (8.7 ppg.), junior Anthony Gaines (6.9 ppg.) and sophomore Miller Kopp (4.9 ppg.), to go with an eight-man recruiting class.

The reigning Big 12 regular-season co-champions, K-State returns eight lettermen in 2019-20, which includes All-Big 12 honorable mention selection Xavier Sneed (10.6 ppg., 5.5 rpg.) and fellow senior Makol Mawien (7.0 ppg., 4.9 rpg.), from a squad that has posted consecutive 25-win seasons and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season a year ago. The Wildcats also return rising juniors Cartier Diarra (6.8 ppg., 3.3 rpg.), Mike McGuirl (3.6 ppg., 1.5 rpg.) and Levi Stockard III (1.8 ppg., 1.5 rpg.) as well as a highly-regarded signing class that includes a trio of Top 200 high school players in DaJuan Gordon, Antonio Gordon and Montavious Murphy and NJCAA All-American David Sloan.

Boston College won the inaugural Fort Myers Tip-Off in 2018, knocking off Loyola Chicago, 78-66. The Eagles knocked off Wyoming, 88-76, and the Ramblers beat Richmond, 82-66, in the semifinals, while the Cowboys won the third-place game with a 68-66 win over the Spiders.

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Single game tickets for the 2019 Kansas football season are now available for purchase. Prices vary based on game and seat location in David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

KU will begin the 2019 season on August 31 vs. Indiana State with an 11 a.m., kickoff. The Jayhawks will also host nonconference opponent Coastal Carolina on Sept. 7, kicking off against the Chanticleers at 6 p.m.

West Virginia will travel to Lawrence on Sept. 21 for the Big 12 Conference-opener. Next up will be Big 12 foe Oklahoma as the Jayhawks and Sooners will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 5, following Late Night in the Phog on Friday, Oct. 4.

Kansas will host Texas Tech for Homecoming and K Club weekend on Saturday, Oct. 26, and then will welcome in-state foe K-State for the annual Sunflower Showdown presented by Dillons on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Jayhawks will honor their senior class on Saturday, Nov. 30 when they play host to Baylor for Senior Day.

In addition to single-game tickets, Kansas Athletics is offering a Mini Plan option for Jayhawk football games. As part of the Mini Plan offer fans have the chance to purchase tickets to the Oklahoma and K-State games. Tier 1 Mini Plan tickets are available for $150, Tier 2 for $130 and Tier 3 for $99.

Season tickets for the seven-game home schedule are on sale for as low as $155. For additional ticket information contact the Kansas Sales Team by calling 800-34-HAWKS or visit kuathletics.com/tickets.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (AP) — Jim Bouton, the former New York Yankees pitcher who shocked and angered the conservative baseball world with the tell-all book “Ball Four,” has died. He was 80.

Bouton’s family said he died Wednesday at the Great Barrington home he shared with wife Paula Kurman. He fought a brain disease linked to dementia and was in hospice care. Bouton also had two strokes in 2012.

Published in 1970, “Ball Four” detailed Yankees great Mickey Mantle’s carousing and the use of stimulants in the major leagues. Bouton’s revealing look at baseball off the field made for eye-opening and entertaining reading, but he paid a big price for the best-seller when former teammates and players and executives across baseball ostracized him for exposing their secrets. He wasn’t invited to the Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day until 1998.

Throwing so hard that his cap often flew off his head, Bouton was 21-8 with six shutouts in 1963 — his second season in the majors and his only year as an All-Star — and went 18-13 with four more shutouts in 1964. The Yankees lost the World Series both years, with Bouton losing his lone start in 1963 in New York’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers and winning twice the following year in the Yankees’ loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bouton injured his right arm in 1965, going 4-15 that season, and saw limited action the next three seasons with New York. He worked on “Ball Four” in 1969, a season spent with the expansion Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros, his fastball replaced by a knuckleball as he tried to prolong his career.

Nicknamed Bulldog, Bouton also pitched for Houston in 1970. He returned to the majors with the Atlanta Braves in 1978, going 1-3 at age 39. He finished his 10-year career with a 62-63 record and 3.57 ERA.

Bouton was a television sportscaster in New York City with WABC and WCBS, wrote other books, appeared in the 1973 movie “The Long Goodbye” and starred in a 1976 CBS sitcom based on “Ball Four” that lasted only five episodes. He and a former teammate developed Big League Chew, a bubble gum alternative to tobacco.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Bouton was raised in New Jersey and the Chicago area. He pitched at Western Michigan University before signing with the Yankees in 1958. He made it to the majors in 1962, going 7-7, but didn’t appear in the Yankees’ World Series victory over the San Francisco Giants.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Russell Westbrook and James Harden are together again, and Chris Paul is leaving Houston to make that reunion happen.

A person with knowledge of the situation says the Oklahoma City Thunder have traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Paul in a swapping of top point guards. The Thunder also are getting first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, plus the right to swap first-rounders in two other seasons, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the trade has not been announced.

ESPN first reported the agreement.

Paul is a nine-time All-Star, Westbrook an eight-time selection. Paul has 9,181 career assists, the most among active players. Westbrook has 138 triple-doubles, tied with Magic Johnson for second-most in NBA history behind only Oscar Robertson’s 181. Both members of Houston’s new glitzy backcourt are recent MVPs: Westbrook won it in 2017, Harden won it in 2018. And the trade means that the NBA’s two highest scorers over the last five seasons — Harden with 11,958 points, Westbrook with 10,025 — are now teammates.

Westbrook and Harden were Thunder teammates for three seasons, the last of those being the 2011-12 campaign when that duo and Kevin Durant took Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals. They lost in five games to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat, and Harden departed that summer for Houston — where he’s been an All-Star ever since.

But when the Thunder agreed last week to trade Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers — in a move that essentially sealed 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard’s decision to leave Toronto for the Clippers — it became clear quickly that Westbrook would be on the move as well. And this trade, when completed, will mean that Thunder general manager Sam Presti has added eight first-round picks to the team’s stockpile in the last week or so.

Oklahoma City got five first-round future selections as part of the George trade. The Thunder are getting two more in this trade, and got a 2020 first-round pick in the deal completed earlier this week that sent Jerami Grant to Denver.

It’s the latest bold transaction in a wild offseason of movement that already saw Leonard become the first reigning Finals MVP change teams in the offseason after winning that award, Anthony Davis get traded from New Orleans to the Los Angeles Lakers, All-Star point guards like Kyrie Irving (Boston to Brooklyn), Kemba Walker (Charlotte to Boston) and D’Angelo Russell (Brooklyn to Golden State) change teams, Durant leave the Warriors for Brooklyn, Jimmy Butler go from Philadelphia to Miami in a sign-and-trade, Al Horford move from Philadelphia from Boston.

“Craziest NBA summer by far,” longtime NBA guard Jamal Crawford tweeted.

Paul and Harden were teammates for two seasons in Houston. The Rockets had a 3-2 lead over Golden State in the 2018 Western Conference finals when Paul injured a hamstring, and the Warriors rallied to win that series in seven games on the way to the NBA title. This past season, Houston was ousted in the second round by the Warriors.

The 34-year-old Paul is owed roughly $125 million over the final three years of his contract, including a $44.2 million option for 2021-22. Westbrook, who turns 31 early next season, is owed $171 million over the final four years of his existing deal.